# How to Get an Enchanted Bow by Fishing in Minecraft

Canonical: https://guides.gaialegends.pro/posts/obtaining-enchanted-bow-from-fishing-minecraft
Published: 2026-10-22
Updated: 2026-10-22
Version scope: Java Edition 1.16+ and Bedrock Edition 1.16+

> Fishing in Minecraft offers a 0.8% chance per cast of reeling in an enchanted bow as part of the treasure loot category. When you do catch one, the bow may come with random enchantments equivalent to a level 30 enchanting table roll, including rare treasure enchantments such as Mending. The bow can also arrive slightly damaged. This method is one of the few ways to obtain a Mending bow without trading with librarian villagers or exploring structure loot. For the best results, fish in open water with a Lure III and Luck of the Sea III rod to speed up catches and improve treasure odds.

<TldrBox>Fishing in Minecraft offers a 0.8% chance per cast of reeling in an enchanted bow as part of the treasure loot category. When you do catch one, the bow may come with random enchantments equivalent to a level 30 enchanting table roll, including rare treasure enchantments such as Mending. The bow can also arrive slightly damaged. This method is one of the few ways to obtain a Mending bow without trading with librarian villagers or exploring structure loot. For the best results, fish in open water with a Lure III and Luck of the Sea III rod to speed up catches and improve treasure odds.</TldrBox>

## Key Takeaways

| Point | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Enchanted bows have a | Enchanted bows have a 0.8% chance per fishing attempt in the treasure loot category. |
| Caught bows roll enchantments | Caught bows roll enchantments equivalent to a level 30 enchanting table, including treasure enchantments like Mending. |
| The bow may be | The bow may be damaged when caught, so check durability before using it. |
| Using a rod enchanted | Using a rod enchanted with Luck of the Sea III increases your chance of treasure loot, indirectly helping you get bows. |
| Fishing is a reliable | Fishing is a reliable early-game method for obtaining a Mending bow without trading or exploring dungeon chests. |

Yes, you can absolutely pull an enchanted bow straight out of the water in Minecraft — no skeleton killing or enchanting table required. Every time you cast your line, there's a small but real chance that treasure, not a fish, bites. And that treasure can be an enchanted bow.

## The Exact Chance of Catching an Enchanted Bow

When you fish in Minecraft, the loot falls into three categories: fish, junk, and treasure. Enchanted bows belong to the treasure category. According to the official Minecraft Wiki:

> Enchanted bows are obtainable through fishing, with a 0.8% chance per attempt.

That 0.8% is per cast, meaning roughly 1 in every 125 casts will yield an enchanted bow — assuming you're fishing in open water (a 5×5 block area of water with nothing above it). If you fish in a smaller pond or with blocks overhead, the game may downgrade treasure to junk, reducing your chances even further.

## What Enchantments Can You Get?


![How to Get an Enchanted Bow by Fishing in Minecraft supporting Minecraft scene 1](/images/posts/obtaining-enchanted-bow-from-fishing-minecraft-inline-1.webp)

The enchantments on a fished bow aren't random junk. The game treats the bow as if it were enchanted at a level 30 enchanting table, which means you can get some of the best enchantments in the game:

> When caught, the bow may be damaged and contain random enchantments equivalent to a level 30 enchantment from an enchanting table, including treasure enchantments like Mending.

This is huge. Mending is a treasure enchantment — you can't get it from a normal enchanting table. Normally, you'd need to find it in an End city chest, trade with a librarian villager, or get lucky with a skeleton drop. Fishing gives you another path, and it's one you can start on day one.

Other possible enchantments include Power (up to IV or V), Punch, Flame, and Infinity. Note that Mending and Infinity are mutually exclusive on a bow — you can only have one or the other, since they conflict.

## How to Improve Your Odds

While you can't directly increase the 0.8% chance of a bow, you can increase your overall treasure odds and fish faster. The key is enchanting your fishing rod.

