Hunting in the water at high tide?

[Crunchyhippo]

Is it worth the trip to hunt in the water at the beach at high tide? For example, I like to hit the beach on the weekends early, before anyone is there. Tomorrow would be perfect, but at the time I would get there, it's high tide. Also, going mid-day tomorrow, when it's low tide, means no parking to be had anywhere. Detectorists where I live hunt this beach 24/7, like midnight vampires, so the area I'd be hunting is the area they were scavenging during the night at low tide, right? So I'd just be going over already-hunted ground, so to speak. Should I wait for the tide to go out some first? I'm already finding nothing; I don't want to increase my chances of finding more nothing.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Everybody is different, for me I like going 2-4 hours before low tide and walk the tide out then back in. It also depends on tide tables.

There is a big difference between the gulf beaches and the Atlantic beaches in Florida when it comes to the tide differences between high and low.

 

[doverturtle]

I have found items at the low tide mark, the high tide mark, and the dry sand. Just go when no one else is hunting it.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

When I get to beach, I look to see where the "zones" are with the most people and make mental note, and then hunt those zones first starting in water...

 

[cudamark]

If you're hunting dry sand, I like to go just before sunset to see where everyone has been sitting so you can hit the blanket line after people leave. Wet sand, I do like Treasure Hunter and start 2 hours before low. This is where the "early bird" parable is true.

 

[surfnturf]

If you're hunting dry sand, I like to go just before sunset to see where everyone has been sitting so you can hit the blanket line after people leave. Wet sand, I do like Treasure Hunter and start 2 hours before low. This is where the "early bird" parable is true.

usually don’t hunt that much in the summer however this summer, I hunted a lot and hunt only in the wet sand or water(95%) of the time. Then my friends are finding rings and things in the dry sand…. that summertime fresh drops in the dry sand can be rewarding.
Just get your coil over it🏴‍☠️

 

[Crunchyhippo]

usually don’t hunt that much in the summer however this summer, I hunted a lot and hunt only in the wet sand or water(95%) of the time. Then my friends are finding rings and things in the dry sand…. that summertime fresh drops in the dry sand can be rewarding.
Just get your coil over it🏴‍☠️

If it works for you, I guess. I haven't found a ring in over two months.

 

[Paul Revere’s Ghost]

Is it worth the trip to hunt in the water at the beach at high tide? For example, I like to hit the beach on the weekends early, before anyone is there. Tomorrow would be perfect, but at the time I would get there, it's high tide. Also, going mid-day tomorrow, when it's low tide, means no parking to be had anywhere. Detectorists where I live hunt this beach 24/7, like midnight vampires, so the area I'd be hunting is the area they were scavenging during the night at low tide, right? So I'd just be going over already-hunted ground, so to speak. Should I wait for the tide to go out some first? I'm already finding nothing; I don't want to increase my chances of finding more nothing.

Not an ideal plan but, if you don’t look you won’t find anything. Yes I’ve found rings in the water at high tide but only because I wanted one of the free parking spots which disappear early and I hunted the entire tide.

 

[LawrencetheMDer]

When there is moderate (so you can actually hunt the water) wave action in the right direction and it causes a deep trough near shore at high tide is a GREAT time to hunt at high tide. I watch people wade into the water and see how much they sink. Other then that, the most important thing is to hunt and everything else is secondary...

 

[Crunchyhippo]

Last week I went out in the water at low tide. I went out until I was at my neck, then discovered a big sandbar. It quickly went back down to my waist, and I was able to walk all the way out to the border buoys. I've always thought the further out, the better - but I didn't find anything of value that far out except for a quarter or two, and this after 1 1/2 hours of detecting out there. Is there a point of diminishing returns by going further and further out (if possible)?

 

[surfnturf]

Last week I went out in the water at low tide. I went out until I was at my neck, then discovered a big sandbar. It quickly went back down to my waist, and I was able to walk all the way out to the border buoys. I've always thought the further out, the better - but I didn't find anything of value that far out except for a quarter or two, and this after 1 1/2 hours of detecting out there. Is there a point of diminishing returns by going further and further out (if possible)?

Go where no man has gone before!🏴‍☠️

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Many Florida beaches have Webcams, you can use them to look at beaches and see where the most people are before you get there, take screenshots if you can't remember.

When you first get to beach and not hunting at night you should survey the zones at beach to see where the most traffic was, you want to hunt where the most traffic was to have the highest odds of finding gold.

There are many zones.

ZONES

Beach Parking dry sand ....people drop stuff getting in and out of vehicles.

Showers...I have found multiple gold rings hunting the paths leading to and from beach showers.

High water line dry sand...towel and blankets

Wet sand.... chairs couple inches water

Very shallow less than a foot .... moms sit and play with infants.

Chest deep sitting... mom's play with toddlers

Waist deep standing..... couples play, holding hands tossing items by far the most productive for me.

Chest deep standing...

The towel and blanket line can be very productive if there is sudden rain shower or storm as people run to their cars and forget about items they were hiding on their blankets and towels before it rained. This is why you want to take mental picture at beach of the zones and traffic on each. Hunt the most productive first.

 

[Sand Swinger]

The towel and blanket line can be very productive if there is sudden rain shower or storm as people run to their cars and forget about items they were hiding on their blankets and towels before it rained.

^^^THIS^^^

This has always been one of my favorite "secret techniques". In addition to checking tide charts, I also check weather forecasts, specifically looking for days to hunt when rain is in the forecast. Thunderstorms are a no-go as lifeguards kick everyone off the beach when the first bolt of lightning is spotted, but rain is perfectly fine & what I want. I have no psychological explanation for this phenomenon, but it always makes me laugh when I'm out on the beach a couple hours before rain is forecast, then the rain starts and people start grabbing up all their stuff, chairs, umbrellas, towels, and make a quick beeline back to their cars. Makes me shake my head because they're at the friggin' beach, wearing bathing suits, they've already gotten wet, but a little bit of rain makes them scurry away like cockroaches when a light's turned on, lol.

Of course, I'm already there on the beach and prepared for the rain, so as soon as they started scattering, I'll stroll up to the towel line or other areas where majority of people were sitting and/or lying on their towels and hit those areas while it's raining. Talk about fresh drops!! A side benefit of hunting in the rain is the vast majority of other hunters aren't prepared to hunt during the rain, especially if they're using non-waterproof wireless headphones, so they'll scatter off the beach along with everyone else, leaving me to have all the potential fresh drop zones all to myself. Hunting during the rain = Big Opportunity! 🌦️