The main excitement that comes with Magnet Fishing as a Hobby is due to the possible finds that you can come with!
In fact, once you feel that your magnet is hooked to an object that you have yet to pull and see, that feeling is really Amazing … The possibilities are quite endless! Who knows what you are about to pull out?!
In this article I list what you can actually find Magnet Fishing! I breakdown those into 2 different categories:
- The most common finds.
- The less common, yet possible finds.
So, before any further ado, let’s dive it!
Most Common Magnet Fishing Finds …
19. Nuts and Bolts
You will come across thousands of nuts and bolts together or either one separate littering all types of bodies of water. All sizes exist of these important building materials.
Most will be heavily rusted, so avoid handling with your bare hands. If you want to separate nuts and bolt you find, it would be best to keep a penetrating oil to help loosen them from one another.
18. Screws & Nails
These are other common building materials that end up in waterways. Especially near construction zones where the wind will knock them into the water. Unsuspecting people and animals walk on these all the time when wading in shallow water.
You might find screws still stuck in pieces of wood. You’ll have to break the wood to get the screw if you want it out.
If you plan on scrapping these, you’ll want to bring along a bucket to store them in for soaking and removing any rust. Scrap yards prefere rust is removed before recycling.
17. Cutlery
The banks of ponds will have a few pieces of cutlery here and there. But lakes will hold the most cutlery.
Cutlery always manages to slip out of the hands of people on boats. And fortunately for you, that’s where you will be reeling them back in at.
Spoons, forks, and knives are all over larger lakes that can fit boats on them. The more boats you see out on a lake, the more likely you are to real in a full kitchen set. You might even find less common household cutlery like a can opener or two.
16. Modern coins
Although the 1943 steel penny comes to mind when thinking of magnetic coins, there are many others you might come across when magnet fishing.
Canadian quarters and dimes are magnetic.
Any coin that has a steel composition will be attracted to a magnet. These coins include the older 50 and 100 Lire coins from Italy, San Marino, and the Vatican City.
You will come across coins from around the world that you can pick up with a magnet. Unfortunately, none will be pure silver or gold.
15. Scrap pipes
Steel and iron pipes are going to be heavy objects to remove from water. Unless you find yourself attached to a small “L” or elbow pipe then you won’t have an easy time removing it.
Depending where you are fishing, you might come across heavy steel pipes buried in the ground. If it is a loose pipe you are after, then be sure to bring along a 1,200lb magnet (Check it Here at Amazon).
You’ll want something strong enough to hold on to the pipe while you reel it in.
14. Barbed wire
One the more dangerous finds is barbed wire. This wire can be a tangled mess when you reel it in and should be handled with gloves on. You’ll want to be extra careful when handling this wire.
Even after rusting, barbed wire can still be very sharp. Not only will it cut, but you can almost guarantee the cut can become infected.
Good news is barbed wire can be recycled. However, not every facility takes it. Call to verify the recycling facility you plan to visit accepts barbed wire.
Many other magnet fishermen have run into troubles trying to offload barbed wire. Save the headache and call ahead.
13. Tools
Similar to cutlery, tools are common at lakes. A pair of pliers might fall overboard, or at a fishing pier. Screwdrivers and hammers fall off trucks all the time also.
You’ll want to have a strong magnet to get a good hold on these items. It would be best to own a 700lbs+ magnet (Check it Here at Amazon) in order to get tools out of the water.
A can of WD-40 will help clean and protect the tools you find. But, what about the handles on them?
Get a can of Plasti-Dip and start dipping the tool handles in the can. You can make the handle like new with this product.
12. Fishing hooks and lures
Just like building materials like bolts and nuts, you can expect to come across thousands of hooks and fishing lures.
Fresh hooks are sharp and have tiny barbs. If you get a hook stuck in your skin past the barb, a trip to the hospital will be needed.
You can scrap all the hooks and lures, or you can try to restore them with a hook sharpener.
To determine if a hook is worth saving, check for rust. Light rust is acceptable, and to check for sharpness you can run the hook across your nail.
If it leaves a white line, it still has a sharp point and is usable.
11. Scissors & Snips
The type of scissors you come across will be more than likely for fishing. If you visit rivers known for good fly fishing spots, then you’ll run into a pair of snips.
Snips are a type of scissor fly fishermen use for cutting off tags after tying a knot. They are expensive. Typically, they are attached with a coiled string to a vest, but those strings can snap.
You can restore snips with a few sprays of WD-40.
