I have a friend that lives in the city. His apartment is located right near a canal. He’s lived there his entire life, but never was a big fan of fishing. According to him fishing is but a waste of time. Drop a hook with smelly bait, throw in the water and wait for a jerk then yank the string. I personally love fishing, but couldn’t argue with his docile view of it.
I was quite astonished to see him at the canal one day with a rope in his hand. On further inquiry, I realized, that he had picked up magnet fishing as a new hobby. It was a great way for him to get outdoors and be active, without having to leave his urban environment. It had never dawned on me, just how great of an idea it was to go magnet fishing in a canal.
What is magnet fishing?
Magnetic fishing is a simple method of finding metal objects (with ferrous metal content) in water using a strong magnet. Like others, if you are living close to a water body like a canal or a lake, you must have wondered what is there at the water bottom. For ones, who have actually tried to find out through magnetic fishing, have got remarkable discoveries.
The good part is that magnetic fishing is an inexpensive and interesting outdoor hobby and does not require expert knowledge. Almost anybody can do it. It also gives a chance to interact with the environment. Nothing can match the enthusiasm of lowering magnet into unknown and expecting the unexpected every time the magnet is drawn out of the water.
The overall magnetic fishing hobby needs only a few things. You need a magnet, a strong one and to act as a hook and a strong long rope to tie them to lower it in water.
What you find depends on the place where you do the magnetic fishing… The best finds are normally struck in canals passing through cities/ suburbs. These places not only have history, but they are also visited by lots of people. Unlike fishing where you may get a catch sometimes, in magnetic fishing you will always get something stuck at the end of the rope.
Canals can be the best places to go magnet fishing!
What exactly is a canal?
There are many types of water bodies where magnetic fishing can be done, like lakes, creeks, rivers, ponds, dams, and sewers, but in the history of magnetic fishing, the best hauls have been made in canals.
You will definitely find metal in canals passing through inhabited areas, and in places frequently visited by people by foot. In remote and rural areas, one can try fishing in canals close to small tows/ villages and in stretches which are left untouched for long. If you come across as well or drain in a remote area, unattended for long, definitely try your luck thereby dropping the magnet.
If there is a canal close to a town with a long and rich history, then such places are best to try your luck. It can be anybody’s guess on all that may be discarded at such places during gold rush, wars and industrial development. We strongly suggest you must try your luck by visiting such spots and see if you are blessed with a price of history or not.
Who knows, you may find something worthwhile for the museum…
Types of canals:
There are two main types of canals. Aqueducts and Waterways. It’s important to know which type of canal you will be magnet fishing in. Let’s go over each one.
Aqueducts are used to transport water for human use. This could include potable water for drinking. You’re own tap water at home could be distributed by an aqueduct at some point. Aqueducts are also used for farm irrigation as well as municipal uses. It’s not a good idea to magnet fish in these. They are probably in an enclosed environment. The water has also likely been through a series of filters. There’s not a lot of human action around these. So not only will you not find anything, you could even risk contaminating a water supply.
Waterways, on the other hand, are not for potable water. These are used to transport ships and cargo. They usually lead to other waterways, or even rivers or the ocean. This is where the magnet fishing comes in. Many waterways are public and have beautiful scenery. As well as benches and other amenities.
Canal Positives:
Since canals are man-made, many are easily accessible and pretty cool to check out. Some canals are ancient, and many are very beautiful. Many people seek out canals for photographs, history, or just to get away from it all. Even if you don’t find anything magnet fishing, you could have a great day just trolling along.
Canal Negatives:
Now that we’ve discussed the positives aspects of magnet fishing in canals, let’s go over some of the drawbacks and things to watch out for.
Most canals have systems of dams and locks. These are to control the water level and speed of the flow. They utilize this type of equipment. Watch out for drains, grates, valves, pipes, etc. It’s important to avoid these structures because your magnet will certainly get stuck on them if encountered.
Is it legal to Magnet Fishing in canals legal?
If you have doubt about the legality of magnet fishing, we suggest that you must consult with the local governing body, as the rules can change from place to place. After all, we are not legal experts and one must do his or her homework. Though different people may have a different opinion on magnet fishing legality, one this is there for sure and that it is an environmentally friendly hobby that helps to clean the water bodies.
In the UK magnet fishing is a controversial thing. Some say that as you are neither disturbing a person or land, the magnet fishing is legal. Many others believe that canals, rivers etc have owners. It may be an individual or a local government body. Hence, anything that is taken out from such places also belongs to them, and anybody doing magnetic fishing is advised to take permission from the owner.
To be on the right side of the law, it will always be better to ask the owner on the area like the government, some environment agency, an individual or a company. You can also make a deal with such authority to share the value of anything expensive found during fishing. Mostly, there are no issues and one can simply start magnetic fishing at places with no specific owners.
Past finds in Canals
In past, people have found all sort of things while doing magnetic fishing in canals. It varies from bullets, guns, hand-grenades, motorcycles, bicycles, safe, jewelry boxes, anchors, propellers, tools etc, the list can be endless. Sometimes, it is the unexpected, as someone found the cash box with gold coins in it, another person reported to find the WW1 era guns, worth fortune in collectors’ market.
So, next time plan to go for magnet fishing, choose a spot with a rich history or a place which were in the center of some old battle or WW2 site.
Conclusion
There is no second thought to the fact that magnetic fishing is a fun hobby and anyone with or without experience can also be sure to enjoy it. It is easy to start, least expensive and excellent outdoor fun. It is also a good way to teach your children to connect with nature. To me, it is almost close to meditation.
You will feel tired to go and fish at different places, and when you are at it will never lose the anticipation of being able to find something special at the place of your choice.
