I have seen and have panned the gold south of Payson.
A couple of things...
VERY rough terrain; loose rock, steep, NO WATER.
SNAKES! Lots and lots of SNAKES! "Buzzers" galore.
I know a man who frequents the area on a regular basis and ALWAYS finds more than just flecks and flakes and has been doing so for years.
The area is "claimed" out for the most part, so please do respect those that have been staked.