Is Magnet Fishing Legal Or Illegal? (5 Things You Should Know)

If you spend any amount of time near the water you’ve probably seen or heard about people pulling some pretty cool stuff out using magnets. Different countries have different rules and in this post, I’m going to be talking about whether or not magnet fishing is legal in your area.

In most countries around the world, magnet fishing is legal to do. All states in the US and all provinces in Canada are completely fine by you magnet fishing. That being said, it is currently illegal to magnet fish in the UK in certain waterways. Magnet fishing in the UK in the wrong body of water could result in you getting a small fine. Everywhere else has no rules and regulations against it.

I will try to keep this up to date with any future rule changes but it’s always a good idea to double-check your local area before you go out. There are a number of reasons I could see magnet fishing being tightened down on in the future and I’ll list all of those reasons down below. It is a pretty cool thing to do though and I’d highly recommend you try it if you haven’t.

Is Magnet Fishing Legal In The US?

Currently, there are no rules against magnet fishing in the United States and it is legal in all states. This could change in the future so it’s always a good idea to check your local area to be sure. The only thing you’ll have to consider is whether or not the area is private or publically owned. Pretty obvious but you’d be surprised by some people.

Is Magnet Fishing Legal In Canada?

Currently, there are no rules against magnet fishing in Canada and it is legal in all provinces. Again, this could change in the future but I’ll do my best to keep this post up to date. Check your local area before you go out and make sure the land and water are available to the public.

Is Magnet Fishing Legal In The UK?

Currently, there are tighter rules against magnet fishing in the UK and it is banned in certain areas. Pretty much all land and bodies of water are owned by someone in the UK and magnet fishing is banned in a number of them. What you’ll want to do is get permission before you go out. If it’s owned by someone then you’ll want to ask them. If it’s public, you’ll want to contact the waterways board and ask them.

What Are The Dangers Of Magnet Fishing?

A lot of people think that the only reason people don’t want you magnet fishing is that you’re disrupting or causing damage to the area. It’s pretty much the same as if you were diving and came across some sort of structure in the water. A lot of the time you’ll have to get permission to move it. That being said, there are a few dangers when it comes to magnet fishing you should probably know about.

  1. You could pull up explosives. There have been a number of times where people have pulled up grenades and other explosives that were still ready to explode. You really never know what you’re going to pull up and a lot of these bodies of water are where bad people throw bad things. So just be extremely careful.
  2. People have drowned. There was a case a few years ago where two people drowned while magnet fishing. You could hook up to something heavy, lose your balance, hit your head, and who knows what else. You just never know. Crazier stuff has happened.
  3. The magnets are super strong. These aren’t a typical magnet that you put on the fridge. They are super strong and if you’re not careful they can cause issues. You could get your finger caught between two of them or they can even cause sparks and fires.
  4. You’re handling sharp rusty metal. You’re going to be pulling up a lot of old rusty metal that’s super sharp. It’s pretty much guaranteed that you’ll eventually cut yourself and that’s not very fun.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do you have to have a fishing license to magnet fish?

A. No, you don’t need to get a fishing license to go magnet fishing. Fishing licenses are to pay for restocking ponds, lakes, rivers, etc. You aren’t taking any fish so you don’t need a license.

Q. Can you pick up gold or silver magnet fishing?

A. No, you most likely won’t be able to pick up gold, silver, and other metals like it. You’ll only be able to pick up metals like steel, iron, and nickel.

Q. Can you find jewelry magnet fishing?

A. Since magnets won’t stick to silver or gold, you probably won’t be able to find any jewelry that’s worth good money. If it’s made from a different type of metal then you should be able to pull it up.

Q. What is the best size magnet for magnet fishing?

A. For magnet fishing, you’ll want to use a magnet that has at least 500 lbs of pulling power. The best type of magnet for magnet fishing is going to be a neodymium magnet and most people prefer to use a double-sided magnet.

Q. What knot should you use for magnet fishing?

A. Don’t use a weak knot like the double overhand. Use one of these.

Let me know your thoughts and any questions you have. Like this article? Feel free to give it a share!

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Jon Webber

I'm by no means an outdoors or fishing expert, but it's something I've been interested in for over 20 years. I created this site to test out different gear and techniques to see what actually works.

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