Dredging Rake For Coins and Jewelry?

[West Jersey Detecting]

I am interested in hunting a small swimming hole that has been used for hundreds of years. I had a dream the other night (sad that we become obsessed with these things, isn't it?). In the dream I had a rake attached to a long pole that could be pulled across the muddy bottom of the lake. The idea was it would capture any items smaller than a US Dime (or maybe a Half Dime), yet any smaller pebbles would pass through. I have not found any commercially available, but I have found some home-made contraptions.

I am wondering if a beach screening rake would do the trick.

Does anyone know of a commercially available tool?

 

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[paul of Penna]

In my area, swimming holes with a mud bottom are seldom used. The ones that are used have uneven stone bottoms and a rake will not keep anything attached long enough to get to the hand, even if you can see it coming along on the rake (which is unlikely). Try a water detector and a swim suit and snorkel/mask outfit.
Just my experience with it.
Paul

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

In my area, swimming holes with a mud bottom are seldom used. The ones that are used have uneven stone bottoms and a rake will not keep anything attached long enough to get to the hand, even if you can see it coming along on the rake (which is unlikely). Try a water detector and a swim suit and snorkel/mask outfit.
Just my experience with it.
Paul

Hi Paul,

In my area, all of the lakes, streams and ponds are composed of silt and red clay.

I have been looking into screening rake, as they are used by golf course ground crews to clean out the debris from sand traps. The specially designed rake allows the sand to pass through, while trapping small trash items such as gum wrapper foil and cigarette butts.

 

[maipenrai]

Seems like the coins would pass through anyway. It would have to be a very small lake, more like a small pond, before it would have a chance of working. I would go for the underwater metal detector! Any rock or larger object on the bottom would lift the rake and the coins would drop away. How deep is the lake, not really easy to just use snorkle, for any serious hunting, and if your not a scuba diver, then just search the waste deep water with an underwater detector.