As the name would suggest, magnet fishing is the activity of fishing however instead of a rod, reel, bait or a lure, you use a magnet attached to a strong rope.
Magnet fishing is an ever growing hobby where people attach strong magnets to poles, rope or hand held instrument with the intention to (hopefully) find underwater lost treasure (such as coins, metal artifacts, antique weapons) in local rivers, streams, estuaries or other bodies of water. The types of magnets used are specialized magnets and are strong enough to lift over 200 pounds. Magnet fishers have their own reason to fish, for some they may want to spend time outdoors and on the water, they may book looking to find treasure or they may want to help clean up their local waterways.
Now what can you aim to catch while magnet fishing? Anything. There have been examples of people finding lost treasures, antique weapons, car and boats parts and other valuable finds.
Magnet fishing is suitable for all ages though we also recommend that children are supervised by adults, that all magnet fishers are strong swimmers and if you are a beginner to look at learning from an experienced magnet fisher or at least view the many instructional videos about magnet fishing online. Magnet fishing is a fun way to spend time on the water with your friends and family and who knows you may find something valuable in your travels.
So how do you begin magnet fishing? The first step is to find you first magnet (as well as the rope, gloves and other magnet fishing accessories). You can also check out our recommended Magnet Fishing Beginners Kit below.
Depending on what you are fishing for and where you will be magnet fishing will depend on the size of the magnet that you will use as well as the strength of the rope you will use. As you begin to get more serious with your magnet fishing you may choose to build up a range of magnets and ropes in your inventory.
Want to learn more about magnet fishing? Follow our regularly updated posts sections for more information on Magnet Fishing.
Is Magnet Fishing Legal?
In most locations magnet fishing is legal however before looking to start your magnet fishing hobby please do your research in your location to determine the legality of magnet fishing. For example magnet fishing is legal in Australia under the legislation of the Fisheries Act 1982 however in the country/city or town that you live in there may be legal issues. We do not recommend illegal magnet fishing.
Where Can I Magnet Fish?
Essentially anywhere where it is legal and safe. Make sure that you have experience with the area that you are going to magnet fish at, make sure that there are no water hazards and it’s highly recommended that you go magnet fishing with a companion.
Firstly start in your local area. Is there a lake, stream or river that you can throw your magnet into (and not break any laws). Once you’ve gotten some experience in your local area then you can expand your area. Look to see if there are any local groups or even a Facebook group for local magnet fishing that you can join.
What Can I Find When Magnet Fishing?
Literally anything. There have been stories of people finding coins, antiques, weapons, old car parts, chests, even an old grenade (if you do happen to come across something like this, contact the relevant authorities IMMEDIATELY).
How Strong Are The Magnets?
Beginner magnets tend to start around the 150-200 pound range while you can purchase magnets that have a strength of up to 1800 pounds such as the KK Monster.
What Do I Attach My Magnet To?
Magnet fishers tend to attach their magnets to a strong nylon rope. You want your rope to be at least 15-20m in length to allow you to cast out to a decent distance (should you wish) and allow your magnet to submerge to a decent depth. You also want your rope to have a significant breaking strength that is sufficient for the strength of magnet that you are using.
What Equipment Do I Need To Begin Magnet Fishing?
When starting out magnet fishing we recommend you start with the King Kong magnet fishing starter kits, featuring the King Kong N38 magnet along with rope, gloves, clips, etc. The more experienced you become and depending on your location and what you are fishing for will determine what additions you wish to make to your personal magnet fishing equipment.
How Do I Clean and Maintain My Equipment?
After each magnet fishing trip wash your magnets with water from the hose to remove any surface grime and if then doesn’t clear your magnet then you can use a scraper with soapy water to do a more thorough cleaning job. After wiping your now cleaner magnet dry some people use a water-displacing spray (such as WD40) on the magnet.
Each magnet fishing kit usually comes with a bottle of thread locker and if you are concerned with the reliability of the thread on the eyebolt you can use the thread locker to help.
Rinsing your rope with water should be sufficient to maintain your rope however every year check all your equipment to see what shape it is in and don’t be afraid to err on the side of caution regarding replacing your rope given magnets are expensive to replace!
How Long Do Magnets Last For?
Neodymium magnets (the material of most magnets) are projected to lose 5% of their strength every 100 years so providing you take good care of your magnet it should last you a very long time.
Even though the magnets may look solid they can chip or even crack if striking rocky or hard surfaces. So be careful where you cast your magnet to and keep your magnet away from hot surfaces as this can affect the strength of your magnet.
Magnet Fishing Beginners Kit
When looking at buying your first magnet fishing kit you want to think about the type of treasure you are looking to find, the area you will be fishing from and this will determine the strength of magnet you will choose as well as the strength and length of rope to accompany this magnet.
Our choice of magnet fishing beginners kit is the King Kong Fishing Magnet D60 Starter Kit (pictured above).
This beginners kit is made up of a King Kong N38 rare earth magnet a magnet which is capable of pulling up to 400lbs (approx. 90kg) from underwater (depending on size and shape of object). It also includes steel carabiners, durable fishing gloves, tough 65 foot nylon rope, and effective thread locker.
Please Note: The above magnet is a strong magnet, so please handle with care. If children are to be using this kit they should be supervised at all times. The magnets may interfere with medical and electrical equipment so please keep away from medical items such as pacemakers or any other electrical items. This kit also contains smaller components that could be a choking hazard and should never be swallowed or inserted into any part of the body. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling strong rare-earth magnets.
This kit can be purchased online here or you may be able to find a kit at your local supplies or fishing/outdoors store.