River beach detecting, advice requested

[lamarkeiko]

I have had an Equinox 800 for about 4 1/2 months now with around 70 hours experience with it. Still learning every time out. The majority of my detecting has been at local county parks next to a couple rivers nearby. There are some nice sand bars where people sunbath and day camp. I have been finding a fair number of coins, lead sinkers, fishing spinners, lots of bottle caps, some aluminum pop tops and some misc. iron scrap. Also found a lady's ring (Wasn't gold or silver) and a sterling ear ring. The sand is very fine down to around 8" deep, then it turns to course gravel and rocks. In the winter time this area is completely covered with water, and can be fairly swift. It's easy to tell when a coin has been there very long by there color. The shallow coins are not very tarnished, and the very tarnished ones are usually down near the gravel. I have also been finding some coins in the water in shallow areas. I haven't been trying any detecting in deep water, and probably won't. There are lots of large boulders around and after these sand bar areas. My real desire is to find gold or silver like most. Most of my detecting has been Park 2, discriminate to 4. I've searched the forums, and haven't found specific river hunting. I believe the river can wash the heavier good targets until they get lodged some where. I would like to know techniques others use at this type of location.

Lamar

 

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[Tommybuckets]

River hunting is the toughest of water hunting in my opinion. You're in the right place. The rocks and gravel under the sand is where the good targets land. I check in front of and behind the bigger rocks in the river where people jump off and play and anywhere there's bedrock exposed since targets can't go deeper than the cracks in the bedrock (hopefully). I spend lots of unproductive time in the river. I figure some rings go right into those deep cracks in the rocks and are gone. The ones that are lost in the sandy spots are your best bet. I use no discrimination. I often use park or field or beach 1 for fresh water. I only ever seem to find pull tabs and coins and broken sunglasses and phones but its a great way to stay cool and still hunt locally in the summertime. Theres no shortage of competition for me at the few local swimming holes either. Everyone and their mom has a waterproof detector these days. It just comes down to who has the patience to hold their breath and move 20-30 lbs of rocks for a sinker and the occasional piece of jewelry. Hopefully someone with more skills will chime in and set us straight lol.
I do find that items can get concentrated so when I find a big old mess of a nasty iron signal I start dismantling it. Thats why I don't use discrimination. I am actually looking for those iron signals. Two weeks ago I pulled dozens of coins, two silver pieces of jewelry (ring and chain) a pocket knife, numerous fishing weights nails and lead bb gun pellets out of one 18 inch by 18 inch by 20 inch deep hole. I need to finish it to get down to the gold but I got too worn out. It took me two hours prying and scraping and fanning to move the tightly packed rocks. It started with a big nasty iron signal with the occasional 15 and 30 flashing on the screen. These are usually hubcap signals but this was the only place for items to dig in on this section of bottom. After getting the signal I could feel coins wedged in rows into the cracks with my fingers and started prying and poking. Man my back and legs were cramped up from holding my position against the force of the water but I was happy when the jewelry started coming. I prefer the tranquility of beach sand sifting effortlessly through my scoop but I'll take the detector to the river as well.

 

[lamarkeiko]

Hey Tommybuckets, that was very informative. I don't see myself getting in the river as you mentioned, but there is a lot of area near the water line in the summer that I could dig. There has been a couple times that I had good signals that I would dig, but had to quit because I didn't have proper digging tools to get deep in the heavy gravel and rocks. I may need to go back with some better tools to get down deeper to see what they were. One thing about the area I'm detecting, I don't think I have any competition. I have never seen another detector around. Next time out, I'll lower my discrimination some. These rivers are in Southern Oregon and were big gold producers at one time, so some day I plan on doing some looking in Gold mode with my 6" coil, which I haven't tried using yet. I wanted to get more experience with the detector first.

