Shallow water vs Deeper water finds

[Wayupnorth66]

Im not living near any ocean but hunt freshwater lakes in my area. I used my Minelab safari all last summer in shallow water(as deep as i could go before ruining the detector) say crotch deep. Found about 40 rings of various gold silver etc. My question is?.......Im thinking of purchasing a Minelab excal 2 .....and want to know if in your experiences...have you found more jewelry in deeper water than in shallow? again...i only search freshwater lakes...thanks

 

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[stevemc]

Go for the deeper water. Think about how people lose rings, swimming, goofing around, flailing their arms around. This is usually done in deeper water. Shallow water is good too. People putting on lotion or oil, and their ring slips off. Pulling little kids around, rings slip off. Search it all. Excal is good.

 

[Wayupnorth66]

Go for the deeper water. Think about how people lose rings, swimming, goofing around, flailing their arms around. This is usually done in deeper water. Shallow water is good too. People putting on lotion or oil, and their ring slips off. Pulling little kids around, rings slip off. Search it all. Excal is good.

thanks stevemc.......thats my thought also...just looking for people with experience

 

[The-Bone]

if you fresh water hunt only then you really don't need a multi freq unit....you can save a ton of money on another machine and also gain the advantage of having a detector that can be swung a lot faster than a minelab...not knocking minelab just an observation that you may be overbuying for your particular hunting needs...
HH
John

 

[stevemc]

I agree, if you can find a good used Fisher 1280 or CZ20, you would save some money. But the Minelab Excal and the iron mask thing works good for the guys who work them. I only work in salt water so I use PIs only. Good luck.

 

[GibH]

if you fresh water hunt only then you really don't need a multi freq unit....you can save a ton of money on another machine and also gain the advantage of having a detector that can be swung a lot faster than a minelab...not knocking minelab just an observation that you may be overbuying for your particular hunting needs...
HH
John

How much faster do you need to swing in the water? It isn't like being on the beach and needing to cover as much ground as quick as you can. I like a detector I can swing fast on dry sand, but in the water I can't swing it any faster than a Minelab requires anyway.

 

[The-Bone]

if you fresh water hunt only then you really don't need a multi freq unit....you can save a ton of money on another machine and also gain the advantage of having a detector that can be swung a lot faster than a minelab...not knocking minelab just an observation that you may be overbuying for your particular hunting needs...
HH
John

How much faster do you need to swing in the water? It isn't like being on the beach and needing to cover as much ground as quick as you can. I like a detector I can swing fast on dry sand, but in the water I can't swing it any faster than a Minelab requires anyway.

not that big of a concern in the deeper water but in the shallows and on the dry sand i can swing my machine twice as fast as the minelab (again, not putting down ML it's just the nature of the beast. every unit has things it does better/worse than the next. for me, i simply have a hard time moving that slowly...just not patient enough) for the deeper water i agree with you, too many things working against you to go fast with ANY machine

 

[Wayupnorth66]

if you fresh water hunt only then you really don't need a multi freq unit....you can save a ton of money on another machine and also gain the advantage of having a detector that can be swung a lot faster than a minelab...not knocking minelab just an observation that you may be overbuying for your particular hunting needs...
HH
John

This may sound like a stupid ? but what does PI have to do with the difference in fresh and salt water?? I really dont understand that statement one bit. Can anyone comment on that? AND doesnt>>> Multiple Frequency ......have to do with the changing of the ground mineralization?? My soil up here in the northwoods of Wi is highly minerilized and constantly changing.

 

[The-Bone]

if you fresh water hunt only then you really don't need a multi freq unit....you can save a ton of money on another machine and also gain the advantage of having a detector that can be swung a lot faster than a minelab...not knocking minelab just an observation that you may be overbuying for your particular hunting needs...
HH
John

This may sound like a stupid ? but what does PI have to do with the difference in fresh and salt water?? I really dont understand that statement one bit. Can anyone comment on that? AND doesnt>>> Multiple Frequency ......have to do with the changing of the ground mineralization?? My soil up here in the northwoods of Wi is highly minerilized and constantly changing.


