When starting out the hobby of magnet fishing, you probably have a lot of questions about where you can and can’t go magnet fishing and the legalities.
Along with the best places to go magnet fishing, where you have a chance of finding some great items.
The legalities are such a grey are when it comes to magnet fishing and there are many opinions, you should check out the laws in your area before going out.
For the purpose of this guide though, I just want to give you some ideas on the best places to go magnet fishing and to give you a fighting chance of finding things, whether that be for fun or to make money magnet fishing.
The following in my opinion are some of the very best places to go magnet fishing regardless of where you live.
You also should be aware that none of these places will be good if you don’t have a good magnet, check out our best magnets for magnet fishing post.
Be sure first to check out the dangers of magnet fishing so you’re fully prepared.
Rivers
Perhaps in my opinion the best place to go magnet fishing is rivers, especially near cities.
Rivers see a lot of “passers by” and undoubtedly have lots of items either thrown in or accidentally dropped in them.
For most people already involved in magnet fishing, rivers are the most popular place to go because of the amount of things found.
I’ve seen many weapons, safes, stolen items, coins, boating tools and more pulled from rivers.
Lakes
Lakes are always a great place to have a go at magnet fishing, even better if you can get access to a boat of sort.
Lots of things have been discarded of into lakes, accidentally dropped and intentionally thrown in.
Many interesting items are pulled from lakes each day by magneteers!
The more popular the lake the more items you’re likely to find.
Expect to pull out fishing related items too.
Sea/Piers
Its a body of water right? So you stand a chance.
That being said its my least favourite place to go magnet fishing.
Mainly because I’ve always found magnet fishing at the beach and in the sea to be less productive than other places.
Likely you’ll find many fishing related items, but you do have that chance of finding things tourists have lost too.
Be very careful if your magnet fishing off a pier ensure that you’re not putting anyone in danger.
Also watch out for when you reel in getting stuck to the pier can be a nightmare in itself.
Streams
Get your waterproofs on and get wading, dragging your magnet along as you go.
A stream is a fantastic place to go magnet fishing in, especially if you’re taking children along with you as its so much safer than other places.
If you can find a stream running through a town or a village then you may just be in luck.
Wells
Few and far between and highly unlikely that you’re going to be able to find one, let alone magnet fish one.
Remember if you know of a well, ensure that you have permission to search it with your magnet.
With that being said, its known that wells have been known to have many interesting things thrown inside them, so they will always be searching.
The only issue is the silt that has settled on the bottom of the well and in some cases buried what’s been thrown in them.
Don’t put yourself in danger by climbing into the well but if you can find a safe way of removing some of the silt at the bottom you never know what you might find!
Canals
If you’re going to go magnet fishing along canals please do watch out for boaters.
Canals have been travelled for hundreds of years by boats and will have seen many lost items.
I have known of some magneteers recovering lost boating tools, refurbishing and then selling them on!
Find a safe spot along the canal, the closer to a city or town the better.
Bridges
Bridges! If you can find a bridge to magnet fish off then you’re onto a winner!
The older the bridge the better.
Over many years bridges will have seen a lot of traffic by way of cars, pedestrians etc and a lot of things have been thrown off them.
These are perhaps one of the most convenient places for people to dispose of things (guns, weapons, stolen items etc)
If you’re part of the magnet fishing groups on Facebook then you’ll see many things pulled out the water from bridges.
Historical Sites
Do your research you never know!
If you can get permission to go magnet fishing in a body of water near a historical site or building then you will increase your chances of finding the good stuff.
When I say good stuff I mean historical items.
With magnet fishing becoming increasingly popular, people are starting to take a more serious approach by carrying out historical research.
Much like getting metal detecting land permission, you will need to get permission for magnet fishing.
Many Roman, Saxon and medieval finds have now come out of the water thanks to magnet fishing and by doing research you’ll increase your chances of finding historical artefacts.
Parks
Places like parks where people have congregated over the years for events, picnics, walks and play can sometimes have a body of water like a lake or pond.
Because of the high amount of visitors, there’s a good chance if the park has a body of water that it will have seen items thrown in or accidentally dropped.
The lake at the park close to where I live was actually where a murder weapon was discovered. An axe.
Spillways & Dams
Water travels as we know, and while it travels it drags things with it.
As the water gets to the end of its journey lets say for example at a spillway or a dam, the items it drags get stopped.
Perhaps not as fruitful as other bodies of water such as rivers, however not many people will go out of their way to magnet fish in these areas so if something is there its yours!
