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Last Updated on August 23, 2024 by Paul Clayton
Table of Contents
Beginners Guide to Magnet Fishing: Must Read + Tips
Magnet fishing can be an insanely attractive hobby. Some people engage in it out of curiosity, while others seek material benefit from the things they discover.
Key Takeaway
Magnet fishing is a popular hobby in which enthusiasts use potent magnets to retrieve metal objects from water bodies. This activity offers both recreational and potentially valuable finds.
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- Introduction to Magnet Fishing:
- Magnet fishing involves using strong magnets to pull metal objects from water bodies.
- It’s gaining popularity as a hobby due to its adventurous and potentially profitable nature.
- Must-have Items for Magnet Fishing:
- Essential items include a strong magnet (neodymium or ferrite), a durable rope (typically nylon paracord), and optionally, gloves and a carabiner.
- Neodymium magnets are preferred for their high pulling force (up to 1,000 pounds), while ferrite magnets are cheaper but less powerful (up to 300 pounds).
- Magnet Types and Characteristics:
- Neodymium magnets are the strongest and most suitable for heavy objects.
- Ferrite magnets are cheaper and weaker but more suited for lighter items.
- Pulling Force and Magnet Grade:
- Pulling force determines a magnet’s strength in lifting objects; higher grades (e.g., N52 for neodymium) indicate stronger magnets.
- Rope and Optional Accessories:
- The rope’s length and strength should match the magnet’s pulling force.
- Optional accessories like gloves, carabiners, and thread lockers enhance convenience and safety.
- Safety and Legal Considerations:
- Safety tips include wearing gloves, assessing fishing areas for hazards, and avoiding direct attachment of magnets to oneself.
- Legal aspects vary by location; some areas may restrict magnet fishing due to environmental or safety concerns.
- Techniques and Finding Objects:
- Techniques like up-and-down, throw-and-pull, and throw-pull-walk are standard for retrieving objects.
- Finds can include scrap metal, historical artifacts, and occasionally valuable items.
- Introduction to Magnet Fishing:
You may also be interested in magnet fishing enough to consider engaging in it. But what do you need for magnet fishing? Where do you magnet fish? And how do you find something valuable in the water?
These are the questions we will answer in our complete magnet fishing guide.
What is magnet fishing?
Did you think fishing was all about hook, line, and sinker? Welcome to the 21st century, where magnet fishing is making waves. Yes, you heard it right! Magnet fishing, my friend, is the latest rage where anglers are swapping their traditional fishing rods for magnets.
No, we’re not trying to attract robotic fish. The aim is to find and retrieve metal objects from water bodies.
Now, let’s discuss the details of magnet fishing kits, shall we? Unlike your grandma’s knitting kit, this one doesn’t have colorful yarn or cute needles.
Instead, it’s packed with a strong magnet, a sturdy rope, gloves, and often a grappling hook—everything you need for your underwater treasure hunt. It’s like playing hide-and-seek with metallic objects hiding under the water for who knows how long.
So whether you’re an adventurous soul looking for a new hobby or just someone who’s bored of catching fish, magnet fishing might appeal to you!
Must-have items for magnet fishing
You must have two items to magnet fish: a magnet and a rope. Although we will make further item recommendations for magnet fishing, a magnet, and a rope are enough to get you started.
Now, let’s overview the must-haves of magnet fishing so you know what you are dealing with.
Related content you may be interested in reviewing.
Magnet
A magnet for magnet fishing consists of the magnet itself, an eyebolt to attach a rope to, as well as a screw that fixates the eyebolt in place.
A magnet fishing kit is a must-have item in a magnet angler’s arsenal. But since many magnets are on the market, it is easy to get confused.
You might be surprised at how cheap the best magnets are. We like this one for its great strength, ease of use, and very reasonable price.
Below, we’ll talk about the features that a good magnet for magnet fishing should have.
Magnet types
Two magnets are commonly used in magnet fishing: neodymium and ferrite magnets. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, so let’s examine them.
Neodymium magnets
Being rare-earth magnets, neodymium magnets are the strongest 
permanent magnets that are commercially available. If you didn’t know, a permanent magnet is a kind of magnet that is very resistant to external magnetic fields that have the potential to demagnetize them.
