How to Build an AFK Fish Farm in Minecraft
Guide to building an AFK fish farm in Minecraft 1.21+ Java Edition. Covers note block timing, barrel collection, and loot tables for treasure, fish, and XP.
AFK fish farms let you go idle while your character automatically catches fish, treasure loot, and experience. Since the fishing loot table rework in 1.16, treasure enchanted books and name tags no longer drop from non-open-water fishing spots in Java Edition. This guide covers the current mechanics in 1.21+ and explains what you can and cannot get from AFK fishing.
Why build an AFK fish farm?
- Produces raw cod, raw salmon, pufferfish, and tropical fish passively.
- Decent XP source while AFK (1 to 6 XP per catch).
- Chance for treasure items if the open-water requirement is met.
- Simple to build and uses almost no materials.
Important: Open water vs. non-open water
In Java Edition 1.16+, the fishing bobber must be in "open water" to catch treasure-tier loot (enchanted books, bows, fishing rods, name tags, saddles, nautilus shells). Open water means a 5x5x5 cube around the bobber must contain only water, air, or waterlogged blocks. Any solid blocks (including fences, trapdoors, or note blocks) within this area disqualify treasure drops.
Most compact AFK fish farm designs are NOT open water. They still produce fish and junk items but not treasure. If you want treasure, you need a larger open-water design.
Materials list
| Item | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing rod | 1+ | Lure III and Luck of the Sea III recommended |
| Iron trapdoor | 1 | Auto-recast mechanism |
| Note block | 1 | Timing trigger |
| Fence (any type) | 1 | Catch point |
| Water bucket | 1 | Fishing water |
| Building blocks | ~10 | Frame |
| Hopper | 1 | Collection |
| Chest | 1 | Storage |
| Barrel (optional) | 1 | Alternative storage block |
Step-by-step: Compact AFK fish farm (non-open water)
Step 1: Place the water source
Dig a 1x1x1 hole in the ground. Fill it with a water source block. This is where the bobber will land.
Step 2: Place the iron trapdoor
Place an iron trapdoor on the edge of the water hole, positioned so you can right-click it from your standing position. The trapdoor retracts the fishing line when it activates.
Step 3: Place the note block
Place a note block below the iron trapdoor. When a fish bites, the bobber generates a splash sound. The note block detects this and sends a signal to the trapdoor. Actually, the mechanism works by the player holding right-click: the trapdoor and note block placement creates a spot where right-clicking both casts the rod and interacts with the trapdoor alternately, automating the recast.
Step 4: Position yourself
Stand at the exact position where holding right-click alternates between casting the rod into the water and clicking the trapdoor. This requires precise placement. Aim your crosshair at the spot where the water, trapdoor, and note block intersect.
Side view:
[PLAYER POSITION] --aim crosshair here--> [FENCE]
[TRAPDOOR]
[WATER]
[NOTE BLOCK]
[HOPPER] > [CHEST]
Step 5: Hold right-click and AFK
Hold down the right mouse button (or use your operating system's accessibility feature to lock the button). The rod casts, a fish bites, the line reels in automatically, and the rod casts again. Items drop and get collected by the hopper below.
Open-water AFK fish farm
For treasure drops, build a larger design. Dig a 5x5x3 pool of water with no solid blocks within the 5x5x5 area around the bobber. Place your AFK position at the edge of the pool. This is less compact but enables enchanted book drops. The catch rate is slower because you cannot use the trapdoor trick for instant recasting.
Fishing mechanics and loot tables
Every fishing attempt has three loot categories:
- Fish (85% base chance): Raw cod (60%), raw salmon (25%), pufferfish (13%), tropical fish (2%).
- Treasure (5% base chance, open water only): Enchanted books, bows, fishing rods, name tags, saddles, nautilus shells.
- Junk (10% base chance): Lily pads, bowls, rotten flesh, string, water bottles, bones, ink sacs, tripwire hooks, sticks, leather.
Luck of the Sea III shifts the odds: treasure increases to ~11.5%, junk drops to ~4.5%, fish stays around 84%. Lure III reduces the wait time between bites from 5 to 30 seconds down to 5 to 15 seconds.
XP from fishing
Each successful catch gives 1 to 6 experience points. Over an hour of AFK fishing, you accumulate roughly 200 to 500 XP, which translates to about 5 to 10 levels from level 0. This is modest compared to dedicated XP farms but comes as a free bonus alongside the fish and loot.
Common mistakes
- Assuming treasure drops in non-open water. In Java 1.16+, non-open-water spots do not produce treasure. If you want enchanted books, build an open-water design.
- Using a rod without Mending. Your fishing rod loses durability with each catch. Without Mending, it breaks eventually. Mending repairs it using the XP from fishing, making it self-sustaining.
- Wrong crosshair position. If your aim is off by one pixel, the auto-recast loop breaks. Spend time aligning precisely before going AFK.
- Server AFK kick timers. Many servers kick idle players after 5 to 15 minutes. Check your server's AFK timeout or use anti-AFK measures if allowed.
- Not using Lure III. Without Lure, the time between bites can be up to 30 seconds. Lure III roughly doubles your catch rate per hour.
Frequently asked questions
Is AFK fishing still worth it in 1.21?
For fish, junk loot, and XP, yes. For treasure loot like enchanted books, it depends on your design. Open-water designs still produce treasure but at a slow rate. Villager trading is generally faster for enchanted books.
Does Rain affect fishing?
Yes. Rain reduces the average wait time between bites by about 20%. If it is raining while you AFK fish, your catch rate improves. Rain and Lure III stack.
Can I AFK fish in the Nether?
No. You cannot place water in the Nether, so fishing is impossible there.
What rod enchantments should I use?
The ideal fishing rod has Lure III, Luck of the Sea III, Unbreaking III, and Mending. This maximizes catch speed, treasure chance, durability, and self-repair. Mending is the most important because it prevents the rod from ever breaking.
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