Gravel bars in rivers

[NuggetN8]

Ok so I haven't joined in on the sluicing that people do on the NF American yet nor have I sluiced on a river before but I was wondering.. Is there a specific area on a gravel bar that is better for finding gold or is it just mixed in everywhere? Does anyone on here find pickers while working gravel bars?

 

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[DizzyDigger]

I don't usually have pickers on my mind when working a gravel bar, as
the vast majority of what is being dug (in the top layers) is flood gold
that has been deposited since the last high water event. My goal is to
process a larger volume of material, as the gold is readily available in the
top 10" once you locate where on the bar it lies.

Look for bars on the inside corner of a bend, and *typically* the heavier
gold will be on the upriver end, and it tends to fan-out from there. The
gold may be limited to a rather narrow band of the bar, so when test panning
make sure you get pans from several different spots across the bar.

Best video I've seen to help new prospectors (using sluices) is one by
Rob Gorham, but it seems it's no longer on YouTube. It's called "Advanced
Gold Prospecting Tips", and it's about 45 min. long, and well worth the time
to watch (if'n ya can find it).

Do lots of test panning to be sure you're on the streak, and then simply follow it
to the bottom end of the bar. Sounds simple, but not always easy to do.

 

[AlwaysBusyJ]

Dizzy said it all. I usually find the highest concentration at the very beginning of the bend. Where I'm at there's a good amount in the first inch or two, so I run as much material as fast as I can. Flood gold is tiny but after awhile it starts to add up. I usually don't sluice it though, too afraid my inexperience will cause it all to float away, I typically classify it to an 1/8 or smaller and run it through a gold cube. Works great for me, but I don't run a ton of material, just quick trips here and there. I always look for garnet, I've yet to find a pan that had garnet in it and didn't have any gold. Although I've found gold without garnets in the pan from time to time in my area.

 

[Hoser John]

Gold miners make it on the bedrock. Pan,sluice or detect most of the work has been done and you reap the profits. So many rivers are damed and therefore inside,outside no longer matter as NATURAL FLOWS once stopped no longer deposit where it's supposed to. In days of old every river was moved here,there and everywhere,dewatered and worked. Visit any mining museum and to thy own self be true as pics by the billions as proof. Sample sample everywhere as many kinds of deposits abound-John

 

[MadMarshall]

The NF American is free flowing..Allot of people will be sluicing and digging in the water as the weather is hot..For me I have gotten some of my biggest gold from sluicing.This area in 2011 produced over dozen pickers all around a half gram and 2012 the same spot averaged me 1-2 pennyweights a day in dust and flakes..This year not to great...Personally in my years spent on the river with a few exceptions all my digging's are on the bank..The NF american river can be a difficult river to set up a sluice and the water is dropping steadly..For me I average better keeping my diggings out of the river.

Depends on what kind of prospector you are and what kind of diggins you have a Knack for..Me I like to find digs high up and destroy rocks and dreaming of that rich pocket waiting for me...In the river when I am shoveling all I am thinking is that most the gold is falling off my shovel...The Hand dredge's are just irritating as I need to move dirt and they rarely meet my needs..I like my diggin's dry.

 

[NuggetN8]

The NF American is free flowing..Allot of people will be sluicing and digging in the water as the weather is hot..For me I have gotten some of my biggest gold from sluicing.This area in 2011 produced over dozen pickers all around a half gram and 2012 the same spot averaged me 1-2 pennyweights a day in dust and flakes..This year not to great...Personally in my years spent on the river with a few exceptions all my digging's are on the bank..The NF american river can be a difficult river to set up a sluice and the water is dropping steadly..For me I average better keeping my diggings out of the river.
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-pypbw5yO4
Depends on what kind of prospector you are and what kind of diggins you have a Knack for..Me I like to find digs high up and destroy rocks and dreaming of that rich pocket waiting for me...In the river when I am shoveling all I am thinking is that most the gold is falling off my shovel...The Hand dredge's are just irritating as I need to move dirt and they rarely meet my needs..I like my diggin's dry.

Hand dredges are useful when you have a pocket in the bedrock up on the side. I usually fill the pocket up with water and suck it out after I scoop and scrape what I can. Can't really pick up every little speck unless you suck it up with something. A shop vac would be cool to use. I think they sell something like that for finding gold. It's called the crack vac or something.. Also when your sniping you can use a hand dredge to blow out a crevice if its one of those really deep ones that seem to never end.. I kind of want to get out to the NF pretty soon but I'm not sure what area would be best. My sluice is kind of stationary at the moment so I wouldn't be sluicing.

 

[B H Prospector]

I'm with Marshall. When digging I prefer high and dry then run through a sluice or highbanker. I have a hand dredge but use it very seldom, mostly because very few places to use it where I am. If I dredged that would be different. I like your choice of music on your videos Marshall.

 

[NuggetN8]

Yeah hand dredges aren't good for moving a lot of material or anything but it has its place in the cleanup process. I usually dig as much as I can out of a pocket then use it to pick up the little bit of material left in there.

 

[sidvail]

I saw someone using a two clear tubes with a pill bottle in the middle of them as a sucker. He'd clean out the crevice as well as he could, then shoot some water in it, suck it dry and repeat. The material would collect in the bottle. Seems a good way to get the last of the material out of those hard to scrape crevices.

 

[NuggetN8]

I saw someone using a two clear tubes with a pill bottle in the middle of them as a sucker. He'd clean out the crevice as well as he could, then shoot some water in it, suck it dry and repeat. The material would collect in the bottle. Seems a good way to get the last of the material out of those hard to scrape crevices.

Hmm never seen one like that before. Here's a pic of mine. I just set a bucket next to the hole I'm sucking out and shoot it back out the same way into the bucket.