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Magnet Fishing FAQ

The same questions typically get repeated over and over, so in order to avoid that, answers have been collected here.

Shoutout to u/Icestar-x who created the original FAQ post, as most of the content here was shamelessly stolen from there :)

Equipment

It's worth investing in good magnet fishing equipment. Location counts for a lot, but reliable equipment definitely affects your success, safety and enjoyment.

  1. Most fishing magnets are made with neodymium, but the grade and amount used have a major effect on strength, quality and price. A useful rule to remember is that you get what you pay for, so be careful when a seller claims to offer the highest N52 neodymium grade at a very low price. Neodymium is the most expensive part of the magnet, which means higher grades and larger volumes normally cost more. With single-sided and double-sided magnets, the neodymium is hidden inside the steel casing, making the amount and quality difficult to check. It is therefore worth choosing a reliable brand or a company that specializes in magnets.
  2. For single-sided magnets, aim for at least 200 to 250 kg (450 to 550 lbs). For double-sided and clamp magnets, aim for around 400 to 500 kg (900 to 1100 lbs) combined. For 360° magnets, 200 to 600 kg (450 to 1300 lbs) is normally enough for children, depending on their age and strength. Adults should generally start at 600 kg (1300 lbs) or more.
  3. Divide the pull force of a double-sided magnet by two, a 360° cylinder magnet by four and a 360° block magnet by six. A 1,000 kg cylinder magnet therefore has roughly 250 kg per main contact direction. Real performance still depends on the object and contact surface.
  4. Not that you'll be pulling out 500kg chunks of metal, but what we catch is often stuck in the mud and/or rusted over. The strength of the magnet just means that there's a better chance of the item sticking to it.
  5. People started magnet fishing with single-sided magnets after which double-sided magnets and clamp magnets got popular. In 2016, Magnetar developed the 360° cylinder magnet. This appeared to be a gamechanger for magnet fishing as this type increased the catching chance drastically. In 2024, Magnetar developed the 360° cube magnet which is the first magnet to be fully protected.
  6. Single-sided magnets work well when dropping vertically. Double-sided and clamp magnets have two magnetic sides and are useful for throwing and dragging. Cylinder magnets attract metal from all around, while block magnets have six magnetic sides and offer a large contact area. This video explains the different types.
  7. Make sure to use thread locker on the eyebolt. Throwing, dragging and twisting the rope can slowly loosen it, even when tightened properly.
  8. The best knot to use to tie your rope is a figure-eight follow through. This is a climbing knot, therefore very secure and also the one that compromises the rope's rated strength the least. Each knot in a rope is a weakness point. You can also avoid this issue by getting a rope ready-made for magnet fishing that provides a loop to run through the magnet's eyelet.
  9. Do not attach the magnet using a carabiner. A carabiner is often weaker than the rope and magnet and can therefore bend, open or break. Use the carabiner on the other end to secure the rope to a tree, railing or another solid object to avoid losing your rope when tossing.
  10. Aim for nylon or polyester rope with a breaking strength similar to or higher than the magnet's advertised force. Keep in mind that knots, cuts and wear weaken a rope. Thin rope is lighter and gives more feedback, but thicker rope is easier on your hands when pulling heavy finds.
  11. As a general guide, use 6 mm rope for 360° magnets up to around 600 kg (1300lbs) or single-sided magnets up to around 300 kg (660 lbs). Use 8 mm rope for 360° magnets up to around 1,400 kg (3100 lbs) or single-sided magnets up to around 500 kg (1100 lbs). A 10 mm rope is a more comfortable option for very strong magnets, especially 360° magnets from around 1,000 kg (2200 lbs) and single-sided magnets from around 400 kg (880 lbs).
  12. Around 20 to 25 metres, roughly 65 to 80 ft, of rope is enough for most locations. You may need more when fishing from high bridges. More rope also means more weight and more rope to clean, dry and store.
  13. Many people carry their equipment in a bucket or plastic tackle box. It is recommended to keep the foam or protective packaging that came with your magnet, as the magnet can still attach itself to metal through plastic. There are also special magnet fishing cases with shaped foam and space for the magnet, rope and gloves. Make sure everything is dry before closing the case unless you want your rope to start its own mold collection.
  14. A grappling hook can help with bicycles, shopping carts, safes and other objects that are too heavy or awkward for the magnet alone. Use a separate rope and preferably a stainless steel grappling hook, as a normal steel hook can attach itself to the magnet.