The PI units are typically used in severe ground conditions as they can reject almost all mineralization...their downside is that they have almost no discriminatory abilities so you often end up digging 18" in the sand for a bobby pin. It could be used in freshwater but you would be digging everything....As far as the multifreq thing it's absolutely needed when digging in the wet on saltwater beaches. I assumed that you were using this exclusively on beach locales...if you also plan to use this machine for land finds then a multifreq unit may serve you well. All of the freshwater beaches i have been to have had managable mineralization. if yours is extreme then they ML would be a good choice

 

[Sandman]

The-Bone hit the nail on the head. A PI will find every hair pin that was ever lost but in salt water they rust quickly. The Excal doesn't just disc Iron, it ignores it so it can also sound off on a coin or ring under the nail. You have to see this to understand. But you can do well also with the 1280 or CZ-20 or 21. I also do well with the Tiger Shark. I didn't like the Beach Hunter ID 300 only because the coil floated so bad I got tired of holding it down.

As for are more targets out deeper, yes only because there are less hunters searching the deeper water. Most of my rings from fresh water are found from the shore line out to about waist deep and I think it is because people swing their arms more when they are out of the water splashing each other or throwing a ball. One thing to remember is everyone that goes out deeper they have to be in shallow water coming and going. Mothers tend to spend more time shallow with the kids.

 

[Wayupnorth66]

if you fresh water hunt only then you really don't need a multi freq unit....you can save a ton of money on another machine and also gain the advantage of having a detector that can be swung a lot faster than a minelab...not knocking minelab just an observation that you may be overbuying for your particular hunting needs...
HH
John

This may sound like a stupid ? but what does PI have to do with the difference in fresh and salt water?? I really dont understand that statement one bit. Can anyone comment on that? AND doesnt>>> Multiple Frequency ......have to do with the changing of the ground mineralization?? My soil up here in the northwoods of Wi is highly minerilized and constantly changing.


The PI units are typically used in severe ground conditions as they can reject almost all mineralization...their downside is that they have almost no discriminatory abilities so you often end up digging 18" in the sand for a bobby pin. It could be used in freshwater but you would be digging everything....As far as the multifreq thing it's absolutely needed when digging in the wet on saltwater beaches. I assumed that you were using this exclusively on beach locales...if you also plan to use this machine for land finds then a multifreq unit may serve you well. All of the freshwater beaches i have been to have had managable mineralization. if yours is extreme then they ML would be a good choice

ok...im still trying to figure this out. If my ground conditions on dry land are very mineralized !! wont they be just as mineralized out in the water??

 

[Les West Central Fl]

Regular detectors can handle mineralized soil by being ground balanced however; when hunting in salt water or salty wet sand they become unstable and give false signals or chatter. The Excalibur, PI,CZ 20's and some Tesoro's are designed for tuning out the salt and are very stable in salt water beaches, they are more expensive than the other machines. If you are not going to hunt salt water beaches why spend more for a machine that tunes out salt.
I hope that answers your question.

 

[Wayupnorth66]

Regular detectors can handle mineralized soil by being ground balanced however; when hunting in salt water or salty wet sand they become unstable and give false signals or chatter. The Excalibur, PI,CZ 20's and some Tesoro's are designed for tuning out the salt and are very stable in salt water beaches, they are more expensive than the other machines. If you are not going to hunt salt water beaches why spend more for a machine that tunes out salt.
I hope that answers your question.

when we are talking about mineralized groud......arnt we talking about black sand,irony,copper type soils also and not just salt?

 

[The-Bone]

Regular detectors can handle mineralized soil by being ground balanced however; when hunting in salt water or salty wet sand they become unstable and give false signals or chatter. The Excalibur, PI,CZ 20's and some Tesoro's are designed for tuning out the salt and are very stable in salt water beaches, they are more expensive than the other machines. If you are not going to hunt salt water beaches why spend more for a machine that tunes out salt.
I hope that answers your question.

when we are talking about mineralized groud......arnt we talking about black sand,irony,copper type soils also and not just salt?

yes we are, if YOUR freshwater beach has ample amounts of these things then by all means the ML will probably serve you best, MY freshwater beaches have imported sand and are not terribly mineralized

 

[Wayupnorth66]

Regular detectors can handle mineralized soil by being ground balanced however; when hunting in salt water or salty wet sand they become unstable and give false signals or chatter. The Excalibur, PI,CZ 20's and some Tesoro's are designed for tuning out the salt and are very stable in salt water beaches, they are more expensive than the other machines. If you are not going to hunt salt water beaches why spend more for a machine that tunes out salt.
I hope that answers your question.

when we are talking about mineralized groud......arnt we talking about black sand,irony,copper type soils also and not just salt?

yes we are, if YOUR freshwater beach has ample amounts of these things then by all means the ML will probably serve you best, MY freshwater beaches have imported sand and are not terribly mineralized

Ahhh...yes......our beaches here are alittle sand sprinkled over mostly small to large gravel. get into the water a ways and theres little to no sand.Im in Iron and copper mining country here.

