Bottom conditions

[SShepherd]

Have you guys noticed you get more hits on a specific bottom condition ? I use a sandshark, and I seem to get most of my hits in an area with gravel. I'm guessing it's because whatever falls on it doesn't sink ?

 

[Sandman]

Well partly because the sand was washed away by the waves or currents and the items come to rest on a more dense surface. Read more here. http://web.archive.org/web/20090406063943/http://thegoldenolde.com/

 

[bigscoop]

You've actually made a very telling discovery. Example - here on the east coast we have several feet of sand, many items that are lost here never really stratify as they would if this was dirt or gravel because this sand is always getting tossed and turned, either daily or periodically. After storms there are often areas on the beach were you can find a scattering of coins and targets, items that were simply settled in the upper layers of sand and then redistributed by the force of the storm as these upper layers of sand get stirred and pushed. As the storm begins to subside the lightest of the sand is pulled back into the sea, leaving behind our heavier scattering of objects. Items typically continue to sink until they reach a point in the substrate of equal or greater density/resistance, such as your gravel. Put three feet of soft sand over this gravel and over time heavier items will continue to sink towards it when left undisturbed. Strip or wash this sand away and many of those heavier items will still be there. Wherever you hunt, and especially when hunting substrates that are typically undisturbed, consider the effects of gravity VS resistance.

 

[SShepherd]

Thanks, that's confirms it. My only reference is freshwater, but I definatly notice the difference in the quality and quantity of hits on different bottom conditions.

 

[ron lord]

Have you guys noticed you get more hits on a specific bottom condition ? I use a sandshark, and I seem to get most of my hits in an area with gravel. I'm guessing it's because whatever falls on it doesn't sink ?

Just remember this ,the ocean is like a big gold pan all heavy thing wash into one spot. Rock, lead ,gold and sea weed all stop moving at the point of least resistance . If you can fine rocks theirs a good chance that you will find Gold. Follow the sea weed. Good luck.

 

[bigscoop]

Thanks, that's confirms it. My only reference is freshwater, but I definatly notice the difference in the quality and quantity of hits on different bottom conditions.

I use to do a lot of water hunting in northern Michigan, Indiana, etc., in the southern regions there was often a lot of muck, had to get through it to get to the good stuff settled on the firmer layers of clay & gravel below. Weedbeds, shorelines with dense layers of timber & roots, etc., these things can also serve as types of resistance, think of it much like a netting that catches and supports/suspends these heavier items. There are areas along the west coast of Michigan that are very rocky, lots of targets to be had but the gravel and fist-sized rock can make these shallower recoveries a real pain/labor. Surface area of the item can also slow it's settling, coins have flat surface areas when not sinking at an angle, this flat surface area distributing the weight of the coin over a much larger area of matrix, something that won't happen with rings since they have little surface area to slow their descent. Here on the east coast, where the sand is almost always being stirred, rings sink extremely quick, just think of the gold panning process, the sediment is shaken so the heavier items will gather at the bottom, then the top layer of sediment is washed away. Same principle. The more agitation imparted to the sediment the faster these heavier items will generally sink unless there is something there to prevent it.

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

BS did you use to post earlier under the user name Muck Raker?

 

[bigscoop]

BS did you use to post earlier under the user name Muck Raker?

....no, but I have waded through my share of it.