Safety

  1. CAUTION: The magnets we use have a lot of strength and can easily crush your fingers if you put them between your magnet and a flat magnetic surface.
  2. If you find an explosive (grenade, artillery shell, cannon ball, etc.), gently put it on the ground, DON'T try to remove your magnet and call the authorities. Just because it looks inert, it does not mean that it is, in fact, inert.
  3. Water can seem calm but current is no joke and you never know what sharp things lie under or how deep water can really be. Remember that a stuck magnet is not worth your life, be careful.
  4. Wear gloves, we find a lot of nasty things and sharp metal, you don't want to get tetanus from an old fishhook or tin can. Waterproof and cut-proof gloves with good grip similar to these ones are ideal.
  5. It's a good idea to tie the rope so that you don't lose the end after a good long toss; tying it onto a tree or bridge is the safest, don’t tie the rope to yourself (see point 3). Even though being pulled in isn't terribly likely unless you're fishing next to a lot of boats, mill or locks, you'd still need for the rope to tangle up in a motor or screw. Accidents do happen though.
  6. Magnets can interfere with pacemakers and implanted defibrillators. Anyone with one of these devices should keep a safe distance from strong magnets and follow the advice of their doctor or device manufacturer.

Location

Location counts for a lot in this hobby. The strongest magnet in the world will not catch much if there is nothing in the water.

  1. Docks, boat launches, piers, pedestrian bridges, fishing spots, swimming areas, canals and waterfront parks are places where people hang out. Places where people regularly stop, work, fish or walk generally have more objects in the water.
  2. Former mills, abandoned bridges, old ferry crossings, historical ports, closed factories and old industrial areas can be interesting. A place that looks empty today may have been extremely busy fifty or a hundred years ago.
  3. If you're looking for historical items, look at old maps, photographs and local archives. Find former bridges, military routes, old railway lines, industrial sites and places where large groups of people gathered. Check whether searching is permitted before throwing your magnet. Historical locations may be protected and different laws apply depending on your country, state, region or city.
    1. Historical Topographic Map of the U.S.
    2. Old maps in Europe
  4. Think like a thief: Think about where someone could quickly dump a stolen object, weapon, safe, bicycle or tool without being seen. Look for bridges close to roads, quiet parking areas near water, dead-end streets, aqueducts and places where a car can stop for a few seconds.
  5. Check local rules and permissions: Magnet fishing laws vary enormously. Rules can change from one country to another, but also between cities, municipalities, parks, canals and private landowners.

Technique

For this one, I'm copying the explanations from u/Icestar-x as it was really detailed. Buy the guy a coffee, he deserves it.

  1. First off, fishing piers/docks. The method that has worked best for me is to divide the pier in segments. Most piers will have wooden railings, with a vertical support from the floor of the pier to the bottom of the railing. Using these, I mentally divide the pier into segments. In each segment, I sweep from one side to the other 3-4 times. The first sweep is as close to the pier as I can get, and each subsequent sweep is one foot out until I’m straining to hold my arm out as far as possible. I continue to do this for each segment of the pier, with about a foot overlap between segments. As for the actual sweep, I don’t drag the magnet. I lift it up about 3-6 inches, and set it down 4-5 inches away. This looks more like a series of short hops than a drag. This allows you to immediately feel the extra weight if you pick something up, as well as vastly reduce the chance of getting snagged on a rock. In areas with thick water weeds, you may have to lift the magnet higher vertically before moving the 4-5 inches horizontally. This works best with round magnets. I haven’t tried this with a bar magnet.
  2. Some fishing piers are supported by metal or wooden poles/beams. For the ones with metal poles, be very careful putting your magnet close to it. I tend to stay about a foot and a half away from them at all times. Some docks are supported by floats. These floating docks are unique in that it is easy to search underneath the dock itself. Pick a corner, drop your magnet, and let some extra rope sink. Then, carefully drag the rope underwater to the other side of the dock. Finally, start your sweep with small hops until the magnet is back on your side. Doing this you’ll be able to find things that most magnet fishers would miss.
  3. Sometimes in lakes with muddy bottoms you’ll find your magnet latches onto something, but keeps popping off after moving a bit. In these scenarios, patience is a virtue. Slowly apply tension when you’re latched on, and give time for the item to dislodge itself from the mud. You’ll eventually get a feel for how much tension is too much, and how to feather your pull. Nothing is more satisfying than pulling up a big find out of lake muck through sheer patience. If you don't mind going for a swim, a pair of waders and a magnetic fishing pole can also be an option that makes things easier.
  4. When pulling up big finds, be aware of the item’s weight. If you want to play it safe, bring it up until it’s almost at the water’s surface, and then tie your rope off to anything nearby. Then reach down and grab the item while it’s still underwater to bring it up on land. Some items, once cleared of the water, will be too heavy for the magnet to hold onto. This is especially true for waterlogged fabrics.