 

[FLauthor]

The Excal is really hot on gold and silver. I am 6'4" tall so I like hunting up to my neck and get to areas others can't. This year I'm selling a bunch of my gold and buying a Hookha so my hunting buddy and I can get out into the 6'5" to 8 foot depth. It's a little tricky underwater but I have a method for grid hunting underwater.
Anyone who hookha dives, here is a safety measure: use a reserve inline air tank. In the event your gas tank runs dry and the motor stops, you'll have enough air to return to the surface. Nothing will scare the crap out of you more than when you've exhaled and you've got nothing when you breathe in.

 

[KEYSHUNTER]

just a note..when i was on vaca this past August in the norhteast it was told to me by a local that had been watching me working this freshwater beach for days with a pi work horse if i found anything,all i could say was deep clad and recent drops,he went on to tell me that they drop the water level every november and the land detectors come in and clean it..so next vaca i do tanks in fresh water ,not alot of underwater hunting going on,till i show up next August and clean up the deeper water that it seems may be untouched, PS they drop the lake water for ice freezing in nov. HH

 

[Wayupnorth66]

just a note..when i was on vaca this past August in the norhteast it was told to me by a local that had been watching me working this freshwater beach for days with a pi work horse if i found anything,all i could say was deep clad and recent drops,he went on to tell me that they drop the water level every november and the land detectors come in and clean it..so next vaca i do tanks in fresh water ,not alot of underwater hunting going on,till i show up next August and clean up the deeper water that it seems may be untouched, PS they drop the lake water for ice freezing in nov. HH

No lake drops in this area.....at least my immediate area . that would be great if it would be done. On the other hand they did drop a major river level...and they put an add in the paper that there was no metal detecting allow...lol that figures

 

[White Feather]

Stand back and look where the people play in the water. Most go in about chest deep and jump waves when they are crashing on the beach or about chest deep on lakes, ponds and rivers. A few will go out a little more but the kids are the ones close in. Kids don't lose expensive rings, bracelets or necklaces. Sitting on the beach adults will drop things in the dry sand and it will vanish. Okay, now, where would you rather hunt? Most detector people work the beach and water to about waist deep water. Deeper water is worked a bit less because most people have land detectors. The underwater versions are quite a bit more expensive and usually are not a persons first detector. Hence, the deeper water remains a bit less worked. Chest deep water requires diving with an air supply. Anyone can bend down in waist deep and scoop up a ring or coin. Long handled scoops will let you look a bit deeper but to truly search deeper on a beach you need AIR! Do you carry air? I do. I also hunt swimming holes where some nut put a rope swing. Also hunt down stream from the swimming area. Storms will wash items downstream a considerable distance.

Oops, to get back to your question, Yes, go deeper!

 

[Wayupnorth66]

Stand back and look where the people play in the water. Most go in about chest deep and jump waves when they are crashing on the beach or about chest deep on lakes, ponds and rivers. A few will go out a little more but the kids are the ones close in. Kids don't lose expensive rings, bracelets or necklaces. Sitting on the beach adults will drop things in the dry sand and it will vanish. Okay, now, where would you rather hunt? Most detector people work the beach and water to about waist deep water. Deeper water is worked a bit less because most people have land detectors. The underwater versions are quite a bit more expensive and usually are not a persons first detector. Hence, the deeper water remains a bit less worked. Chest deep water requires diving with an air supply. Anyone can bend down in waist deep and scoop up a ring or coin. Long handled scoops will let you look a bit deeper but to truly search deeper on a beach you need AIR! Do you carry air? I do. I also hunt swimming holes where some nut put a rope swing. Also hunt down stream from the swimming area. Storms will wash items downstream a considerable distance.

Oops, to get back to your question, Yes, go deeper!

well said ..thanks......I think i will start the savings process(I already Have) for a new excal2