Neodymium magnets can lift objects hundreds and even thousands of times heavier than them. They can also attract ferrous metals from a considerable distance.
Neodymium magnets’ applications extend well beyond magnet fishing. They are commonly used in speakers, computer hard disks, power tools, and motors. However, due to their insane pulling force, neodymium magnets have found wide acclaim among magnet fishers.
The pulling power of neodymium magnets often reaches 500 pounds and even sometimes 1,000 pounds and more. Therefore, we’d say that you shouldn’t choose a neodymium magnet if you don’t plan to catch larger goods or don’t yet have the equipment to support what the magnet is capable of.
However, serious magnet fishers will always go for neodymium magnets due to the immense possibilities their pulling power opens to them.
Ferrite magnets
Ferrite magnets aren’t nearly as strong as neodymium magnets, but they still have a place in some magnet anglers’ arsenals.
There are two types of ferrite magnets: soft and hard. External magnetic fields can relatively easily demagnetize soft ferrite magnets, so they aren’t suitable for magnet fishing. In contrast, magnets made from hard ferrite are permanent and highly resistant to demagnetization.
Hard ferrite magnets, in turn, can be made from strontium ferrite or barium ferrite. Strontium ferrite magnets are commonly used in small electric motors, magneto-optic media, microwave devices, and other applications.
Conversely, barium ferrite magnets are more robust, stable to moisture, and corrosion—and temperature-resistant. Magnet fishers prefer them for this reason.
Since ferrite magnets don’t contain rare-earth metals, they are considerably cheaper than neodymium magnets. We recommend a ferrite magnet if you are on a tight budget or are just starting in magnet fishing.
Remember, though, that ferrite magnets are much weaker than neodymium magnets. Their pulling power usually doesn’t exceed 300 pounds, so they are more suitable for catching smaller items.
Pulling force
The pulling force, measured in pounds, indicates how much weight a magnet can hold. Aside from the magnet type, the pulling force is the most crucial thing to look for in a magnet for magnet fishing.
As mentioned above, neodymium magnets have the highest pulling force among commercially available magnets, reaching 1,000 pounds and more. Ferrite magnets usually have pulling forces of up to 300 pounds, much lower than what neodymium magnets are capable of.
When picking a magnet by pulling force, you should consider what you expect to catch from a water body. If you want to catch virtually anything, use a neodymium magnet with as much pulling strength as possible.
Remember to consider the durability of the other components of your pulling system. If your rope can support 300 pounds but your magnet can pull 1,000, you will have 700 pounds of unused pulling potential.
Grade
Strictly speaking, the grade of a magnet refers to the maximum strength a magnet can be magnetized to. In other words, the grade in magnets determines how much magnetic force they can produce per unit of volume.
A magnet with a higher grade is stronger at a given volume. It could also be more efficient since it produces more force at a given weight.
Neodymium and ferrite magnets have varying grade charts, so they must be approached differently.
The grade of neodymium magnets is denoted with the letter N (standing for neodymium) followed by the grade value. In neodymium magnets, grades go from 28 up to 52, with magnets having the N52 grade being the most powerful.
Many grades are available for ferrite magnets, the most popular being the C5/Y30 grade, which is used for more general applications. The logic with grades is the same in ferrite magnets as in neodymium magnets—the higher the grade, the stronger the magnetic force per unit of volume.
Rope
A rope is the second must-have for magnet fishing. Attached to the magnet, a rope allows you to submerge the magnet into the water and easily retrieve it. Without a rope, you would need to manually stick the magnet into the water. This wouldn’t be very convenient and wouldn’t allow you to find objects in deeper water.
Magnet anglers commonly use nylon paracord ropes. Paracord ropes, if you didn’t know, were originally used in parachute suspension lines due to their lightness and thinness. They are also strong, which is why they are used in many areas outside the military, such as parachuting.
You need to consider two things with a magnet rope – its maximum load and weight.
The maximum supported load of a rope (usually measured in pounds) should be close to the pulling force of the magnet. There is no point in choosing a rope whose maximum load far exceeds the pulling force of your magnet—your system will be able to pull only as much as the magnet can pull.
The opposite is also true – don’t go for a rope that can carry less weight than your magnet can pull. In this case, you won’t be able to uncover your magnet’s potential since the rope’s strength will be a limiting factor.
When it comes to length, it is generally recommended to go for ropes around 50 feet long. A 50-foot rope should allow you to reach the bottom of most water bodies you will be fishing at. If you feel that you will need more, go for a longer rope.
You can’t go wrong with this rope on Amazon. It’s cheap, has excellent reviews, and will last a lifetime.
Optional items for magnet fishing
Below, we’ll overview several items you should have when magnet fishing. As mentioned above, you can get started with just a magnet and a rope, but some items could make your magnet fishing trip safer and more convenient.
Gloves
You don’t necessarily have to wear gloves when magnet fishing, but we strongly suggest doing so. There are three reasons why you should wear gloves when magnet fishing:
- You will protect your skin from the contaminants that may be lurking in the water, as well as from cuts and bruises.
- You will protect your skin from friction with the rope.
- It will be easier for you to maintain grip with the rope.
When getting yourself a pair of gloves, don’t cheap out. Go for decent gloves and make sure that they are waterproof. As for material, the inside of the palm should be made from a grippy rubber-like material.
We think these heavy-duty, water-resistant gloves are a good buy. They are available on Amazon.
Carabiner
Some people also buy carabiners for their magnet fishing tasks. The idea is to tie the rope to the carabiner and then hook your magnet’s eyebolt into the carabiner.
With such a setup, you don’t have to untie the rope when changing magnets.
While carabiners can be rather convenient for owners of several magnets, they add a point of failure to your magnet system. Even if you have many magnets, you may avoid using a carabiner, untie the rope from the current magnet, and tie it to a new one. But since this is a hassle, some people prefer to go for a carabiner and forget about it.
A carabiner would also be useless if you only have one magnet. Its ease of detachment will not have any point if you won’t be alternating between different magnets.
Any strong carabiner should work if you won’t be catching too heavy loads. But suppose you are worried about maximum durability. In that case, we suggest you go for a symmetric D-shape carabiner with a straight gate, which is the most muscular carabiner design out there. They are also pricey, though.
Threadlocker
As a beginner, you probably aren’t as concerned with durability and reliability as someone more experienced. However, we think you should know about thread locker or thread-locking fluid.
A thread locker is an adhesive that is applied to fasteners like bolts or screws to prevent them from loosening over time. Since fishing magnets usually have their eyebolts attached via a screw, using a thread locker may be a good idea if you are concerned with reliability.
Threadlockers can have different strengths, as indicated by their color code.
Threadlocker color codes
Purple
Purple thread lockers are the lightest thread lockers available. They are formulated for light use with fasteners that need to be occasionally removed. Purple thread lockers are typically used with fasteners under 1/4 inch in diameter. To break free, these fasteners require around 55-inch pounds of torque.
Blue
Blue thread lockers are used with fasteners that aren’t removed frequently but may need to be removed for maintenance. This thread locker is the most commonly used, typically with fasteners up to three-fourths of an inch diameter.
Usually, about 100-inch pounds of torque is required to break the bond of a blue thread locker. Due to this, small fasteners may fail well before you reach the required torque to break the seal.
Red
Red thread lockers are used in fasteners that are not intended to be loosened. Because of this, they are sometimes referred to as permanent thread lockers. Usually, red thread lockers are used in fasteners up to 1 inch in diameter.
However, you can remove a red-coded thread locker; it will just require a lot of torque – around 230-inch pounds, to be exact. In addition, these thread lockers can be broken under temperatures of about 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Green
Green thread lockers are formulated to soak into the threads of already assembled parts. Green-coded thread lockers are used when a thread locker can’t be applied beforehand.
Green thread lockers come in various strengths but most commonly have medium strength.
It’s difficult to say which kind of thread locker you will need and whether you need one. If you require the increased reliability a thread locker can provide, we’d advise you to go for a low—or medium-strength one unless you never intend to remove the eyebolt from the magnet.
Also, don’t choose a thread locker that you won’t be able to remove with the tools you have at hand.
Bucket
You will need to put all your finds somewhere, right?
