For many people, hobbies are a way to destress and unwind from the unending hustle and bustle of everyday life. Work can be stressful and that is why companies allow their workers to take time off to relax and recenter themselves. When workers return from these vacations, they are usually more energetic and enthusiastic about work.
There are hundreds of activities and hobbies people engage in to kill spare time and relax. We know of common hobbies like mountain climbing, cycling, swimming, hiking, gaming, reading, writing, and so on. However, these days, we are beginning to see people take on more and more rather unusual hobbies; interesting but unusual, nonetheless. These hobbies include suing, extreme ironing, beetle fighting, news-raiding, insect collecting, toy voyaging, and magnetic fishing, the subject of this article.
Unusual or not, the truth is every hobby appeals to a particular set of people. When asked why they enjoy the activity, many find it difficult to describe how they feel about their chosen hobby. For some reason, they connected with it and that is fine. In the end, what you choose to spend your spare time on should be something you find interesting and that makes you happy. Hobbies should be fun!
What is Magnetic Fishing?
You’re probably confused right now and that’s not out of place, many people get confused about this hobby too. For starters, you do not need a hook because magnetic fishing is not done with traditional fishing gear. Yes, what you are hoping to catch isn’t fish but rather, any metallic object you can find at the bottom of the lake, river, or stream you choose to go fishing in.
Magnetic fishing or magnet fishing is a game, sport, or hobby that involves fishing for metallic objects at the bottom of a water body. Instead of a hook, fishers make use of powerful magnets with incredibly high adhesion. These magnets are known to enthusiasts as super magnets, retrieval magnets, neodymium magnets, or search magnets. Click here to learn more about neodymium magnets.
Fishers engage in the sport hoping to find treasures like militaria, old coins, or other things of value. Some believe that one day, they may retrieve an actual treasure chest from the bottom of the ocean! Although the chance of this happening is slim, you will find that the idea does better than harm.
Magnetic fishers may be one of the most optimistic sets of people in the world today. Because each expedition is built entirely on hope, faith, and positivity; these traits have become second nature to magnet fishers.
Another good thing about the hobby is that the necessary equipment is relatively inexpensive when compared to a similar hobby- metal detecting. You see, in metal detecting, aside from the metal detector itself, other accessories like headphones, handheld pinpointer, scoop and digging tools, search coil covers, and several others are needed for the hobby. Whereas, in magnet fishing, with just the right magnet and a strong rope, you are ready to start treasure hunting.
Perhaps, the most appealing part of this strange hobby is the surprise effect and the uncertainty of what one might pull out of the floods. In fact, fishers have retrieved different metal pieces ranging from coins to nails, old bicycle parts to historical objects from World War II such as badges.
More interestingly, some fishermen have been able to retrieve old safes from the depths. Sadly though, these safes are usually empty since chances are that they were probably dumped into the river after a robbery. Notwithstanding, magnetic fishermen remain hopeful that one day, a treasure chest will be discovered.
Magnetic Fishing Gear
There really is not much that is needed for this hobby. With basic equipment, you can start fishing right away. The basic magnet fishing equipment includes:
- A powerful magnet
- A rope
- Grappling hook
- Transport box
Magnets
Performance is key when selecting the magnets. For this hobby, regular magnets will not cut it as they do not have the type of adhesion needed to pull stuff out of the water. You would want to get a neodymium or recovery magnet that can pull out objects that weigh up to a few hundred kilos.
When you go shopping for one, have the following at the back of your mind:
- Traction or adhesive force: In magnet fishing, while the traction of the magnet is incredibly important, having one that is too strong may put you at a disadvantage. This is because if your magnet gets stuck to an object weighing between 200 and 300 kilos, it is not coming out easily. As a matter of fact, you would have to dive to get it out. Therefore, you should only use magnets that have a pulling force of 150 kilograms, at most.
- Size and Shape: The most common search magnets are usually between 70 and 100 mm in size. They mostly come in square and round shapes since these shapes have more practical support surfaces.
Ropes
Unlike traditional fishing, lines are not used in this sport because they are not strong enough; ropes are used instead. These ropes are commonly made from polypropylene and so, do not absorb water as much as regular ropes. Visit https://www.britannica.com/science/polypropylene to learn more about polypropylene.
As with the magnet, traction is also an important factor when it comes to ropes for magnetic fishing. Ropes with more traction support better grip which makes pulling much easier.
Since the magnets are to be dropped to the bottom of the water body, you would need a long rope. 15 to 20 meters is the recommended length. Anything beyond that becomes difficult to handle especially when storing it. Also, take note of the diameter because thicker ropes become significantly heavier when they eventually soak water. The rope should not be more than 10 mm in diameter.
Grappling Hooks
While this exercise is an exciting one, magnetic fishermen all deal with one frustrating issue. Often, the objects that are caught by the magnet are snagged on something under the water. Many potentially incredible prizes have been lost this way and that is why enthusiasts decided to add grappling hooks to their fishing gear. That said, it is worth mentioning that grapple hooks were not specifically invented for this hobby.
Thanks to their shape, irregularly shaped objects found by your magnet can easily be pulled out of the water. Based on factors like their build material and build quality, some grapple hooks are more reliable than others. Enthusiasts can find high-quality grapple hooks from several companies. You can visit Brute Magnets to look at some options.
Transport Boxes
Transport boxes are useful for transporting your gear and the prizes you can retrieve. Your means of transport may determine the size of the box, but the material is nearly always plastic. Other secondary equipment that you can carry along in the box include a pair of gloves, a pair of fishing boots, and maybe a change of pants.
Final Thoughts
A lot of people debate the legal status of magnetic fishing; however, it is legal in both the United States and the United Kingdom. In the US it is allowed everywhere else except South Carolina. In the UK you cannot fish in waters that are managed by the Canal and River Trust. If this is a hobby you would like to try out, you would have to check with your local authority to know if it is permitted.