Lamar

 

[CASPER-2]

I had started an article years ago on river hunting but mag ended before I finished it - I'm no expert on it but was doing it for a little
while some years ago - fast moving is very hard or impossible - though people usually look for calm spots to hang. Ask old timers if they had
any spots as a kid they went - look for tubing rivers - a lot of old bridge spots can be good - but trashy...search for camps (especially old ones)
that were along rivers. Got friends that kill it at old river spots.
he does lots of older spots for CW stuff - look at his newer spot areas
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv61IAZLDELwk2Kk5hfX0mg

This guy hits 100 yr old spots that dreams are made of
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4yLniERekWqAXh0NwOqaqw

you can find many others on you tube

this river is very clean and clear - I never found gold here - was told by locals that people have plucked gold rings
right off the bottom cause it does not sink here (you can see how rocky it is) and the shine in the sun. I have got lots of coins
and some silver. I would not want to hunt here without a mask - it would be impossible - I would find stuff inbetween rocks -
so would just drop down and pluck out - would not be able to do this without being able to see

this is just a few hunts there


this was cool - sun was setting - got hit and dropped and fanned - saw this - silver quarter wedged with clad


if you've never been to my link for articles I wrote - don't know if any of them might help you in other aspects of water hunting
https://www.flickr.com/photos/casper-2/

 

[sandmartin]

That video of the ten dollar gold coin Don, what a find!

 

[lamarkeiko]

Casper, Those videos really get me encouraged to get out and do some swimming hole detecting in the rivers near me. I just ordered myself a stainless steel scope to help me out. All I have been using was a small plastic hand held sand scope.

Lamar

 

[CASPER-2]

That video of the ten dollar gold coin Don, what a find!

the gold coin was found by Mark Slinkman

 

[sandmartin]

the gold coin was found by Mark Slinkman

how much would that be worth Don?

 

[Toecutter]

Iv bin river hunting with my NOX lately, I use park 1 and fan every repeatable signal with my hand and pin pointer, a scoop wouldn't help much in my rivers to many rocks and clay bottom no bed rock, mask and snorkel is a must if you can see...

 

[Tommybuckets]

Yes its a rarity I find anywhere on the river to justify using my beach scoop. I get down there with the gloves, goggles and the lesche and poke and pry. Casper's pic of the silver and clad quarters together illustrates how the river washes and consolidates coins into cracks and low spots especially coming from faster water into slower moving areas. I've seen people do very well with just some goggles and knowing where people congregate. The more river hunting i do the less I think the detector is useful if the water is clear. You'd probably do ok on the dryer side. I like being in the water in the summer anyway so I hunt there.

 

[TooManyHobbies]

Do you use a weight belt to help stay in place and not bob around? I've detected a local river with small rocks, but there's a another one that I'm sure I'll have to snorkel.

 

[CASPER-2]

Do you use a weight belt to help stay in place and not bob around? I've detected a local river with small rocks, but there's a another one that I'm sure I'll have to snorkel.

I do not use weights in water 6ft and under - only use when I hookah or snuba
i am very buoyant when i wear a wet suit but I manage to "moonwalk" and when i scoop I do what I call the "Casper" bounce or ghost bounce
to get scoop down deep - mask and snorkel are necessary

 

[NowandThenTreasures]

I do not use weights in water 6ft and under - only use when I hookah or snuba
i am very buoyant when i wear a wet suit but I manage to "moonwalk" and when i scoop I do what I call the "Casper" bounce or ghost bounce
to get scoop down deep - mask and snorkel are necessary

The "Casper" bounce sounds like a great title for a future Youtube video on water detecting technique?

PS I sent a pm to you

 

[CASPER-2]

ive wanted to do a handful of hunting vids - but have had bad luck in doing so
one of these days - most times Ive taken camera out - I end up with zero viz
then the times I left on shore I have good viz - a few times I had good viz and camera - it malfunctioned

 

[Tommybuckets]

I use 5lbs on a quick release belt if I have the wetsuit on but with just a bathing suit I can blow all the air out n sink in fresh and brackish water. It gives you less time to dig with no air but I make it work since its not a great idea to wear weights in the water lol. You can also just pick up a rock but then you are down a hand lol.

 

[A2coins]

Great info. Thanks good post