- **Luck of the Sea III** — This enchantment reduces the chance of getting junk and increases the chance of treasure. It doesn't change the 0.8% figure for bows specifically, but it makes treasure rolls more common overall, so you'll see more enchanted bows per hour.
- **Lure III** — This reduces the wait time before a fish (or treasure) bites. Faster casts mean more attempts per minute, which mathematically increases how often you'll pull up a bow.

A rod with both Luck of the Sea III and Lure III is the gold standard. You can get one by combining two rods on an anvil, or by fishing itself — yes, you can fish up enchanted fishing rods too.

## Other Ways to Get an Enchanted Bow

Fishing isn't the only method, but it's one of the most accessible. For comparison:

- **Skeleton drops** — Skeletons, strays, and bogged have an 8.5% chance of dropping a bow when killed by a player or tamed wolf. The chance of that bow being enchanted depends on the difficulty, but the enchantment level is random between 5 and 22. That's much lower than the level 30 equivalent you get from fishing.
- **Skeleton horsemen** — Bows dropped by skeleton horsemen (from a lightning strike) are always enchanted, with levels ranging from 5 to 23. On Easy difficulty, they're always level 5.
- **Trading** — Fletcher villagers can trade enchanted bows, but they only offer non-treasure enchantments. You won't get Mending this way.
- **Structure loot** — Dungeons, strongholds, and End cities all have chests that can contain enchanted bows, but finding them requires exploration.

Fishing wins for convenience: you can do it from your base, at any time, with no risk of mobs (if you light up the area).

## Practical Tips for Fishing an Enchanted Bow

1. **Find or create open water.** A 5×5 pool, at least two blocks deep, with nothing but sky above. No lily pads, no overhanging blocks.
2. **Enchant your rod first.** If you have access to an enchanting table, put Luck of the Sea and Lure on your rod. Even Lure I helps.
3. **Be patient.** You might cast 50 times and get nothing but pufferfish and sticks. That's normal. The 0.8% chance means you'll average one bow every 125 casts, but variance is real.
4. **Check the bow's durability.** The fished bow may arrive with some damage already taken. If it's badly worn, you might want to combine it with another bow on an anvil to repair it before enchanting further.
5. **Consider an automatic fish farm.** If you're serious about collecting enchanted bows, a simple redstone-powered fish farm can do the work while you AFK. Just be aware that some automatic farms rely on the bobber detection mechanic, which has been patched in some versions.

For more details on fishing treasure, check out our guide on [Fishing for Treasure Enchantments in Minecraft](/posts/fishing-treasure-enchantments-minecraft).

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Can I catch a bow with Mending from fishing?

Yes. Fished bows roll enchantments equivalent to a level 30 enchanting table, which includes treasure enchantments like Mending. This is one of the few ways to get a Mending bow without trading or exploring End cities.

### Does Luck of the Sea increase the chance of an enchanted bow?

Luck of the Sea increases the overall chance of treasure loot and decreases junk, but the 0.8% base chance for an enchanted bow remains the same. However, because treasure rolls become more frequent, you will see more enchanted bows per hour with Luck of the Sea III.

### Can I catch an enchanted bow in any biome?

Yes, biome does not affect the chance of catching an enchanted bow. As long as you are fishing in open water (a 5x5 area with sky access), the treasure loot table applies equally in all Overworld biomes.

### Is fishing for an enchanted bow faster than killing skeletons?

It depends. Skeletons have an 8.5% drop chance for a bow, and the chance of it being enchanted varies by difficulty. Fishing offers a lower per-cast chance (0.8%) but can be done safely from a fixed spot and doesn't require combat. With a Lure III rod, you can cast very quickly, making fishing competitive in terms of bows per hour.

### Can the fished bow have Infinity and Mending at the same time?

No. Mending and Infinity are mutually exclusive enchantments. A bow can only have one or the other, whether obtained from fishing, enchanting, or any other method.

## Sources

- Enchanted bows are obtainable through fishing, with a 0.8% chance per attempt. — [Bow](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Bow)
- When caught, the bow may be damaged and contain random enchantments equivalent to a level 30 enchantment from an enchanting table, including treasure enchantments like Mending. — [Bow](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Bow)