Planning to try magnet fishing in the ocean? Well, you are not alone. Many people are already testing their magnet fishing skills in the ocean and trying to find unique things that are often not present in the rivers and canals.
When it comes to the ocean, rules change.
You have to count on new strategies and a tad different magnet fishing products that can assist you in finding valuable items from the ocean’s floor. Since the ocean floor isn’t like a river or canal. It is different and requires a different kind of approach.
For example,
- The ocean floor isn’t flat.
- You can deal with seabed mud.
- It changes by location and depth.
- It has seagrass and seaweeds.
- It has lots of slopes and rocks.
But the real question is can you fish for the treasure in the ocean? Yes, you can. Deep-sea mining exists. Though it is happening on a commercial level, like a magnet fisher, one can find precious metals on the seabed that can be valuable to mining companies.
There can be iron, copper, zinc, cobalt, and even gold. In rivers and canals, it is almost impossible to find gold, however, on the seabed, we have small quartz stone which can have some amount of gold in them. Fortunately, they induce a magnetic response.
It is possible to find them with a powerful magnet.
Finding zinc and copper is tough as they don’t have magnetic materials in them, though cobalt is composed of ferromagnetic metals and it is attracted to magnets.
Just like iron, it is possible to sell the cobalt too; it costs $36/lb.
We know magnet fishing is about attaching a magnet to a rope and pulling up those things that are hidden under the water. But as we have mentioned before, rules change in the ocean.
Below are some strategies for ocean magnet fishing.
1 – Find The Right Spot
Most magnet fishers opt for the river bridges for finding treasures, however, the ocean is different. It is big, beautiful, and awe-inspiring. Finding the right spot in the ocean for magnet fishing can be tough. Since you have to stay at the shore and it also depends on the type of finds you are going after. For instance, if the shore is near private land, it will be immensely hard to find something valuable. But if it is near a densely populated area, you can find a variety of things.
According to professional magnet fishers too, urban shores are great as they have more discarded items. Particularly, near apartments and industries, the possibility of finding metal objects is high. Most people visit these shores with their families, and lots of people mean lots of stuff.
Of course, some of that stuff will be magnetic too.
2 – Get A Powerful Magnet
The regular magnet won’t work well in waves. Especially, with the lightweight magnet, it would be tough to search a specific spot and use the sink and pull method, which is quite popular in rivers and canals, as the strength of the ocean surface will keep on changing your magnet’s position. Therefore, it is important to get a powerful magnet with a heavyweight. It should have industrial-strength and able to pull heavy items.
For saltwater magnet fishing, a double-sided neodymium magnet is good. It covers more area and successfully finds and pulls almost all kinds of metal items.
Single-sided neodymium magnet is also good, but in the ocean, the distance between the water surface and seabed can be more than your expectations. It is very much possible that the magnetic side won’t land on the seabed and you won’t be able to notice it too due to the distance. Furthermore, as we have mentioned before, the ocean floor isn’t flat.
There are lots of slopes and rocks. It would be tough to use the sink and pull technique as well. The best thing you can do is to throw it and drag it once it touches the seabed.
If you are opting for a double-sided neodymium magnet, make sure it has at least a combined force of 900lbs. This type of magnet is strong and it is perfect for retrieving in the ocean.
There is one more thing one should keep in mind that corrosion happens more in seawater as it has no electrolytes. Magnets are primarily composed of iron. If you are planning to use your magnet in the seawater only. it will be pertinent to clean it well and constantly.
Otherwise, it won’t be able to tolerate a fair amount of rust and will be ruined.
3 – The Rope Length
For ocean magnet fishing, your rope should be long enough to reach the bottom. Before buying the rope, you need to think about the depth of the water in your chosen location. For instance, if you are choosing sunken ships and shipwreck sites for magnet fishing, you need a pretty long rope as these areas are very deep. Similarly, ocean disposal sites and oil rigs and platforms aren’t good choices either. There is a chance of losing magnet and the rope won’t work well either.
Many people try magnet fishing on these types of sites and think due to the presence of heavy machinery, they will be able to find heavy metal items, but this isn’t the case. There is mostly garbage around these sites such as syringes and bottles that can make your rope dirty and damage its quality. Besides, magnet fishing is about finding lost treasure, not garbage.
It doesn’t matter which site you are opting for; we suggest 20-25 meter rope length. It is more than enough for good ocean magnet fishing experience.
Conclusion
Magnet fishing in the ocean is interesting.
If the location is close to known battlegrounds, you are likely to find precious war items and some pretty cool treasure. Likewise, for ocean magnet fishing, try to find those locations that are near historically significant towns. You will be able to find many high-value interesting objects, such as swords and bicycles, and can sell them for thousands of dollars.