You’re standing on a block of dirt, staring at a pixelated ocean, wondering why that little red bobber hasn't moved for three minutes. We’ve all been there. Learning how to catch a fish on Minecraft seems like it should be the easiest thing in the game—certainly easier than fighting a Wither or navigating the End—but there’s a surprising amount of nuance that the game doesn't tell you. If you’re just clicking and hoping, you’re doing it wrong.
Fishing is actually one of the most "broken" mechanics in the game if you know how to exploit it. It isn't just about food. Honestly, once you have a decent farm, you won't even eat the cod or salmon you catch. You’re here for the loot. You're here for the enchanted books, the name tags, and the bows that make you feel like a god. But before you can get to the legendary treasure, you have to master the basics of the rod.
Making the Tool: It Starts with Spiders
You can’t catch anything without a rod. Simple, right? You need three sticks and two pieces of string. You probably have the sticks. The string is the annoying part. You have to go out at night and hunt spiders, which can be a pain if you’re playing on Hardcore or just started a new world. Pro tip: if you find a desert temple or a jungle pyramid, check the chests. Sometimes you get lucky. Or, just find a village and hope there's a fletcher or a chest in a house.
Once you have your three sticks placed diagonally and the two strings hanging down the right side in your crafting table, you’ve got a basic fishing rod. It’s flimsy. It’s slow. It’s basically a twig. But it’s your ticket to the mid-game.
The Casting Technique
When you use the rod, your character throws out a bobber. You want to aim for open water. I’ve seen people try to fish in a one-block hole inside their house. Does it work? Technically, yes, in certain versions. Is it efficient? Absolutely not.
Look for those tiny splashes. That’s the visual cue. After you cast, you’ll see little particles—water droplets—rushing toward your bobber. This is the "fish" approaching. The second that bobber dips below the surface, you have to right-click (or use your action button). If you’re a millisecond late, the fish is gone. It’s all about the sound, honestly. If you play with your volume up, listen for that specific splosh sound. It’s more reliable than your eyes.
Why Your Location Matters More Than You Think
Where you stand changes everything. If you’re fishing under a roof or a thick canopy of trees, the game punishes you. Minecraft has a "rain" and "sunlight" mechanic for fishing.
If the block the bobber is in has direct access to the sky, the "wait time" for a bite decreases. If it’s raining, that timer drops even further. You’re basically 20% more likely to get a bite during a thunderstorm. It’s counter-intuitive because you’re more likely to get struck by lightning or blown up by a creeper, but the fish love the rain.
Open water vs. Small ponds
Since the 1.16 "Nether Update," Mojang changed how "treasure" loot works. This is a huge deal. You used to be able to build tiny "AFK fish farms" in a 1x1 hole and get Mending books all night. Not anymore. To catch "Treasure" (enchanted books, saddles, etc.), the bobber must be in "Open Water."
What does that mean? Basically:
- The water needs to be a 5x5x4 area.
- No solid blocks can be touching the water where the bobber is.
- No "lily pads" or "carpets" can be floating directly above it.
If you fish in a tiny puddle, you’ll only ever get raw cod, salmon, pufferfish, and tropical fish. You’ll never see a single enchanted book. If you want the good stuff, head to the ocean or a deep lake.
The Loot: It’s Not Just Salmon
So, you’ve mastered the click. What are you actually getting? Most of the time, it's Raw Cod. It’s boring. It restores a bit of hunger. Then there’s Raw Salmon, which is slightly better.
Then you get the weird stuff.
Pufferfish are dangerous. Don’t eat them. You’ll get Nausea II, Hunger III, and Poison IV. You'll basically be staring at a swirling screen while your health drops to half a heart. Save them for brewing Water Breathing potions. Tropical Fish are mostly useless for food, but you need them if you want to breed Axolotls.
The Real Prizes
This is why we're here. The "Treasure" category includes:
- Enchanted Books: This is the easiest way to get Mending or Silk Touch early on.