Well, a bucket is a perfect item for this. It would be a good place to put your finds while magnet fishing and allow you to carry all the stuff back home conveniently.
The main thing to look for in a magnet fishing bucket is resistance to compounds like chemicals, acids, and corrosion. You don’t know what you will discover or in what condition your finds will be, so a sturdy bucket is a must.
Knife
A knife is going to be a handy tool in the event of your magnet getting stuck underwater.
Going after a stuck magnet is generally not recommended due to the dangers associated with retrieving it. But your rope can be easily saved if you have a knife to cut it with. Without a knife, you’d lose both your magnet and the rope.
Since you may need to cut the rope underwater, go for a knife that is resistant to corrosion.
Hand sanitizer
Items you may find when magnet fishing are likely rusty and dirty. In addition to wearing gloves, you should take some antibacterial gel or hand sanitizer to keep your skin safe.
But keep in mind that you should prevent your skin from contact with uncleaned finds and that a hand sanitizer will serve as a temporary solution to skin protection should your gloves tear and any dirty items come in contact with your skin.
First aid kit
Since bruises and cuts are possible when magnet fishing, you should also have a first aid kit.
A basic first aid kit should be good enough for magnet fishing. Make sure to include the following items in your first aid kit:
- Plasters.
- Sterile gauze dressings.
- Sterile eye dressings.
- Bandages.
- Safety pins.
- Disposable sterile gloves.
- Antiseptic cream.
- Tweezers & scissors.
- Distilled water for wound cleaning.
- Alcohol-free cleansing wipes.
What knot should you use in magnet fishing?
Hundreds of knots are out there; you can use any knot you wish. However, the so-called Palomar knot is generally recommended for magnet fishing due to its strength and ease of tying. This knot is also very popular in regular fishing. Watch the video below to learn how to tie this kind of knot.
Where to magnet fish?
After you’ve got everything necessary for magnet fishing, the main thing to decide is where to fish. Well, it’s pretty simple—you only need water. However, some spots are much better than others. The ability to pick a place is more important than the ability to cast a magnet into the water.
Here are some criteria of a great magnet fishing spot:
- Many people should pass by the magnet fishing spot – more people, more things dropped, and more things to find.
- The water needs to be reasonably deep. In a shallow spot, it is easier to notice sunken items, and it is more likely that someone passing by has cleared the bottom.
A depth of 3 feet or more should be good enough. In case of clear water, go for a spot where it is over 6 feet deep.
On the other hand, if you are a beginner or will be having kids with you, you should go for a shallower spot just for safety.
- If a bridge is not too far from the spot, people likely accidentally dropped some items for you to pick up.
Let’s examine a couple of potential spots to show you where you can fish.
Rivers
A river that attracts many regular fishermen is a good spot for magnet fishing. People sometimes dispose of their things in rivers, so you may be able to find something for yourself.
Remember that a river with a lot of traffic nearby is preferential. It would be a bonus if there were a bridge not too far from the spot you are going to magnet fish at. But do remember that you may need to get permission to magnet fish from the area’s owner.
Canals
Canals are excellent for magnet fishing since they are typically located in traffic-heavy areas. You may be able to discover plenty of exciting items in a canal. However, you still need permission to go magnet fishing in a canal.
Beaches
Beaches can be great if you struggle with getting permission in other areas. The logic with beaches stays the same—you should pick a magnet fishing spot as close to the beach traffic as possible. Since fishermen, holidaymakers, dog walkers, and many other people often visit beaches, finding a good spot on a beach is relatively easy.
But you do need to ensure that someone doesn’t own the beach. Beaches tend to be unowned, but you should avoid legal complications.
Streams
Streams aren’t particularly abundant with metal objects to find, but they can be great if you are starting since they are often very shallow. In addition, if you are going to magnet fish with your kids, a stream will be a safer place to go.
The legal side of magnet fishing
A frequent question asked by newbie magnet fishers is whether magnet fishing is legal or not.
Well, there seem to be no specific laws that would forbid magnet fishing as an activity, so you aren’t breaking the law by trying to catch something from the bottom of a local river. It would be best if you still did research regarding your local laws since there may be some specifics relating to magnet fishing, but as far as we know, no specific legal acts would restrict magnet fishing.