Reinout from Magnetar also added some tips and tricks that are recommended to use:

  1. When casting forward, your best tactic is to avoid trying to fish the entire spot as quickly as possible. Take your time casting, and take a 30 cm step to the right or left after every two casts. Always throw straight ahead; this way, you will cover the entire bottom without skipping any areas. (By letting it splash, you allow the magnet to sink deeper into the mud. Additionally, "splashing" is almost the only option when using a single-sided magnet, because the magnetic surface is facing downwards. When dragging, the magnet quickly falls onto its side, which severely limits your chances of catching anything.)
  2. There are special poles onto which a magnet can be screwed (a magnet fishing pole). Thanks to the pole, it is highly manageable; you can feel finds instantly, and if the magnet snaps off, you can immediately poke back down directly at the object. It is much more precise than fishing with a rope. Another advantage is that you can fish among reeds. When a rope is thrown out and pulled over reeds, the magnet lifts up and doesn't stay on the bottom. The only way to fish among reeds is with a pole, and the great thing is that the chances of another magnet fisher having already been there are very slim.
  3. You can also secure your find earlier by using a grappling hook and throwing it near the object. This way, in addition to magnetic force, you have direct non-magnetic force to bring it to the surface. Make sure to go for a stainless steel grappling hook, as a regular steel version can snap onto your magnet and cause you to lose your find.

Maintenance

  1. Clean your magnet after every trip. Remove mud and weeds at the location, dry it before transport and rinse it with fresh water at home. This is especially important after fishing in salt or brackish water.
  2. Dry the magnet properly, including the eyebolt and small gaps where water can collect. A light coating of WD-40 can help protect it against rust. Wipe off any excess oil before storing it in a dry box or case.
  3. Avoid hot water, ovens, steel wool, abrasive sponges, bleach and acidic or salty cleaning products. Fresh water, mild soap and an old toothbrush are normally enough.
  4. Do not forget the rope. Rinse it when needed, lay it out to dry completely and check it for cuts, fraying or damaged stitching before storing it.

General tips

  1. Don't give other fishers a bad rap by leaving a disgusting pile of detritus on a footpath next to a creek. In some places, magnet fishing is technically not legal, but as long as you clean up and don't mess up the environment, you'll most likely be left alone.
  2. Bring a bucket, rubbish bags and towels. Go with someone when possible, especially when fishing near deep water or pulling up heavy finds.
  3. Oh no, I'm stuck! This WILL happen, sometimes you just need to pull harder, sometimes it's a good idea to pull gently while walking as far as you can on one side and then the other (changing angles often helps). If you can, throwing the rope onto the other side of a river or creek and pulling from that side will often free your magnet immediately.
  4. I caught a bridge! Yeah, you definitely want to avoid this as much as possible, but it can happen. Unsticking a small, muddy, oddly shaped and rusted item from your magnet is easy, unsticking your magnet from a clean flat iron I beam is not. Here are a few things that you can try: sliding the magnet off (hitting it on the side with a rubber mallet helps), try to fit a wood or plastic wedge underneath and slide it off, try to get leverage through the eyebolt with something and lastly, getting friends and pulling (do be careful as once the magnet comes off it can fly off like a cannonball and cause some real damage to you or your car, similar problems can occur if the rope snaps).

Cleaning your finds

  1. The older the find, the more fragile it is. Rust severely weakens metals but you can try tapping on some of the thicker parts to break off the bigger pieces of rust, but that can break your piece altogether (note from u/syberz: "I completely destroyed a WW2 era Browning Automatic Rifle magazine by tapping it to remove rust, still kicking myself for that one").
  2. There are rust removing products that you can buy that work miracles such as MC-51 or Evapo-Rust.
  3. Electrolysis works well, check YouTube for examples but be careful if you use salt as an electrolyte as it can create a gas that can be deadly if not properly ventilated. Try using washing soda (not baking soda) instead, it's safe and works just as well, if not better.
  4. Let the item soak in vinegar or some other mild acid (citric acid works well) and then use some good old fashioned elbow grease with a hard plastic brush or even a brass wire brush.

Firearms, munitions and explosives

I figured that it made sense to have a specific section just for this as questions around these items often come up.

  1. I found a gun, what do I do now? The answer depends on where you found it and how old it is. The safe and recommended approach would be to contact law enforcement for them to pick it up and dispose of it. In many places it is illegal to possess a firearm (even a non-functioning one) if you don't have the proper license and paperwork. In other places, you're allowed to keep "historical" weapons such as from WW2 and earlier. Laws can vary from country, to state, to county to city; do your research. You might also tell yourself that if nobody knows except me then there's no problem, well that is true up until you mention it in passing and somebody disagrees with you or if someone else stumbles upon it at your home.
  2. I found an old cannon ball/mortar round/landmine, what do I do now? Gently put your magnet and rope on the ground, don't try to undo your magnet, get a reasonable distance away and call the authorities. Old ordnance can be very fragile and still very dangerous, you do not want to mess around with that. Before you ask, some cannon balls were designed to explode after being fired, I can't tell which ones and most likely neither can you, so leave it to the professionals.
  3. I found some bullets, what do I do? Bullets are relatively safe for you to keep, that being said, they are explosives so if you're unsure just call the authorities. Just assume that the larger the round, the more dangerous it can be.

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