- Enchanted Bows: Sometimes they come with Power IV or Unbreaking III already on them.
- Saddles: Since you can't craft these, fishing is a top-tier way to get your first horse-riding gear.
- Name Tags: Essential for stopping your favorite pets or villagers from despawning.
- Nautilus Shells: You need these for Conduits. They are rare, but fishing is a steady way to farm them.
On the flip side, you'll catch "Junk." Leather boots, glass bottles, sticks, and rotten flesh. It’s annoying, but even the junk has uses. Leather can be turned into books, and glass bottles are great for potions.
How to Catch a Fish on Minecraft Like a Pro (Enchantments)
If you’re serious about this, a plain rod won't cut it. You need to get your rod to a grindstone or an enchantment table. There are two specific enchantments that turn the fishing rod into a powerhouse.
Lure (Levels I-III)
This reduces the wait time. At Lure III, you’re getting a bite every 5 to 10 seconds. It’s fast-paced. Without it, you might be waiting 30 seconds between fish. It makes the whole process feel less like a chore and more like a rapid-fire minigame.
👉 See also: Why the Shadow of the Colossus 12th Colossus is the Game’s Weirdest Design Choice
Luck of the Sea (Levels I-III)
This is the big one. This enchantment increases your chances of catching "Treasure" and decreases your chances of catching "Junk." If you have Luck of the Sea III, your odds of pulling up a Mending book skyrocket compared to a standard rod.
Unbreaking and Mending
Fishing rods have durability. Every time you reel in, the rod loses a point. If you catch something on a block or a mob, it loses even more. Unbreaking III makes it last way longer. Mending is the ultimate goal. Since fishing gives you experience points (XP) every time you catch something, a rod with Mending will literally repair itself as you use it. It becomes an infinite tool.
The AFK Fishing Debate
I have to mention it. For years, the community used "AFK Fish Farms"—simple contraptions involving a note block, a trapdoor, and a heavy-weighted pressure plate. You’d weigh down your right-click button and go to sleep, waking up with double chests full of loot.
Mojang didn't like how easy this made the game. As of current versions, the "Open Water" requirement I mentioned earlier makes most old AFK designs useless for treasure. You can still AFK fish for food and XP, but the days of getting 50 Mending books while you sleep are mostly over unless you build a massive, complex 5x5 water-source farm.
Honestly? Just fish manually during the Minecraft nights when it's too dangerous to go outside. It’s relaxing.
Common Mistakes Beginners Make
One of the biggest mistakes I see is people reeling in too early. You see the particles, you get excited, and you click before the bobber actually goes under. Wait for the dip.
Another mistake is fishing in the dark without sky access. If you’re inside a cave, your catch rate is abysmal. Always dig a 1x1 shaft straight up to the surface so the game thinks your water block is "outdoors."
Lastly, don't ignore the "Junk." If you’re fishing in the early game, those leather boots you just caught can be repaired in your crafting grid. That tripwire hook can be used for a trap. Minecraft is a game of resource management, and fishing is the ultimate scavenger hunt.
Strategic Next Steps
If you want to maximize your efficiency, don't just stand there with a wooden stick. Here is exactly what you should do right now:
- Hunt Spiders: Get that string and craft your first rod immediately.
- Find a Large Ocean: Don't settle for a pond. Find deep water to ensure you're eligible for Treasure loot.
- Wait for Rain: If you see a storm, drop everything and go fishing. The speed boost is massive.
- Enchant ASAP: Use an enchantment table to get any level of Lure or Luck of the Sea. Even Level I makes a noticeable difference.
- Watch the Durability: Don't let your rod break! If it's low, use it to craft a new one (which combines the durability) or look for a Mending book to fix it forever.
Fishing is the quietest way to become the most powerful player on your server. It takes patience, but the rewards—especially those rare enchanted books—are worth every second spent staring at the water. Stick with it, listen for the splash, and you'll have a chest full of treasure before you know it.