On the other hand, you may need to seek permission from the landowner when magnet fishing. Even the most distant and seemingly forgotten river may have an owner. To avoid any legal issues, you should seek permission from the owner to magnet fish.
To do this, you first need to find out whether the spot where you will be magnet fishing is owned by anyone. If it is not—which is unlikely—you may go ahead and magnet fish without legal hassles.
If the magnet fishing site does have an owner, find out whether they allow magnet fishing in the water bodies in their domain. This is important because some landowners forbid magnet fishing, justifying it by the risk of people pulling out bombs and other ammunition.
If the landowner allows magnet fishing, obtain permission and do your thing. If they impose any requirements on you, follow them to avoid legal action.
Magnet fishing techniques
This may surprise you, but magnet fishing does not require special skills. You must cast the magnet into the water, let it sink, and pull it back.
There are some magnet fishing techniques, though, that you should know about. These are the up-and-down technique, the throw-and-pull technique, and the throw-pull-and-walk technique. They are all used in varying conditions.
The up-and-down technique
This is the simplest technique of magnet fishing, and it is commonly used on bridges.
You lower the magnet directly into the water, let it sink, and slowly pull it back up.
This method is good because the magnet is less likely to get tangled or snag something in the water. However, to obtain an item, you must lower the magnet exactly where it lies.
The throw-and-pull technique
With the throw-and-pull method, you throw the magnet into the water and then pull it back towards you, as the name implies. Along the way back, the magnet catches whatever ferrous items are on the bottom.
The throw and pull technique increases the likelihood of you catching ferrous items. But it likewise increases the risk of the magnet getting stuck onto something in the water.
The throw, pull, and walk technique
This technique is commonly used on bridges where the regular throw-and-pull technique is impractical. Magnet anglers throw the magnet into the water, walk back and forth to drag it around to snatch ferrous items, and then pull it out.
What can you find when magnet fishing?
You may have never considered it, but so many things could be found in water bodies like rivers or lakes. This opens a whole gamut of opportunities for people who like to collect old things and those looking for material benefits from magnet fishing.
Items that can be captured with magnets are made from ferromagnetic materials. Many people wonder whether their magnets can pull gold and silver—since they are not ferromagnetic, you won’t be able to snatch gold chains or whatever lies on the bottom.
On the other hand, if you are lucky enough to stumble upon jewelry in a container made from a ferromagnetic metal, you will be able to pull it out of the water.
You may likewise be unable to catch coins. However, older coins made from iron or other magnetic materials will stick to your magnet without a problem.
When magnet fishing, you can find all kinds of chains, jewelry, safe boxes, tools, keys, phones, weapons, and maybe even treasures. However, you need to keep a few things in mind regarding the last two.
What to do if you find firearms or explosives
If you pull out an assault rifle or a grenade out of the water, you should, first of all, exercise extreme caution since they may still be alive and pose a threat to you and others. Secondly, you should call the authorities so that they come and deal with your findings.
Some people prefer to keep firearms for themselves rather than hand them to the authorities. If you also intend to do this, consider a couple of things.
The first thing to check is whether a firearm has serial numbers. If it doesn’t, owning it will likely be illegal in your area, though you must check with local laws. If owning firearms with no serial numbers is prohibited, then your only option is to hand your find to the authorities.
On the other hand, if the firearm does have serial numbers, you need to run them to check if the gun has been reported stolen. If it has, you should have the authorities come and pick it up. Otherwise, the firearm is yours unless local laws disallow owning it.
Also, check if private firearm transfers are allowed between citizens in your area. If they are, you can sell a gun to someone else who is not legally barred from owning one without paperwork involved.
In the US, this is mainly allowed. If this is the case in your area, you can always claim that the gun you found was sold to you in a private transfer. However, do thorough research regarding firearm ownership to avoid any legal complications connected with the findings.
What to do if you find treasures or items of historical importance
Usually, it is required by law that you report items of historical significance and findings defined under the Treasure Act. Since laws differ from area to area, it is difficult to say which finds will fall under such acts. If your findings do, do follow the requirements of your local code.
