How to build an AFK fish farm in Minecraft

In Minecraft, fishing has been one of the most effective ways to farm items and experience, depending on your version. AFK fish farms have allowed players to gain a huge advantage in-game, but various versions have made fishing AFK fishing much harder. Here’s how to build an AFK fish farm in Minecraft.

How to farm fish in Minecraft

Farming fish without an AFK fish farm just involves sitting with a fishing rod and waiting for a bite. Using enchantments like Luck of Sea can help, but overall, the basic method is inefficient and can take hours and hours. Depending on whether you’re running Bedrock (or older Java versions), there are some easy, or more advanced, options for an AFK farm.

Related: Best Minecraft Farm Ideas

Building an AFK fish farm in Bedrock and earlier Java Editions (1.16 and earlier)

The easiest fish farms still exist in Bedrock and versions of Java before 1.17. This tried and tested version just needs a Chest, a Hopper, any Fence, a Pressure Plate, a Note Block, and some water. Build the farm in the below manner, making sure the fence is waterlogged.

To use, take a fishing rod, and cast it at the pressure plate, causing it to depress and the trap door to rise. Next, face the Note Block and hold down the click.

Because pressing the note block won’t cause you to reel in the rod unless something bites, you can AFK with an autoclicker or just by holding down your mouse button, and easily farm fish.

Building an AFK fish farm in Minecraft 1.19 Java Edition

While AFK fishing was missing from the game for a number of Java editions with the inclusion of Skulk Sensors, a new method of AFK fishing has returned. First step is to dig a 6x1 hole that’s four blocks deep. Then in the center mine out the middle four blocks. It should look like the below.

Fill it with wool as shown below. This is to quiet the moving parts.

Add a Skulk Sensor, a Redstone Repeater, a Sticky Piston facing up with a solid block on it, and Redstone connecting the Skulk Sensor to the Sticky Piston. Also, make sure to add wool around the Skulk Sensor. The idea is to only have the Skulk Sensor detect movement a single block.

Build up the wool above the contraption and lay a Redstone circuit leading to the top. The aim of this is to have the Redstone Repeater circuit power the top block.

Place a Soul Sand block at the top above the Skulk Sensor. This is the detection point for the Sensor and also the power for a bubble column. Place a trap door in front of it (which will be powered by the signal from the repeater) and a sign on the back of it to prevent water flow.

Build up the surrounding area. This is your water platform.

Next, build the collection point. The Hoppers and Chests should be in the below configuration.

Now you need to build up the top with glass. Glass prevents mobs from spawning. This should be two water levels deep, with flowing water heading into the Hopper to collect the materials you fish. The aim here is to create a reservoir on top, with a bubble column above the soul sand. Pay close attention to the Pressure Plate and Chain on the right-hand side of the build. You’ll need to add these to stack the boats in the next stage.

Now you’ll need to stack boats above the bubble column. By stacking the boats, you’ll prevent the float of your fishing line from setting off the Skulk Sensor. The aim is to make the boats stack just below the surface of the water. The uppermost boat should be above the bubble column, but moving due to its bubble flow. Once the boats are in position, you’re done!

To use the farm, head inside and cast the line into the bubble column by aiming just above the Iron Trapdoor. Then, hold down your mouse button and wait.

When you catch a bite, the Skulk Sensor will activate, and the fish or item you’ve caught will rocket into the hopper, being collected by the chests. Enjoy!

Related: How to make a Clay farm in Minecraft

Alternative fish-only farm

If you’re not looking for items from fishing, and just want fish (perhaps tropical fish), this fish farm is for you. Using a bubble column created from Soul Sand, you can launch fish onto the surface, where they’ll flap around until they die. This works with AFKing but is only good for catching fish to cook or trade for villagers.

However, because it's such a simple design, you can create many of these and mass farm fish. You could also upgrade this design with hoppers on the edges to capture the dead fish, and turn it into an automated process. We built this example in a Mangrove biome to best capture tropical fish, but it could equally be constructed in any ocean or river to catch Salmon or Cod. Good luck fishing!

For more Minecraft guides and info, check out How To Make A Raid Farm In Minecraft on Pro Game Guides.