I know a ton of us spend a lot of time on the water. Has anyone else found magnet fishing magnets? I have found three so far. People throw them off bridges, docks, piers, looking for metal but I have been finding that they get hung up behind underwater boulders and the person gives up on retrieving them. I have been waiting until the water goes down and then I put on the waders and use a rake to get some leverage on the line to ease it off the obstruction. The last one I found was a $65.00 magnet.

Nice.

What would be a good poundage for a magnet to do that with?

Take some pictures

ebay

No I have never found any. never thought to look for them. I did just have a friend mash the heck out of his fingers with one about 2 weeks ago. I believe he said it was 350 lb.

I have often wondered how many get stuck and lost, one reason I have never bought one.

One of the magnets is a 250lb pull and the other is 1,200. I will try and get some pictures some time today.

I have never lost mine. I use a 250# Harbor Freight cheapo. But I have pretty stout throwable rope. I don't think I could break the rope. It would bother me as much as a lost trap, I would go back over and over trying to retrieve it or at least the rope from causing someone else grief.

I'd hate to lose one

I have never found one and only used mine a few times. Bought it to recover a rifle I lost whene I flipped my kayak busting through to check beaver traps. Man that was a COLD trip that could have been bad. I did have a bnice large beaver waiting at the end of the wire though. I recovered the rifle a few weeks later. Luckily it was stainless. Took over a month before the stock shrunk back down and matched the butt plate. It was 3/32 to an 1/8 past it all the way around when recovered.

Here are the two I found this week.

I have two of the one like top pic I used for years. They wrre around $20 at harbor freight when got them. Have more than paid for them selves.
Also have two that I bought back I 2020 that look like the bottom one. I don't really the lift rating on them though? I keep them in back of my truck because I never know when or where I get the urge toss one in water.
I've used mine to pick up slag after welding. Put one plastic shopping bags over it. Pick slag trash. Pull bag off over it throw scrap bucket.
I do know the square one will pick up a half inch drive electric impact tool in 8ft water..Battery included.

Almost forgot I've not lost or found any yet myself.
Would imagine I will eventually.. do both..

Mac

A little time to get out this morning. Glad I made it out as I found my third magnet of the year. I actually came across the magnet and paracord about 16 months ago but at the time I couldn't figure out a way to get it so I took my knife and cut the cord it was attached to at the waterline. Fast forward to today - the river was down due to the winds and I was able to locate the cord again and now I know how to rescue "lost" magnets.

Nice

Found another one today.

I like those powerful magnets. Thank you for the pictures.

Wow GB, it looks like you're really attracted to those magnets.

He has a "Magnetic" personality!

I guess I was a "chick" magnet back in the day.

It is really fun to see some cord going into the water because I can almost bet there will be $$$$ on the other end.

Brian

Bumping this back to the top now that trapping season is about ready to get underway. Since I first posted this I have now found 12 magnets. A nice thing to pick up when you are out and about wandering. I have also learned that a Come Along hand ratchet is useful to have in my vehicle when I need some extra pull.

Nice treasure hunting

good luck

Found another one today.

I use a big piece of plate steel to fish for magnets. Some of those things go for big money, and can be used for finding plate steel when it gets hung up and the rope breaks.

Never saw a magnet stick to stainless steel.

There's different grades of stainless steel. Some grades of stainless have a weak attraction to magnets. Tom with iScrap does a good job of explaining stainless steel differences. I also know they're scrap metal enthusiasts on trapperman that can probably explain it better than me.

Found one more - today Dec. 30, 2023.

I once tried using one fishing for steelheads.

No luck.

I have wondered about using them to find firearms and other valuable items. Got a bridge on a major highway I bet is a regular spot for dumping hot items.

I bet

And do what with them? You can't sell them, especially with a NICS check, then or later.

I have. Plenty of alloys out there that will stick. Ask any machinist.

I see what you did there!