1. Boat Docks

Getting on a boat can be a fun experience. However, that tricky first step from the dock to the boat can result in items falling from those leaping across. It is also where much boat maintenance occurs, which can mean lost tools!

This location is optimal for the drop, bounce, and recovery strategy. Most lost stuff will have fallen between the boat and the dock. Allow a foot or two for drifting and settling.

Don’t forget to check under the dock. Others may have been forced there by waves, storms, or propellers.

Although this area is suitable for the drop method, it might not be a bad idea to try throwing your magnet a little farther and then dragging it back. It could capture any objects that fell on the other side of the boat or drifted further out.

You are not recommended to hunt these areas when a boat is present. Boats have many metal components; you could damage your magnet or get it stuck.

2. Piers

Piers are a great place to search for treasure. People go there for work and fun. The more people who go to a pier, the more likely someone will find something valuable.

Most piers are used for social gatherings or as public park-type environments. It means that if you lose something, it is likely to be close to the pier itself. Dropping a magnet straight down will help you find it.

Some goods are tossed into the water on purpose. Perhaps this was done for amusement, or maybe more nefarious intentions were at play. In any case, Either way, throwing the magnet and pulling it back in multiple directions is a good idea. It will help you know which way the item was thrown.

Consider the ocean currents and waves if your item is near the water. These can move things in any direction. Walking up and down the shoreline might help you find your item.

Be careful around metal piers, as they can attract your magnet or cause injuries from flying magnet shards.

3. Boat Ramps

Boat ramps are an excellent place to find treasures. These ramps slope downwards, which makes it easy for boats and trailers to drive up. People visit these ramps often, so there is a higher chance of finding something that has fallen off a boat, truck, or trailer.

This area is ideal for walking the ramp while wearing duck boots or waders. As you walk, let your magnet dangle slightly above the ramp. Most magnets are powerful enough to attract anything lying on the ground. Most boat ramps are concrete; thus, dragging a magnet across one could cause harm.

You can also use these ramps to go deep into the water. It will let you magnet fish in deeper waters.

4. Bridges

Many different things fall off bridges. People build these locations on purpose so that things will fall off them. It makes them reasonable hunting grounds.

Small footbridges are ideal for fishing with a magnet. Typically, these bridges can be found in local parks or towns. The more people who use the bridge, the more likely you may find a missing item.

Dropping a magnet off a bridge is an excellent way to find objects in the water below. It is because most small bridges are over relatively still water. Typically, there are not many currents or waves here. However, some items may have been flung from the bridge, resulting in a greater distance between them. Here, fishing gear is readily available.

Magnet fishing can be done from larger bridges, like roadways. Many things fall off cars or trucks and end up in the water. It is a good place to try to find something with your magnet. You should try to skim the bottom of the water with your magnet. If the bridge is too large, you can only search one side of the bridge at a time.

You can find different things in different areas. Sometimes you’ll find scrap metal or trash. Other times, you might find a bag of jewelry that was stolen.

5. Fishing Docks

Fishing docks can produce an abundance of various items. These docks are used by serious anglers and families trying to kill time. Unfortunately, most do not have safety features to stop things from falling into the depths below.

Drop the magnet over the edge of the dock to search for metal. Look for areas near the dock where people might have been fishing because fish like to hide under the docks. If you are on the dock, it can be hard to fish in this area.

Here you will find an abundance of fishing gear. Be cautious around hooks. We recommend using gloves to avoid injury. Fishing poles, lures, and tools like pliers are ordinary. Still, it does not rule out the possibility that something more intriguing lies beneath.

6. Swimming Holes

When individuals swim, they frequently lose valuables. People often forget to take something out of their pockets or to put them away before they go swimming. As a result, many items are lost in the water.

Search in areas where people might jump into the water. People lose a lot of things when they do this. If the swimming area is near a river, consider searching downstream to account for items being moved by the current.

