netic. Choose a carabiner
with the same or higher
breaking strength as your
rope, and one with a lock-
ing mechanism, which can
prevent underwater debris
from pushing against the
gate and opening it, caus-
ing you to lose your magnet.
While stainless-steel
carabiners work for most
magnets, it’s best to use an
aluminum one—I like the
Sturme locking aluminum
climbing carabiner—when
fishing with a 360 magnet,
which is magnetic on all
sides. Because aluminum
is not magnetic, the cara-
biner won’t stick to the top
of the magnet.Cut-
Resistant
Gloves
Once you
see the fish hooks, rusty
lures, and sharp metal bits
that your magnet brings
back, you’ll think twice
about fishing barehanded.
Many beginner kits include
cut-resistant gloves, but I
recommend getting a pair
that also has insulating
properties, like the Showa
Atlas 660L-09. Thesetriple-dipped, PVC-coated
gloves with a cotton liner
are the same ones the folks
use to pull rope, cut bait,
and handle crab pots on Dis-
covery’s Deadliest Catch.Proper
Storage
The easiest
solution for
safely storing and trans-
porting your magnet is
to keep it in its original
packaging in a five-gallon
bucket along with your
rope, gloves, and other
accessories. If you want to
keep a kit in your vehicle for
spontaneous fishing like I
do, a small cooler or ammo
box lined with foam (which
prevents your magnet from
sticking to things) does the
trick. To prolong the life
of your magnet, use a plas-
tic scraper and duct tape to
remove magnetic bits, and
then clean and dry it to pre-
vent it from rusting. Before
storing, wipe it down with
WD-40 to maintain its
shine. As for where to keep
all your treasures: Another
five-gallon bucket, avail-
able at any hardware store,
will do.Whether you’re
tying your rope to a
carabiner or directly
to the eyebolt on your
magnet, use a Palomar
knot, the same strong
and reliable knot fish-
ermen use to attach
their line to a hook.1 Double up your rope
and thread it through
the magnet’s eyebolt or
a carabiner.2 Tie a loose overhand
knot with the double
line without twisting
the rope; leave a big
loop at the end.3 Slip your magnet or
carabiner through that
big loop.4 Pull from both ends to
secure the knot. Many
magnet fishers wrap
duct tape around the
excess rope and their
main line. This helps to
keep your rope from
getting wedged or
caught on things while
dragging your magnet.360 / With a
shape similar
to single- and
double-sided
magnets, and the
larger magnetic
field of a clamp,
a 360 is the most
versatile—and
typically most
expensive—ofthe four. Able to
attract objects
from all sides,
a 360 magnet
can be used
for everything
from dragging
in fast-moving
water to dipping
off bridges and
piers.CLAMP / Also
ideal for dragging
the bottom of a
fast-moving body
of water, these
use one solid
magnet secured
in a frame, as
opposed to two
thinner ones like
those on the top
and bottom of
a double-sided
magnet. The
result is a larger
magnetic field
(all sides except
where the clamp
is attached)
capable of picking
up objects from
farther away.1234May/June 2022 61