Common household scissors can also be found in bodies of water. They are not expensive. No one will miss them as much as they will miss a pair of quality snips.
Less Common, Yet Very Possible Magnet Fishing Finds …
10. Weapons
It might come as a shock, but firearms have been found more times than you would think by other magnet fishermen. Although, not as common as the previously items mentioned.
From time to time, weapons are found in ponds, rivers, and lakes. In most cases a 400 lbs magnet (Check it Here at Amazon) would do the job!
Always treat a firearm as though it’s loaded. It’s best to practice gun safety when handling all types of guns.
If you are lucky, you’ll come across a firearm from a past war such as WW2. It happens often when exploring historic battle sites.
9. Cannonballs
Continuing with past wars, cannonballs have been discovered as well. Unless the water you are exploring was part of a past campaign, the chances of you coming across a cannonball is quite slim.
But if you manage to discover a piece of history, you’ll need a strong magnet to get it out. You can expect a cannonball to weigh between 4lbs – 42lbs! Bring along a 1,200lbs magnet (Check it Here at Amazon) and a strong rope to get one of these out the water.
8. Grenades
Of all the dangerous weapons you can find in water, grenades are by far the worst. Especially the grenades with the pins still attached.
You’ll need to be extremely cautious when handling grenades. Or, any other type of bomb for that matter. Typically, past war zones hold these but they have been found in public spaces as well.
Now is a good time to bring up calling in authorities when finding weapons. They will know how to handle both firearms and grenades. Play it safe and let professionals handle these finds.
7. Dog tags
How amazing would it be to find a soldier’s lost dog tags? Well you can come across them all over the world.
Where there is water, there are possible dog tags sitting at the bottom of it. Dog tags get lost for kinds of reasons. Whatever the reason may be doesn’t matter, all that matters is you retrieve them.
You can start a collection of them, or take on the challenge of trying to return them to their rightful owner.
A mild soap, like Dawn, can easily clean and shine them back to normal.
6. Jewelry
You won’t find pure silver or gold, but you can find the steel or iron made for the latches on bracelets and necklaces which will retrieve your find. Or, anything less than pure gold and silver will also attach to a magnet.
For example, 14k gold is 58.3% gold and the rest is “filler” metal which makes up the rest of the weight. This means you’ll be able to reel in a necklace or bracelet made of gold.
Again, Dawn is your best friend for cleaning jewelry along with the rest of your finds.
5. Antiques
Antiques is a general term for all kinds of old stuff. The term is open for interpretation. Some consider items past a certain age to be considered an antique. Also, whether the item holds value.
If what you find looks to be valuable, have it appraised. It won’t hurt to ask a professional whether or not the item you found is worth money. Even if it is not worth monetary value, it will be sentimental value since you are the one that found it.
4. Bikes
Bicycles and mopeds are some of the largest items you can find. They are also extremely difficult to retrieve.
You’ll want a 1,300lb magnet (Check it Here at Amazon), grapple hook, and some heavy duty rope. And a heavy dose of patience.
Unfortunately, either one won’t be worth much once you have them out and the water and dried. A complete rebuild of the moped will be another challenge if you are up for it. Other than that, both will be scrap.
3. Bullets
Ammunition is similar to nuts, bolts, and screws. They can be everywhere, once you locate them. Again, a historical site will be your number one spot for locating ammo.
But, a stray bullet might end up at the bottom of a lake. Either from falling out the sky, or from a trigger happy shooter taking easy shots at a defenseless lake. Regardless, bullets are found in bodies of water.
2. Large Knives/ Hunting Knives
You can guarantee the hunter who lost their knife is extremely upset. But, their loss is your gain.
Make a solution of mild dish soap and warm water and scrub away any dirt you find on these larger knives. After putting in some elbow grease, you’ll have a new knife that will help you out on your magnet fishing expeditions.
1. Cash Box
The holy grail of magnet fishing finds is a cash box. It’s not so much the box itself, but the contents inside of one.
Some are loaded with cash and or other valuables. Sometimes they are empty. Either way, finding one is rare yet fishermen still manage to find them.
Getting one open though is going to be difficult. For that you will definitely need a strong 1200+lbs magnet (Check it Here at Amazon)
Conclusion
I’ve done my very Best to include all possible finds you can come across using your beloved magnet! Hopefully, this will give you a solid foundational idea on what you should expect …
Finally, don’t forget to check this Magnet Fishing Guide! I include everything you need to know there!