Another good place to search for things that people have lost is near where they get out of the water and walk on dry land. When people transition from being in the water to dry land, they often drop things. Look in all areas of the swimming area, including deeper parts, to see if you can find what someone has lost.

Be sure to spend some time near natural water features such as small rapids, large boulders, exposed bedrock, and small waterfalls. These features can stop anything from being carried away in the current.

Be careful when you enter any moving waterway. Things can be slippery and cause you to fall. There are additional risks, such as drowning.

7. City Canals

In many downtown cityscapes, you can find a man-made canal. These concrete riverways are a place where a lot of people put their stuff.

There is no one certain area to search in these locations. Busy areas can lead to lost items, but more isolated areas allow things to be thrown in without anyone seeing them.

8. Tubing Routes

Taking a lazy day on the river can be a lot of fun. It can also be relaxing. People often fall asleep and lose things these days.

If you can, search the entire route. It will give you the best chance of finding something. Things tend to fall anywhere along the way. If you can’t search the whole course, focus your efforts on the start and finish areas of the route. It’s also good to search downstream from both locations to allow for item drift.

Be careful when hunting in these areas, as there are dangers that could result in losing your equipment, physical injury, or even death.

9. Public Park Ponds

Public parks are a popular spot for social gatherings. People go there to exercise, spend time with their families, listen to music, and do other activities. It means there are a lot of opportunities for people to lose things.

If the pond is small enough, it should be thoroughly searched. Start at one end and glance around the water with attention. If the pond is too huge or you do not have enough time, you cannot fish there. Look in areas where people walk near the water, like bridges or where trails come close.

You might find a lot of trash here but also some interesting things. There might be fishing gear if fishing is allowed at this site. Make sure to wear gloves that will protect your hands from punctures.

It is essential to clean up the trash you find when hunting. It will help keep the pond clean and make it look nicer. It is also the responsible thing to do. Encourage anyone else who is littering to quit doing so. If this is found out, there could be consequences for them.

10. Rivers

Rivers are a terrific spot to discover a variety of objects. It is always exciting to find something new, and you never know where the items could have come from. They could have been carried a long way from their source. Hunting rivers can be unpredictable, but it is always worth trying.

You can sometimes find things in the river if you look hard enough. These things can be good targets, but they might be hard to get depending on how they are sitting on the bottom. There is no secret site for river hunting; any location can be equally productive or fruitless. The best time for river hunting is when the river has swelled and returned to its regular size. It happens after big rains, etc. It is a good time because the heavy current could have brought some stuff downriver and deposited it as the current slowed.

Another tactic for finding things in a river is to search the inside curves of the bends. It is where the water slows down, so it’s more likely that items will fall to the bottom. The exact position in a river might be hunted numerous times during the year. Since currents may drop more stuff after heavy rains or floods, it is an excellent time to return to a previously tracked location and attempt again. You can never predict when anything will succeed.

Another place you might find interesting things while magnet fishing is in shallow areas near the river, where it is narrow. People used to cross the river in these areas long ago, so you might find some old items there.

But be careful when magnet fishing in these areas because there may be hidden dangers.

11. Historic Sites

Historical sites can have some great things to find. But it can be tough to get permission to hunt in them. Historical sites include battlefields, places where rivers cross, and major homes or businesses near rivers.

If you can’t get permission to hunt on the site, consider looking for a section of the river close by. Any historic site might have had activity occur in different parts of the river.

Final Thoughts

Before starting magnet fishing, know the local laws and regulations. Infractions of the law can result in penalties or imprisonment.

Also, always get permission from the property owner before you start looking for treasure. Additionally, it is prudent to agree on the disposition of any loot discovered. Discuss who will keep it and what will be done with any money obtained due to the find.

Additionally, when searching for riches, you should always consider the possible existence of concealed threats. Possibilities include loss of equipment, significant injury, and even death; pursue on your own.

Read more: The hidden dangers of magnet fishing