A typical fishing trip in New York City often involves casting for hours without a bite. But on a recent morning in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, magnet fisherman James Kane had luck on his side.
He tossed a powerful rare earth magnet tied to the end of an orange rope into the lake and slowly pulled in the line. He’d attracted a big one.
“Holy crap! It’s a friggin’ gun! The first toss!” Kane, 39, said. “Dude, it’s a Smith and Wesson.”
The five-shot revolver was heavily rusted and looked like it had been underwater for decades.
Instead of catching largemouth bass in Prospect Park Lake or stripers in Jamaica Bay, Kane and his wife, Barbie Agostini, are catching bicycles, scooters, cellphones, bottle caps, rebar, vintage oar locks, trash cans, knives, silverware, signs, countless fishing lures and even a sex toy.
One other common catch: firearms. Kane has caught 10 guns in just five months.
James Kane’s haul from a magnet fishing trip in Prospect Park included a gun and a bucket full of junk.
Jessica Lipsky for Gothamist
About three hours after catching the revolver in Prospect Park, Kane pulled in the receiver of a second firearm: a Hi-Standard .22-caliber pistol. He opted to catch and release that gun – to the NYPD – and called 911. Park police and officers from the 78th Precinct quickly responded to the southwestern edge of the lake.
“You’re contracted to do this with the city?” an officer asked.
“I’m independent, a YouTuber,” Kane replied, offering the officers stickers promoting his channel, LetsGetMagnetic.
“If you find a body, push it back in,” the cop joked, before telling reporters to back away because it was now a crime scene.
The officers took the gun and declined to comment. An NYPD spokesperson said the gun was vouchered and an investigation is ongoing. The NYPD did not respond to a question about the legality of magnet fishing. The parks department, however, is not a fan.
“We appreciate New Yorkers helping to keep our parks and…
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