Any good spot to go panning in Ventura Cal???

[gt40]

Im new to the Site. Just getting started my youngest son is loving the Gold rush show And wants me to take him Panning.
Thanks for any help
Jim

[Produce Guy]

Welcome from Texas,where we have lots of gold,I mean fire ants!

[NaturalJWL]

You may want to check out the California section.

Suggested reading are Eagledown's post.

Welcome to T-net.

[gt40]

You may want to check out the California section.

Suggested reading are Eagledown's post.

Welcome to T-net.

Cool thanks

[smokeater]

Started prospecting 30 years ago after seeing a guy panning on Piru creek above pyramid lake. He had good fines from panning. Look on the map for "gold creek road" in the Hungry Valley ORV area out of Gorman. DIG YOUR DIRT FROM AROUND THE BOULDERS AT WATER LEVEL. If it's hard to get material from around the boulders, thats the stuff to pan, stay away from the sandy, easy to dig stuff. There is alot of gold mining history in this area. The bedrock is cemented gravels that you can't dig, gold will collect on this false bedrock.
Again, dig around the boulders, there are fines and large flecks, I have found nuggets back in the day when it was open to dredging.

enjoy

[1Beachnut]

You should check to see if there are any claims, on any of the area's you are considering. I know there is a Gold Prospectors Association of America (GPAA) claim in that area, (Piru creek), and unless you are a member, or become a member, it would be claim jumping to go ,look for gold on the claim. Joining a club, such as GPAA would be a great idea, as it would give you lots of area's (claims) to go and check out and it is fairly inexpensive for what you get. With the, like $65 membership kit you get the mining guide with all the GPAA claims to go to in it, there are 2+ GPAA claims within a 2.5 hour drive of Ventura, and many more within a 4-5 hour drive. In the starter kit you also get a good pan, snuffer bottle, and other stuff. It's a great way to start out, and stay legal. http://www.goldprospectors.org/
Don't expect to find much color in that pan though. Panning is great for "test panning" but you need to move more material than a pan can move to get any worth while amount of gold. Just bring a back hoe with you!

Beachnut

[tapoutking]

Piru and Sespe area. Also look around Mt. Pinos up in the Frazier park area..