Panning at broken bridge

[CharlesP]

2 questions I have.

1. While I was there today I kept finding little stones that looked like garnets, are there garnets there?

2. While I was there a guy was leaving and was kind enough to tell me the spot he was working was open now and said to go check it out, as it was close to the river.
I went over there and much to my surprise the whole was deeper than I was tall. Why do you think he kept going that deep? I thought it was in the first couple feet?

If the guy from the river today is on here then I want to say thanks for the tip. You showed me what dig deep means.

 

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[Oakview2]

Charles

Tons of garnets there, fine gold is almost everywhere over there. Bedrock down river at the gravel plant is reportedly over 200 ft down. San Joaquin very old and large river and has been depositing flood gold there forever. Usually clay is what concentrates it in spots and it can be found from 6 inches down to however deep you want to dig.... And no I am not the guy you met over there, but it seems that I did speak to at one time about the Broken Bridge.... How was the experience. I imagine it was pretty warm over there today. My son and I hope to get over there this weekend to do some highbanking with a partner... Good health and good hunting... some San Joaquin river garnets...

 

[CharlesP]

Thank you for the detailed response.
I had a great time. I told the guy that this was the easiest gold I have ever found, but it was also the smallest ever. Takes a about a thousand little pieces to make up the nice little nugget I found Sunday in posa. But it was a good time.

Are there any nuggets there? The biggest piece I found was about 1/16 inch. The rest were tiny tiny tiny.

Now if I find one of these clay deposits will oils there be considerable fine gold locked in them?

 

[CharlesP]

Oils? Damn autocorrect. Lol

 

[Oakview2]

Charles

Check your PM

 

[CharlesP]

Will do.

 

[Oakview2]

Looking forward to seeing your piece you found. Size is not of any importance especially when you are hunting in a area that has been so heavily hunted. Congrats

 

[CharlesP]

Alright I posted it in eagle downs lost treasure of mariposa county thread. It keeps looking smaller with every look btw. Lol

 

[rctaylor]

Man that's super cool. I still haven't made it over to the bridge yet which is kinda dumb since its like 20 mins away. I can't

 

[rctaylor]

Wait to head out there I hope I run into you guys it would be cool to talk to informed people on site

 

[Oakview2]

No better way to learn than to get out there and get to digging, Water is real low, dig in the cobblefields to start off on the Madera side, just west of the bridge. Set you sluice up or pan, and classify material into a bucket and have at it. It is flood gold and is everywhere and very small. Hope to see you there sometime...

 

[CharlesP]

I echo what oakview2 says. If you want to see some color in your pan, then go to BB. But it will be small color.

 

[rctaylor]

Color would be cool but so is the experience. I'm in the process of making a sluice all I been now is some miners moss or matting.

Iv got 4 riffles at 11in and some expanded diamond mesh then I'm going to put the moss on the bottom and make a wood frame for now.

I may end up having my grandpa make an aluminium frame for it being lighter.

I'm basing my design on the kreene a52

 

[Oakview2]

Myself and a fellow clubmemeber will be out thre on the Saturday the 13th doing some highbanking. I am tall and always wear a cowboy hat. Stop by and say hello

Not going to make it on the 13th. My son's cold appears to have turned into strepp throat. May try and make it on Sunday the 14th...

 

[rctaylor]

Oh no im sorry to hear about your son. I hope he feels better.

Thanks for letting me know about tomorrow. Around what time do you think you will be leaving tomorrow I would really like to come out but I won't be able to make it till around noon

 

[Oakview2]

I am afraid that I may have picked up the bug that my kids brought home, so I will not make it to the creek tommorrow

 

[rctaylor]

Oh man that's no good hope you guys feel better. Let me know next time you plan a trip would still love to meet up