Magnet fishing is a fun activity, especially when it is done in a plentiful area that yields a lot of treasure. This hobby uses an extremely strong magnet to find items that are ferromagnetic in bodies of water.
The best places to magnet fish are areas that have historical significance, such as civil war sites, colonial sites, and places where people dump items. Places like bridges, rivers, ponds, creeks, lakes, piers, beaches, dams, storm drains, wells, and spillways.
I’ve been magnet fishing for a few years now, and I am constantly finding new and exciting things in the water! There are many great places to utilize this hobby, some places even have tournaments! So here is a list of some of the best places to magnet fish.
1. Bridges
Bridges are one of the best places to magnet fish, due to the high volume of traffic and items that get dumped. Many waterways have bridges, such as rivers, ponds, and lakes. A lot of junk gets dumped off bridges, but lucky for us, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!
Some of my best finds have come from bridges. Most bridges have areas where you can tie off your rope, so when you cast your magnet, it’s not going to just pull the rope down with it. Many bridges also provide you a shoulder area, so that you have the necessary room to magnet fish while paying attention to traffic.
2. Ponds
Going into a pond area is an extremely beginner-friendly spot. When you’re first learning how to magnet fish, this could be a great spot to experiment and figure out what’s right for you. Ponds get a lot of through traffic, whether it be fishermen or children and adults playing around.
Ponds are a great place to magnet fish, however, you are going to want a pretty strong magnet when it comes down to it. This is due to the nature of ponds, where they are typically swamped with algae and other vegetation due to being fairly shallow bodies of water.
You may want to consider having other magnet fishing accessories with you, such as a grappling hook and a wench, in case your magnet gets stuck, or you find something extra heavy to pull up.
3. Creeks
Creeks are also a very beginner-friendly spot. When searching for a creek spot, you will want to find one that is very populated, but it likely won’t be deep. Smaller magnets will be sufficient with fishing in creeks and you will likely be able to find all kinds of fun treasure.
You will most likely find a lot of very small metal items, since creeks may not be able to hold larger items. You may even find some older items that can be valuable!
4. Lakes
If you are an avid water lover and you own a boat, magnet fishing in a lake can be extremely fun. If you are just walking along the banks of the lake, it can be a little bit more difficult to cover ground, but it is still doable.
However, if you have a boat, you’re going to be able to cover a lot more ground with multiple magnets. Lakes can be a little bit deeper than ponds or creeks and you’re going to have to use stronger and larger magnets.
You might find items in the lake that you wouldn’t expect, such as cameras, expensive sunglasses, and more valuable items that are dropped while boating. Some people have even suggested that magnet fishing got its start from boaters who dropped their keys and needed a magnet to retrieve them.
For large bodies of water, I suggest using a large magnet. You’re going to be pulling up some weight. My go-to magnet is the 1200 lb magnet, that you can find here.
5. Rivers
A river is a great place to find relics and other rare things. If the river you find is considered a tourist attraction, you may find a lot of valuable items. Due to the currents in a river, you’re going to want a strong magnet so that you can hold on and secure your items.
People have been dumping things into rivers for a long time, so you may find something that is old and rare, or you may find a lot of junk. Finding junk may seem tedious, but cleaning up the junk can be just as rewarding as finding the treasure. You may also find some dangerous items, in this case, you will want to handle them with care, and if needed, call the authorities. Source.
See our article for Magnet Fishing Dangers
6. Pier
Piers can be a great place to go magnet fishing because they have high traffic volume from fishermen and families passing through. You’ll be able to find a lot of valuable items since tourists are around as well as fishing gear left behind by fishermen.
This is a good place to spend a few hours since there is a lot of potentials and a lot of areas to cover. People are also not going to be paying much attention to you, so you’ll be unbothered. You’ll want to be careful when you are picking up your items, and you’re going to want to have a grappling hook and wench handy if your magnet gets stuck
7. Beaches
Beaches can be a little more tricky, so they are not as beginner-friendly as some other options, but they are still fun! Scavenging a beach area can help you get experience finding different types of items.
There are two types of beach areas you can scavenge in, the shallow waters by the shore and the deeper waters that can be reached by boat. You are going to want to use a strong magnet to find stuff on a beach since there are waves as well as items that can be stuck in the sand.
If you are new to magnet fishing, you may want to consider getting a kit. The first magnet fishing kit I got was the River & Wharf kit. It was a great first magnet! You can find that here!
8. Spillway
A classic area that would be fun to find some items is a spillway. These can be in some obscure locations, but you can also find some valuable items dropped by people. The reason why you should take the time to visit a spillway is that you can find some good stuff that has been thrown into here by the river it is connected to.
You are going to want a heavy magnet to find the items you are aiming for when it comes to a spillway. While getting to the location can be tricky, once you are there, you have the potential to find some cool stuff.
9. Dams
Dams are a great body of water to search for when you are looking for things that you may find valuable. Magnet fishing in a local dam may help you to find some interesting tidbits, relics, and fishing gear.
It might be a little bit more difficult to magnet fish in these areas for beginners. The easiest way to get out to a dam is to go towards it in a boat or even a small individual kayak. Make sure that you take every measure to stay safe while in the water! Drownings happen around bodies of water, and magnet fishing is no different.
10. Historical Landmarks
While it might not be as common, some historical landmarks may have a body of water nearby. Searching these bodies of water can find you some valuable finds, maybe even some historical artifacts. If you want to search in these bodies of water, you’re going to want to make sure that you have the right gear to pull your findings out of the water.
Magnet fishing gear:
- Strong magnet
- Cut-proof gloves
- Quality rope
- Trash bucket
- Grappling hook
- Second magnet
11. National Parks
National parks are good to search due to their high-traffic nature. Tourists are inherently attracted to these areas, making them a hotspot for finding items that they may have dropped. National parks have ponds, lakes, rivers, creeks, and more.
Not all national parks are going to be friendly to magnet fishers. Make sure you check to make sure that it is allowed before you go. Always check your local laws when it comes to treasure hunting.
12. Storm Drains
During floods, water currents can get ahold of all kinds of things. Storm drains can be a great place to find these misplaced items. Most urban neighborhoods have storm drains, so this means you are likely to find valuable things that people will have considered long gone.
You may want to bring a grappling hook for this one, since items may get hung up on the nooks and crannies. Having a second magnet is always a good idea, if things are too heavy, or if you need to get the first magnet unstuck.
13. Wells
The last thing on this list is water wells. You would be surprised at what people drop down old wells. We all know that people throw coins down wells, making them wishing wells, but they also use old wells as dumpsites.
Wells have been an instrumental part of survival, in modern days as well as the past. The older the well, the more chances you may have to find old relics, coins, and other interesting finds.
Conclusion
If you’re just beginning to magnet fish, or you are a pro, you are going to want to try these great locations. Even if you have been magnet fishing for years, you might have found some places here that you never thought to visit. Keep in mind that you must follow any guidelines about removing materials from different places, but once you figure it out, you can find a lot of special items!