Is Magnet Fishing Worth It? | The Ultimate Truth

is magnet fishing worth it

Magnet fishing is something that has not been around for very long, however, it has quickly become a favorite passion of mine. Treasure does not always have to have a monetary value. Magnet fishing helps clean up waterways and is just fun to do!

Magnet fishing is worth it for those who love treasure hunting and cleaning up the environment. You may find valuables such as jewelry, watches, and relics, or you may find scraps, like railroad spikes and chunks of metal.  

Just like with all hobbies, you choose to spend your time doing what you love. For me, treasure hunting is a lifelong obsession. It is just as exciting for me to find a railroad spike as it is to find a rare relic.

Waterways such as rivers, lakes, and dams, hold all kinds of interesting objects. Do I think you can make a living with magnet fishing? Probably not. Do I think you will get countless hours of enjoyment from it? Definitely. Find out more about magnet fishing here.

Is Magnet Fishing Worth It?

Magnet fishing is something that can be looked at from multiple positions. It is a hobby that helps you find interesting items. Using magnet fishing etiquette, you can clean up waterways, and it offers you a good amount of exercise.

I love spending time outdoors and in nature, so for me, magnet fishing is absolutely worth it. There is also the mystery of the items you find. How did they get here? What were they used for? Sometimes you will find valuable items, such as rare watches, collectible relics, even bicycles!

Can You Make Money From Magnet Fishing?

Making money from magnet fishing might be a little bit hard but not impossible. The amount of time, work, and thought you put into your hobby will determine if you are going to be able to make a profit from it.

If you do a good amount of research on the areas where you magnet fish, you may find that there are stories of treasure, the area may be home to a past war site, or there may be a lake that has been known to eat peoples fishing gear.

Because it is a best practice to remove scrap metal from waterways, while magnet fishing, you have the opportunity to save up the scrap metal and sell it for a profit at a recycling center.

what-is-the-point-of-magnet-fishing
Is magnet fishing worth it? Scrap metal.

What is the Point of Magnet Fishing?

Just like with any hobby, the point of magnet fishing is to have fun. You can make new friends, you can spend time in nature, and you get to help clean up the environment. There is also the chance that you will find something rare or valuable. What more could you ask for?

I have a cache of items that I have found while magnet fishing, that has become a collection. I have many treasure hunting collections and my magnet fishing finds are some of my favorites. Even if you are not a collector, it’s still exciting to pull things up.

What Do You Find Magnet Fishing?

Since you are going to be magnet fishing in multiple types of waters, you have the opportunity to find a huge variety of items. I’ve found everything from bike parts, to expensive fishing gear.

Things you may find:

  • Fishing gear
  • Railroad spikes
  • Knives
  • Guns
  • Coins
  • Cash boxes
  • Tools
  • Bikes
  • War relics

You can magnet fish in just about any place that has water. You may find things like tools in a river, or fishing gear at a lake. You can even find things in sewers! All kinds of items get lost in the water.

If you are looking to get started with magnet fishing, consider a large magnet up to 1200 lbs. I like to use this one here!

Is Magnet Fishing Good For the Environment

One of the best things about magnet fishing is that you get a chance to clean up the water. When I magnet fish, I always remove the trash I pull up. You should never throw trash you find back into the water.

Magnets are not dangerous for fish unless they are left in the water to rust and become a hazard, so there is no negative effect on the environment when magnet fishing. As long as you remove the trash and metal scraps, then you are doing nature a favor.

Is Magnet Fishing Worth the Investment?

A magnet fishing kit is not very expensive. They cost around $30-$60 for the average kit. This is not a lot of money when it comes to a hobby that is going to give you entertainment for years to come.

You may find one single item that pays for the whole investment. Items of value that you find can be kept for a collection or sold on websites like eBay. Just the scrap metal you find could pay for the investment.

magnet-fishing-kit
One of my magnet fishing kits.

Most Expensive Find Magnet Fishing

There are some rare finds when magnet fishing. I have found a couple of fishing poles that are worth $50 apiece. I’ve heard of others in forums, finding things like an old Rolex that they were able to restore, or a safe full of valuables.

When you find something that may be stolen or used in a crime, you will need to report it to the police. Most of the time if it is cleared of any crime and no one has claimed it as their property, they will return it to you, to keep.

You may be able to find even more valuable items, if the item is rare, or if it is made of precious metals. Magnets do not pick up gold or silver, but they can pick up containers that hold them, or other metals that are crafted with them.

How Much Money Can You Make Magnet Fishing?

Magnet fishing isn’t the most lucrative hobby, but you can make a few dollars if you keep your scrap metals, or sell valuable items that you find. If you took it further and made it a side hustle, you could have the opportunity to make more.

To do this you would have to take it seriously. You would want to do a lot of research on where to magnet fish and spend more time doing it. If you spent a whole week magnet fishing, you may be able to pull up enough scrap metal to have a few hundred dollars. List of MRE’s (Metal Recycling Entities) in Texas, where I live.

Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

You can find the magnet fishing kit pictured above here.

Conclusion

My love for treasure and mystery, fuels my need to find things that are rare and interesting to me. For me, magnet fishing meets those needs. I like to use the buddy system, to help pull up big finds, so getting to share the experience also makes it that much more fun.

You may not get rich magnet fishing, but it’s going to provide you with endless hours of entertainment and time spent out in nature. Heck yea!

Chad Fox

Chad Fox is an expert treasure hunter who is experienced in metal detecting, magnet fishing, and geocaching. He enjoys the outdoors, making new discoveries, and helping people get started.

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