LANSING, Mich. — "Ohhh, a big ole piece of pole."
That's what Relic Hunter Gary Gierke said when he went metal fishing with News 10.
"Big ole piece of flat steel."
We joined Gierke, a former hunter and fisherman, on a fishing trip to find metal in the Grand River.
"We get out on the rivers and try to find the best spots and throw magnets and see what we catch."
He attaches a rope with a magnet on it to fish in the river.
He never knows what he'll connect with.
"We come down here and we pulled out bikes," Gierke said. "Got a safe out of here last year. Knives. Guns. Old Car parts...."
The list goes on and on.
Gierke and his buddy Ted are metal hunters.
And it's not about what he finds as much as what the items represent.
"I don't know if I'd necessarily say I love metal. It's more about finding things that's history, you know, why is it there? And the surprise of 'hey you got something.' It's just like fishing."
Gierke says, it's all about the hunt.
They keep the treasures and scrap the rest of the metal they find at the end of the year, even donating the proceeds to charity.
"We're not only trying to mentor the younger generation, but we're also trying to help clean up the waterways."
If you want to try magnet fishing, it's easy to get started.
There are 'how-to' videos on YouTube, and supplies like rope, pulleys, and powerful magnets at your local store or Amazon.
Magnet Fishing is legal but some authorities say it can be dangerous depending what you try to pull out.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Appleand Android
and
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.
