(WXYZ) — For the last two years, Jason Vanderwal has been pulling up countless treasures, unique finds, and history all with the help of a rope and magnet.
"With magnet fishing, you're always surprised with what someone has thrown into the river to get rid of it," Vanderwal said.
He and his daughter started the Facebook group Motor City Magnet Fishers and the popularity of magnet fishing has taken off.
"It looked like a lot of fun. It looked like a great way to clean up the environment. We were in the middle of the pandemic at the time so I was looking for ways to get my daughter out of the house and doing something," Vanderwal said.
And sometimes you don't even know what you're going to catch. Some days Vanderwal will catch a rifle, other days an air compressor. One day he even found pipe bombs from World War II in Ypsilanti along with the Mortar Round.
Over the past two years, Vanderwal estimates that he and his daughter have pulled nearly 7 to 8 tons of garbage from local rivers and lakes. That averages to about 300 or more pounds every week.
"We've pulled in 30 bicycles, one motorcycle, 7 or 8 safes, 44 guns. It's been a journey. We've pulled a lot of garbage and debris out of the river," he said.
Vanderwal says his hobby is a rewarding one and he hopes others get magnetized to try it as well.
"For me, the most rewarding part of magnet fishing is knowing that I am going to leave things a little bit better than the way I found them. I try to instill that in my daughter."
The average cost for a magnet can range anywhere from $30 to over $300, but for a hobby, Vanderwal says a good magnet is worth the investment.
