My grandson has expressed interest in magnet fishing, thank you YT . Types and pricing for fishing magnets are all over the place. So are the reviews. Just looking for a place to start. What magnets? What kind of rope? Whatever else?

I used paracord and a 1000 lb magnet from Amazon. Gloves are essential for the rope and the pieces of rusty metal you end up with. It is actually kind of fun, but I wouldn’t spend a ton of money, mine lost interest after a few trips. Bring a 5 gallon bucket for trash. Pull from the transom if you stick to something heavy.😀

Also -there’s more fun stuff around boat docks and walkways. Just beware their hardware.

I’ve seen my buddy and his kids doing it, they usually get nails and screws and parts of ratchet straps 

No... but I sometimes throw a homemade grapple. Mostly I am aiming for a tangle of limbs to where I've lost several lures.

There is a few that do it around here on Lake George, used to a bombing range. Most of the pilings for targets are still sticking up. They are looking to get the practice rounds from WWII. 
 

9 hours ago, VolFan said:

I used paracord and a 1000 lb magnet from Amazon. Gloves are essential for the rope and the pieces of rusty metal you end up with. It is actually kind of fun, but I wouldn’t spend a ton of money, mine lost interest after a few trips. Bring a 5 gallon bucket for trash. 

 

 Ha- my kid did exactly the same. Big magnet from Amazon and went a couple of times. Never got anything but absolute junk and has never mentioned it again. Those YT videos of lures, flashlights, murder weapons, pocket knives, etc. are either staged or must take months to film. 

 

 My kid never went anywhere that was highly populated, though. Just hunted creeks and bridges around the neighborhoods. 

We got one off Amazon a few years back when my son was younger. Get the strongest one you can find. The sets on Amazon come with everything you need to get going.

 

Our results were similar to what others said, screws, nails, BBs. We did find a lure he lost a few months prior, so that was kind of cool. 

 

Regardless how it works out, those magnets are nice to have.  Lose a bolt and washer off your mower in the grass...  They can save you a tons of aggravation and time .

Another funny story about those magnets. My buddy’s kids were instructed not to touch the magnet to anything heavy. Well they come into the house and say “daddy the magnet got stuck to the lawn mower but we didn’t do it.” He said the 100 ft orange rope strung all the way across the yard leading directly to the mower disagreed with their story . He had to wail on the magnet with a hammer to get it free from the mowing deck 

18 hours ago, Bolar said:

 

Regardless how it works out, those magnets are nice to have.  Lose a bolt and washer off your mower in the grass...  They can save you a tons of aggravation and time .

 

I keep one at my desk where I work on lures and reels and stuff. There’s thick carpet under the desk, and I’m dropping stuff all the time. The magnet is great for when I drop a tiny treble hook. Works much better than my bare foot.

 

I snagged on a piece of rope in the lake one day and pulled it up. That’s how I got my magnet - it was on the end of that rope. I’ve used it trying to fish for lures I’ve lost, but never had any luck.

@VolFan shipped me his no longer used magnet. Appreciate you sir. If we ever find anything of value, I'll cut you in. 

Bravo @VolFan!

It’s true that finds are usually far between but sometimes you find a hot spot. I have found enough since September that I have become addicted. I am fishing 2 hotspots that are not empty yet. I have found a lot of trash but also a spoon, needle nose pliers, large vise grip pliers, kitchen paring knife, folding chair, push in the ground hanging plant basket stand, and an antique 20 3/4” porcelain wash basin. I am waiting for the ice to get off the water to start again. 

22 hours ago, Jeff B said:

It’s true that finds are usually far between but sometimes you find a hot spot. I have found enough since September that I have become addicted. I am fishing 2 hotspots that are not empty yet. I have found a lot of trash but also a spoon, needle nose pliers, large vise grip pliers, kitchen paring knife, folding chair, push in the ground hanging plant basket stand, and an antique 20 3/4” porcelain wash basin. I am waiting for the ice to get off the water to start again. 

Wow, you hit a goldmine. Are you thinking about early retirement?