Okay, let's talk fish. Last week I was playing survival mode and nearly starved because I forgot to bring steak. My health was down to three hearts when I remembered that river near spawn. Ten minutes later, I had five cooked cod keeping me alive. That's why knowing how do you get fish in Minecraft matters more than you think.
Fishing isn't just about food though. I've fished up enchanted books, saddles, name tags - even a bow once! But let's start simple. If you're wondering how to get fish in Minecraft, there are three main ways: fishing rods, hunting them underwater, and trading. Each has pros and cons.
The Foolproof Fishing Method
Here's how fishing works: You need water and a fishing rod. Any water works - oceans, rivers, even 1x1 puddles work surprisingly. But deeper is better when hunting specific fish.
Crafting Your First Rod
Make a fishing rod at your crafting table:
- 3 sticks (diagonal line from top-left to bottom-right)
- 2 strings (vertical line on right side)
Strings drop from spiders. Kill a couple at night or find cobwebs in mineshafts. Takes 5 seconds to craft.
Actually Fishing Step-by-Step
- Equip your rod (put it in your hand)
- Face water and right-click to cast
- Watch the floating bobber closely
- When it dips underwater and splashes, right-click fast!
Timing is everything. Miss that splash and the fish escapes. Trust me, I've lost count how many times I looked away and missed the bite. Annoying!
Pro tip: Rain makes fish bite 30% faster. Open areas work better than caves. And please don't stand directly above the bobber - it scares fish away.
| What You Might Catch | Probability | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Raw Cod (most common) | 60% | Cooking for food |
| Raw Salmon | 25% | Better food than cod |
| Pufferfish | 13% | Water breathing potions |
| Tropical Fish | 2% | Decoration or cats |
| Treasure (enchanted books etc.) | 5% | Early game equipment |
| Junk (bowls, leather etc.) | 10% | Mostly useless |
That treasure chance is why I fish early game. Got a Flame I bow once before finding diamonds. Felt like cheating!
Alternative Methods for Getting Fish
Not into fishing? Here are other ways how do you get fish in Minecraft without rods:
Underwater Hunting
Find oceans or rivers. Fish swim around in groups:
- Cod: Cold oceans (mostly)
- Salmon: Rivers and cold oceans
- Pufferfish: Warm oceans
- Tropical fish: Warm oceans near coral
Just punch them! Takes 1-2 hits. Bring a trident if you have one - makes it easier. But snorkeling for fish drains hunger fast. Eat first.
Careful with pufferfish! They poison you if touched. Learned that the hard way when chasing one in survival mode. Won't kill you but wastes food.
Bucket Fishing Technique
Found a tropical fish you want as pet? Make an empty bucket (3 iron ingots):
- Sneak up underwater
- Right-click fish with bucket
- BOOM - fish in a bucket!
Great for building aquariums or transporting fish. Costs no durability like rods.
What To Do With Your Fish
So you've got fish. Now what? Here's what I use them for:
Cooking and Eating
Raw fish restores 2 hunger points. Cooked? 5 points. Big difference. Use any fuel source:
- Furnace: 1 fish + fuel = cooked fish
- Campfire: Place fish directly, cooks automatically
- Smoker: Cooks twice as fast as furnace
Salmon gives more saturation than cod. Pufferfish? Don't cook it! Raw pufferfish poisons you for 60 seconds. Found out during hardcore run. Nearly died.
Trading and Taming
Fisherman villagers (level 1):
- Buy 6 raw cod for 1 emerald
- Sell 1 cooked cod for 1 emerald
More importantly: Raw fish tames cats! Feed any stray cat raw fish until hearts appear. Now it follows you and scares creepers away. Lifesaver in jungle temples.
Advanced Fishing Tactics
Once you know basic how do you get fish in Minecraft, try these pro strategies:
Enchanting Your Rod
Better rods = better catches. Combine rods or use enchantment table:
| Enchantment | Effect | Max Level |
|---|---|---|
| Lure | Reduces wait time | III (30% faster) |
| Luck of the Sea | Less junk, more treasure | III (doubles treasure chance) |
| Unbreaking | Less durability loss | III |
| Mending | Repairs with XP | I |
Best combo? Lure III + Luck III + Mending. Makes fishing insanely profitable. Took me hours to get though.
AFK Fish Farms (Sort Of)
Old automatic farms got patched. But semi-AFK still works:
- Build covered 2x1 water hole indoors
- Sit in boat above hole
- Hold right-click with rod
- Weight down mouse button
You'll catch fish while afk. Not perfect but lets you grab snacks. Works better on rainy days. Just don't leave it running overnight - phantoms might spawn.
Minecraft Fishing Troubleshooting
Having problems? Here's fixes for common issues:
Why isn't my fishing rod working?
- Not facing water? Straight down doesn't work
- Bobber stuck? Move away from walls
- Too bright? Fish bite less in daylight
How do you get fish in Minecraft faster?
- Enchant with Lure III
- Fish during thunderstorms
- Find deeper water pools
Can you breed fish?
Nope. Mojang hasn't added breeding. You'll always need to catch wild ones. Disappointing, I know.
Where's the best spot for tropical fish?
Warm ocean biomes near coral reefs. Look for bright colors. Bucket them for awesome aquarium pets.
Real Talk: Is Fishing Worth It?
Honestly? Early game - absolutely. When you're starving and haven't found cows, fishing saves lives. Late game? Only if you've got Luck enchants. Hunting salmon in rivers is usually faster.
But treasure fishing? Always valuable. I still fish occasionally even with full netherite gear. Enchanted books and name tags don't grow on trees!
Biggest downside: Fishing's boring after the first ten minutes. I usually build automatic smokers nearby and multitask.
Final Tips From My Experience
- Always carry buckets. Never know when you'll spot rare tropical fish
- Make smokers early - doubles cooking speed
- Combine duplicate enchanted books from fishing for better gear
- Name tag + tropical fish = cool aquarium centerpiece
- Pufferfish poison only lasts 1 minute - risk it for potions if needed
At the end of the day, how do you get fish in Minecraft depends on your goal. Food? Hunt salmon in rivers. Resources? Enchant a rod. Pets? Bucket tropical fish. Now get out there and catch dinner!
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