Tools · Basics · 1.21

How to Make a Fishing Rod

Three sticks, two string, and a lot of patience by the water. A fishing rod feeds you, pulls up enchanted treasure, and even reels in the occasional mob.

The recipe

Three sticks on the diagonal, two string down the right column.

→

What you can catch

Every cast rolls one of three pools.

Fish

Cod, salmon, pufferfish and tropical fish, the everyday catch and a free food source.

Treasure

Enchanted books, enchanted bows and rods, name tags, saddles and nautilus shells.

Junk

Damaged boots, bowls, sticks, string, leather and the odd lily pad.

The enchants that matter

Lure

Cuts the wait between bites, so you fish far faster.

Luck of the Sea

Shifts the odds toward treasure and away from junk.

Add Mending and Unbreaking and a single rod lasts for thousands of casts.

Quick answers

What is the recipe?

Three sticks on the diagonal (top-right to bottom-left) and two string down the right column.

How do I actually fish?

Right-click water to cast, wait for the bobber to dip with a splash and trailing particles, then right-click again to reel.

What can I catch?

Fish, treasure such as enchanted books, bows, name tags and saddles, and junk like boots and sticks.

Which enchants are best?

Lure makes fish bite faster; Luck of the Sea shifts the odds toward treasure. Mending and Unbreaking keep the rod going.

Can I reel in mobs or items?

Yes. The hook can pull dropped items toward you and tug mobs, handy for moving animals or shooting down a hook for fun.

How long does it last?

About 64 uses. Reeling in mobs or items costs a little extra durability than catching fish.

Where do I get string?

Kill spiders or cave spiders for 0 to 2 string each, break cobwebs with a sword or shears, trade with a fisherman or shepherd villager, or loot dungeon and mineshaft chests. Cats also bring string as a morning gift.

Does rain affect fishing?

Yes. Rain on the bobber cuts the wait for a bite by about 20 percent. It does not change treasure odds, but the faster bites mean more casts per minute. Sit under open sky during a storm, since a roof or block above the bobber cancels the rain bonus.

What is the max enchant level?

Lure caps at level III and Luck of the Sea caps at level III, both through the enchanting table or anvil. Add Unbreaking III and Mending and one rod lasts effectively forever.

Why does my rod catch less treasure?

Open water matters. The 5x5x4 area around the bobber must be only water or air, with no nearby blocks, lily pads, or boats. Fishing in a 1x1 hole only returns fish and junk.

Can I enchant a carrot or warped fungus on a stick?

No. Carrot on a stick and warped fungus on a stick take no enchantments. They steer pigs and striders, not fishing. Only the plain fishing rod accepts Lure, Luck of the Sea, Unbreaking, and Mending.

Fish faster, waste less

Small habits that change the catch rate and save durability.

Cast under open sky in the rain. Rain shortens the wait, and Lure III drops the bite timer to roughly 5 to 15 seconds.
Reel the instant the bobber dips and the splash sound plays. Late reels lose the bite, and an early reel just resets the cast.
Hold the rod out of the water between casts. The hook only takes durability when something is caught or pulled, so idle holding costs nothing.
Build a 1 block deep pool that is at least 5 wide and 5 long for treasure. Anything smaller counts as not open water and bans treasure rolls.
Keep a second enchanted rod in your offhand. When the main rod nears 0 durability, swap rather than letting it break and lose the enchants.
AFK fishing on multiplayer is a clicker macro at heart. Astroworld allows simple auto-clickers for fishing but bans full automation, so check the rules before you leave it running.

Look up the fishing rod and string in the items database, compare Lure and Luck of the Sea in the enchantments list, or grab the recipe on Astroworld crafting.