Cleaning magnet fishing finds
After months, years, or maybe even decades in the water, most of your finds will be covered in rust. Thus, it would be best to clean the rust off safely so that it doesn’t damage the find or harm you.
There are many ways of cleaning off the rust. Some are very effective but require specific items, while others don’t need too many resources but aren’t as effective. Below are relatively safe techniques that should allow you to clean off the rust of most of your finds.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a universal cleaning solution used in various applications, and magnet fishing is no exception.
To clean your find with vinegar, place it in a bowl of vinegar and let it sit overnight. Then, scrub the vinegar and rust off of the find.
If you aren’t particularly worried about scratches or are dealing with a material that can’t be scratched easily, you may use an abrasive tool like steel wool or a scouring pad. Otherwise, go for a soft-bristled brush or some cloth.
Lemon juice & salt
Many popular cleaning products contain lemon juice, an excellent natural cleaner quite effective as a rust-removing solution.
To start with this method, rub salt over all areas you want to clean from rust. After you’ve coated the required area, squeeze a lemon over the salt. Let the find sit like this for a couple of hours.
Then comes the time to scrub off the nasty stuff from the find. Again, use a softer brush or cloth if you don’t want to scratch the item, or go for a rougher tool if you don’t care about it.
Baking soda
Baking soda is another good way to remove rust. To remove rust from your find, you will need to make a water-soda solution.
To remove rust, it is usually recommended to make a thick, paste-like solution. If the solution is watery, it will most likely be unable to remove the rust.
After you’ve made the solution, apply it to the surfaces of the find that need cleaning. Let the item sit for a couple of hours, and then scrub the rust and the solution off while remembering to use a proper scrubbing tool.
Magnet fishing safety tips
Magnet fishing is a relatively simple hobby but carries some great risks. Do not underestimate the dangers that could await you when magnet fishing.
So, below are key safety tips to follow when magnet fishing.
Assess the area you will be magnet fishing in
Before starting to magnet fish, always assess the area you will be fishing in. Look for any signs of danger, such as sliding mud or areas where you could fall. If you will be fishing off a bridge or some other area with heavy traffic, be careful with your movements.
Wear gloves at all times
We’ve mentioned the importance of gloves above and repeat it in this section.
First, you should wear gloves to protect your hands from contaminants that may thrive on items in the water for years. Gloves protect your hands from cuts and bruises, through which dangerous infections could enter your body.
Secondly, wearing gloves will protect your hands from friction with the rope. If the rope slips out of your hands, you may get hurting bruises.
Lastly, gloves will make it easier for you to grip your rope. This is due to the glove material and the fact that you probably won’t be worried about harming your gloved hands while tightly holding onto the rope.
Do not tie a magnet to yourself
It would be best if you never tied a magnet to yourself to make the catch easier, regardless of how powerful your magnet is. Magnets attract heavy objects, and you could be quickly blasted into the water. And when underwater, you may be unable to untie yourself or cut the rope.
Do not jump into the water for a stuck magnet
No matter how expensive or powerful your magnet is, it would help if you did not jump into the water to retrieve it if it gets stuck or tangled. You may get tangled or stuck, just like your magnet did. While many magnet fishermen will tell you there are no dangers in retrieving a magnet from water, you shouldn’t rush in to get it.
There are much safer ways of retrieving a stuck magnet. One of them is using a come-along cable puller.
Be mindful of ammunition and explosives
In the US, it is not very likely that you will stumble upon ammunition or explosives lying from the times of past conflicts. However, in Europe, for example, rivers are expected to contain weapons from WWII.
Thus, it would be best to be careful when magnet fishing. If you do pull a grenade, a mine, or a machine gun out from the water, make sure to inform the authorities immediately. If you find anything suspicious, contact the police or local authorities.
Let someone know that you will be magnet-fishing
Tell someone about your magnet fishing trip, whether it is a family member or a friend. Tell them exactly where you will be, with whom, and when you expect to return.
If there is mobile coverage in the area you will be magnet fishing in, that would be great. You may ask your friend or relative to call you after the specified time. If you do not respond, they may contact the authorities.
Generally, provide them with as much information about your trip as possible so that the authorities can easily find your track if anything goes wrong.
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