Best brackish water detector in $600 price range

[toasted]

Already got a boat and know all the good shallow water spots in the river. River was a major artery in colonial times. Considering a water detector in the $600 range. Have my eyes on the Tesoro tiger shark or AT pro. How do they handle the salt? Any other options? Thanks

 

[Fletch88]

Probably go with the 8" sand shark if it's salty water and you are snorkeling of diving.

DetectorPro Headhunter Underwater is another machine I'm using right now that I love. Set disc high enough to break up small iron and it's a great wading/ diving machine

 

[toasted]

Isn't it a pi unit. I want to use it on dry land too and I heard they're not good for that. I will be wading not diving

 

[Fletch88]

Probably just go with the ATpro then

 

[adamBomb]

Isn't it a pi unit. I want to use it on dry land too and I heard they're not good for that. I will be wading not diving

Yea they are PI. Unfortunately for salt water the vlf units start around $1000 unless you go PI. You could always find a used BHID300 in your price range. The CZ21/Excal would be good too but used those are going to be over your $$$, although if you look around and have patience one will come up for $700-800. the tiger shark/at pro arent made for salt water and dont work too well in it. not sure how they would do in brackish water though.

 

[lookindown]

My AT Pro works good in saltwater...Im in Florida...some parts of the country the AT doesn't work well...I think it would be fine in brackish water...lighter than the Tiger Shark, has a screen, easier to change batteries, multiple tones, and can change coils.

 

[MrMikeJackie]

I would suggest the AT PRO depending on how "brackish" the water is.

 

[OBN]

Get the AT Pro and I won't have to worry about you hunting my bay spots...LOL

In the Bay it struggles, but is usable... Not sure where you are but if your near Cambridge you will be good for very shallow....if your hunting rivers it should be fresh more the salty....

 

[cudamark]

Isn't it a pi unit. I want to use it on dry land too and I heard they're not good for that. I will be wading not diving

Same goes for the Tiger Shark.

 

[toasted]

Same goes for the Tiger Shark.

No its not and I'm further north of Cambridge so less salt

 

[Fletch88]

Sounds like the ATPro is the one in the price range you mentioned for land and sea! When you said river and boat in the opening posts I was thinking you meant maybe snorkeling/ diving and nothing to do with land hunting.

 

[toasted]

Kind of liking a used whites beach hunter 300 for around $500. Anyone use it for dry land hunts. It wouldn't be my primary dry land machine

 

[slider66]

Yea they are PI. Unfortunately for salt water the vlf units start around $1000 unless you go PI. You could always find a used BHID300 in your price range. The CZ21/Excal would be good too but used those are going to be over your $$$, although if you look around and have patience one will come up for $700-800. the tiger shark/at pro arent made for salt water and dont work too well in it. not sure how they would do in brackish water though.

I would look on craigslist or in a pawn shop. I picked up an Excal 1000 for 300 bucks in a pawn shop. They are out there! you just have to look.

 

[Fletch88]

And it actually performs well? You got very lucky

 

[lookindown]

I would look on craigslist or in a pawn shop. I picked up an Excal 1000 for 300 bucks in a pawn shop. They are out there! you just have to look.

Yeah, I got a Whites Surf PI at a pawn shop for 100 bucks and sold it for 300...with the internet you would think a pawn shop would know the value of the stuff they sell but sometimes they don't or make a mistake.

 

[RustyGold]

My suggestion is the AT Pro.
If you know anyone with the AT Pro maybe they'd let
you try it out to see how it performs in the brackish water!

 

[cudamark]

No its not and I'm further north of Cambridge so less salt

What I meant to convey is that the Tiger Shark isn't any better handling on land than the Sand Shark except that the Tiger has better discrimination being a single frequency VLF machine. It's not very good in salt water though, for that very reason. Now whether it will work good in your brackish water will depend in the concentration level of the salt and the mineralization of the sand/silt/mud. The problem will come when you move to a different search area that might have more salt and/or mineralization.