New guy in Ohio curious about where to pan

63bkpkr

Silver Member
Aug 9, 2007
4,069
4,618
Southern California
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Google or check internet for "Gold Maps", "Historic Gold Mining Areas", etc. You will find a place that offers maps for the U.S. and likely for or near your area. Check BLM offices for mining info local to you.

Good Luck........63bkpkr
 

james wv

Tenderfoot
Aug 23, 2010
5
0
Saint Albans WV
Yatagarasu said:
I'm going to start panning soon, but I was curious what the areas closest to Ohio are that would be good to pan in. I've heard Scioto County has gold but I don't know where or if it's a public area where panning is permitted.

You heard right,there is good gold in Scioto County.The GPAA has a claim(land lease) in Lucasville,bout 14 miles north of Portsmouth.But I guess there should be gold just about anywhere on the Scioto river..

Just a reminder,you must be a current GPAA member to use any of the GPAA claims/properties.
 

Swartzie

Hero Member
Mar 15, 2009
791
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Tuscarawas County, Ohio
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The Kokosing river in Knox/Coshocton county has gold. A buddy and myself just started panning recently and found our first flake on the Kokosing using hand pumps or crack vacs as we started calling them. GPAA has a claim and campsite on Zuck road in Knox county. Sugar Creek in Tuscarawas county (my home turf) is supposed to have a bit of gold in it too, but I have yet to find that out.

-Swartzie
 

grayflint

Jr. Member
Nov 16, 2011
27
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try the mad river , lil miami , auglaze . keep a good eye in your pan I have found more silver than gold . the river garnets are all over Ohio . I have found arrowheads , a full groove stone axe older than christ . lots to find in ohio. best way is to rent a cannoe and if u dont know where u r are just dont step out of the water . I am in greene county where are u ?
 

OP
OP
Y

Yatagarasu

Newbie
May 11, 2011
4
0
I'm in Clermont. I've done Scioto twice now and the Little Miami quite a few times and haven't had any luck. Haven't been out in quite some time due to the seasons.
 

Jack Beam

Newbie
Jul 29, 2010
3
1
I"ve been wanting to get into this myself. Just got a pan for Christmas! I've heard the Clear Fork River, around the Bellville , Butler area has produced some flakes! Have you guys heard anything about this? I'm around the Mansfield area.
 

Chevyracer420

Newbie
Oct 7, 2013
1
0
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Not to bring up old treads but were in clermont are you from yatagarasu?? I'm in Batavia and about to start hitting up stone lick creek above owensville starting at the covered bridge if you know were that is...
 

Sick4gold

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Jun 11, 2013
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Indiana/Ohio
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I'm located in Goshen :)
Although You can find gold in most creeks in Ohio as long as it was glaciated, it's mostly tiny gold.
It's flood gold. Ohio is pretty tricky to find bigger stuff, you really have to know what your looking for.
I have a permission to prospect tons of land in Clermont. I've found a few pickers/nuggets in Clermont but so far haven't found the diamond in the rough. I have found another creek that's really good but it's not in Clermont.
I suspect Clermont does have a few good creeks but I don't think Stonelick is the key.
True gold has been found in Stonelick but again small stuff.
Also the 2 gold mines back in the 1800s near East Fork never did much. One was able to cover operating costs and grind out a small profit but was doomed for failure as gold is not part of Ohios natural geology. They were hard rock mining glacial deposits.
As far as the prospecting the little Miami, I'd be careful. It's considered a "scenic river" and is therefore protected. You'll probably be ok with a pan but I wouldn't run a dredge in it. You won't find much in it anyways. It has too slow of water and is a major river valley for the ancient Teays river. Now the creeks dumping into the little Miami are a different story...

Also I'm sure most have heard about the guy that send his kid to college from what he got out of "mad river".
This is an old wives tale. Not sure where it started but I've run TONS of material from mad river and yes found gold but all tiny. Unless the guy had a Todd Hoffman wash plant and a capture rate near 100 percent there is no way.

If you've tried scioto and the little Miami a few times and had no luck send me a
PM. I'll get ya started with what to look for.
As far as the GPAA claim in "luke" do a little research. All pretty small stuff.
Don't get me wrong I love the GPAA. They provide a great place for people from all walks of life to come and have a good chance of finding gold.
With a little effort and time you can find a creek way better than the one in Lucas.
You need to find hard pack or bedrock. Period.
The further north you go in Ohio the deeper the glacial drift gets. This means the farther from bedrock you are :(. There are exceptions but generally hold true.
But hey dont take my word for it, proof is in the pudding...
image.jpg
 

Last edited:

B H Prospector

Hero Member
Feb 2, 2010
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Black Hills, South Dakota
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Welcome to the net Yat. Here is two GPAA contacts in Ohio. Larry Koprevic, Bellville OH, 330-605-4646 and Raymond Marting, Lucasville OH, 740-533-0259. They will be able to help you. You may be invited to go to an outing as a guess to give it a try.

Good Luck!

BH Prospector
 

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