Dozens Of Cars Found In Verdigris River: Magnet Fishermen, Divers Raise Concerns

Verdigris River’s Underwater Used-Car Lot Draws Curious Fishermen

Move over, bass and catfish—there’s a new catch in the Verdigris River, and it’s made of steel, chrome, and probably regret.

Three adventurers—Jeff Hallows, Chance James, and Patrick Willoughby—spend their free time dragging magnets through Midwestern rivers in search of treasure. Instead, they seem to have stumbled upon Oklahoma’s largest aquatic parking lot near Boat Ramp 33.

“You pull the magnet through the mud,” said Chance, “and when it clunks on something big, you start dreaming of gold bars. Turns out, it’s usually a rusty car door.”

Still, this week’s haul was different. The trio found dozens of sunken cars, some so old they might’ve been on the road when Eisenhower was still in office. The guys’ YouTube channels light up with comments ranging from ‘Wow!’ to ‘Is that my cousin’s Pontiac?’

Jeff, who’s been called “the Jacques Cousteau of scrap metal,” travels the country unearthing everything from war relics to wheel hubs. Patrick, a professional diver, has pulled up 18 bodies over the years and admits he’s hoping these particular cars don’t add to that tally.

“If there’s anyone left in there, they’ve had time to finish their crossword puzzles,” Patrick quipped, though he quickly added, “Still—it’s only right someone checks.”

Authorities have been notified, though they’re in no rush to reclaim the underwater fleet. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says cars only come out of the drink if there’s evidence of a crime. For now, the Verdigris remains part river, part open-air junkyard, and part true-crime museum.

As Chance summed it up: