Choosing a magnet for magnet fishing!
The best magnets for magnet fishing are neodymium magnets. They are rare earth magnets and are widely considered to be the strongest magnets available for magnet fishing, due to their incredible pull force.
The question often sparks a form of debate amongst Magneteers (magnet fishing enthusiasts) each wanting to believe they own the best magnet available to buy! With that being said the answer highly depends on your individual needs.
You can buy individual magnets online or you can buy the full magnet fishing kits.
The magnet fishing kits are made up of everything you need to go magnet fishing and then some! Magnet fishing kits usually will include a neodymium magnet, heavy duty rope, threadlock, a carabiner and sometimes come complete with a grappling hook. Yup if you’re a beginner some people like to use the hook. (more about this later)
Before you go out to your local hardware store or shop online and buy a magnet or a magnet fishing kit, you’ll need to know just a little bit more information to ensure you get the best magnet for you and your needs.
When starting up in the hobby of magnet fishing its not just a case of using any old magnet, you’re going to want to use a magnet that works well in the water, one that doesn’t break straight away and one that is powerful enough to attract what lies beneath it. It also needs to be powerful enough to keep it attached while reeling in the rope.
With the rise in success in the hobby, there are many magnet manufacturers that have specially designed magnets pretty much just for the hobby each trying to out perform each other.
What kind of a magnet will I need?
Neodymium, that’s the long and short of it. Nothing else will do in my opinion.
Some people may suggest a ferrite magnet, and while these cost a lot less they are far more brittle and will not last you as long. Many people who I have spoken to, that have tried ferrite, said the magnet smashed or lost power straight away.
Neodymium magnets are without a shadow of a doubt the best magnets for magnet fishing, they are tough and durable and will inevitably last you a long time.
You will also need to make sure you have a neodymium magnet with an eyebolt. This will allow you to set up your magnet fishing rig (the rope goes through the eyebolt) you learn how to do this in our beginners guide to magnet fishing.
The most common types are circular and pot shaped, with the actual magnets protected with a coating of Ni-Cu-Ni. This is a triple layer coating.
The neodymium magnet coatings are important as they keep the moisture from corroding the magnet. So when you have found the one you want to buy, do be sure to check what the coating is first.
Common good coatings are nickel-copper-nickel, Nickel, Zinc and chrome. There are others but these are generally what you should look for.
You can get square ones but I don’t know many people who have tried them out.
So now we have determined that you need a neodymium magnet with an eyebolt, what power range should you opt for. Who knew magnets could be so complicated?!
This is going to highly depend on what you intend to “catch”, magnet fishing location and what other equipment you have handy to help you recover the items.
For example if you’re going for a BEAST of a magnet, do you have the capacity to be able to reel it in? Is your rope strong enough? We have some good magnet fishing tips here if you want to read more about that.
As you advance in your magnet fishing career you’ll figure out ways to bring in the heavier objects so my advice for a beginner would be to go for something less powerful.
So here’s a list of the features the best magnet for magnet fishing should include:
- It must be a Neodymium Magnet (NdFeB)
- Must be N42 Grade or higher
- Must Have a Strong Coating (NiCuNi) with A3 Stainless Steel Cover
- Must include a countersunk hole & eyebolt
- Have a Pulling force of at least 500lbs (226kg)
What is the best magnet for magnet fishing?
There are a few big players to look out for when buying a magnet or a magnet fishing kit. These are the most popular for a reason.
Some magnet fishing manufacturers names to look out for are as follows:
Uolor, Brute Magnetics, Wukong, HHOOMY, Aitsite, First4magnets and Mutuactor.
This list is not exhaustive and of course as time goes on new manufacturers appear who are equally as reliable.
All of the above mentioned though have built up a good reputation and have received many positive reviews as the best magnets for magnet fishing. They are also the leaders in developing new sizes, types and shapes.
Always read the reviews of the specific magnet before making a purchase to see how others have rated it.
What is the best power rating to opt for in a magnet?
It’s a tough question to answer and before you proceed you should consider a few things first.
If you are only looking at pulling out small items then you really should avoid buying a big powerful magnet and go for something with a little less pull power.
You should bare in mind though that the items that have been in the water for years will have rusted and thus decreases the effect of the magnet. Some opt for more powerful just so they don’t miss out.
If you want to pull pretty much everything out then opt for something with a higher pull. Do remember though if the item is heavy you may need a friend or two to help you or some form of a winch to assist you.
As the hobby grows manufacturers are creating magnets with a much higher pull strength to meet the demands.
They’ve even now started producing double-sided magnets this gives a better coverage when dragging your magnet across the bed.
Magnets start very small with a pull strength of approximately 65lb these are perfect for children to use or if you’re only wanting to attract small metallic items.
The most powerful magnet I have seen so far is around 4200 lbs. This is, of course, a double-sided magnet with a combined pull power. Each side has around 2400lbs strength.
Grappling Hooks & Magnet Fishing
Another great way to ensure you don’t miss out on loot at the bottom of the water is to add a grappling hook to your kit.
The pull force of your magnet is not without conditions. There are many factors that can affect the power of your magnet, especially how it lies in the water and the shape of the object.
If you know there is something there and you can feel the pull with the magnet, but just can’t get it to stick then a grappling hook is the perfect solution.
By throwing in your grappling hook it may allow you to grab onto the metallic item and get a better grip for recovery.
Best Magnet Fishing Kits
As I mentioned previously some people are combining all of the equipment you will need for magnet fishing and putting it together in one pretty awesome magnet fishing kit.
I personally would say the best magnet fishing kit would include as follows:
- Neodymium Magnet (of at least 760lbs pull power)
- A grappling hook
- Heavy duty rope (at least 65ft in length)
- Locking Carabiner
- Safety Gloves
- Threadlock
So far the best magnet fishing kit I have found in 2021 is available below at a great price.
Neodymium Magnet Reviews
We would love to hear what your believe the best magnet for magnet fishing is! What’s your favorite setup? Any recommendations? How powerful is your magnet?
Leave us a small magnet review in the comments below and help out other magnet fishers.
