Lake Michigan, East shore - Unable to find anything...

mikenannie

Tenderfoot
Aug 14, 2006
7
0
Indiana
Detector(s) used
White M6
Beach Hunter ID

(1970's Compass Judge series, then 1980s Teknetics)
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I've been using metal detectors since the mid 1970s, but only in the past 10 years or so have I used a water machine. I mainly use it on vacations to Michigan, and hunt various beaches along the Lake Michigan east coast. My struggle is that I rarely find anything of value. We're getting close to our annual vacation again and will be in the Ludington / Manistee area and I want to do what I can to try to avoid another year of finding nothing ;) So I'm here to ask for help ;)

I hunt with my Dad and we work together using my Whites Beach Hunter ID. I believe it's a decent machine and it seems to have pretty good depth. However, having hunted both the Ludington State Park and Manistee MI beaches over the past 10 years, during our family vacation, I have never found anything of value. Lots of rusty metal though. I believe these beaches get enough use during the summer that there has to be stuff there to be found and I've had people approach me and tell me that they, or someone that they knew, has lost something on one of these beaches. So, what are we doing wrong?

We have hunted from the shore out to about shoulder deep, using every possible pattern in the water to try to cover enough ground. We typically hunt for 2-3 hours at a time as well.
Some questions for those who know Lake Michigan (or have similar experience).

1. How fast is a ring lost in sand too deep to locate with a machine? (my machine?) Seems like the sand moves very quickly out from under your feet as you wade through the water. Dad thinks that stuff sinks in the sand so quickly that it's difficult to detect before it's too deep to find. True?

2. Where is the most productive area of the water? We watch the swimmers, and see many adults moving out past the trough into the sand bar that's about 100 yards from shore (varies). We have hunted this trough before, and the sandbars, but still found nothing. (A few years ago, I did locate a wedding ring for a man who had just lost it, gave it back to him, and he gave me $20 ;) But that was our only gold anything.

3. What is the 'cut' and is there one on Lake Michigan beaches? Is the 'cut' where the waves cut into the sand and create a 6" to 1 1/2 foot hump just above the wet sand on the beach? Is that were we should be hunting?

4. Do we need a better machine? (Tiger Shark, etc.)

As you can see, having never found much of anything of value, I'm at a loss on how to improve our chances of success. I'll admit that other than this week's hunting each year, we don't do much else in terms of water hunting, but, given 30+ years of metal detecting experience, I'm pretty confident that my skills with the machine are adequate.

Thanks in advance for any help!
 

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I was in Manitowoc and the smell from the dead fish was getting to me...I didn't find much either---- and under that white sand was a lot of dead fish and shells from last year the smell was AWFUL! I had a CRANKY Teenager with me and didn't stay long..but I will go to the lake with out her along....
 

Hi Mike, only things I can tell ya is you have a good detector. If the sand bars have really lose sand then your wasting your time there. If its like we're I hunt in the gulf. The trough can be a good spot. Does that lake have a hi and low tide? There are others on here with more experience than me I'm sure they will chime in. GL & HH
 

Hi matrix, no tides on Lake Michigan.
 

Yah sounds funny that in ten years you haven't at least lucked out once. I hunt the lakes around here and usually in the group at least one of us scores something gold when we go.

I prefer the water to the dry or wet sand in most cases but that doesn't mean good stuff isn't hiding in the wet and dry. Usually there is more trash buried on the beach area than you find in the water. I use an at pro in the water and dig most everything. I've had more than one ring sound like iron but end up being a small 14k kids ring. I've got no experience with your detector but I'd bet there are plenty of goodies to be had on your beaches.
 

It's possible that other hunters are getting to the goodies before you. They may be hunting late at night, or early morning, or just before you. So, if you have a typical time of day you hunt, switch it up and try hunting on a different schedule.
 

That's a good suggestion about switching up your times but I still would think you'd find something. Hard to grid and completely hunt out open beach areas, couple scoops here and the water clouds up making it hard to really see exactly what has and hasn't been swung. You sure your machine is working as it should? Maybe do some test targets at various depths.

I like campground beaches that limit public access to some degree but I know there is pressure from other detectors in my area and we still seem to manage.
 

Would a test in dry sand be valid? Easier.
 

I have found goof stuff in the dry sand you will dig more trash targets. The most productive sites would be the towel line. "That's where everyone puts there chairs towels and umbrellas. And the beach volleyball court. Make sure you grid it off and cover it good. And where everyone enters and exits the beach. Just some spots that have been productive for me.
 

I do not water hunt.
that said when undertow is working stuff is going to be traveling fast,a ring heavier than moving sand near shore,claims have been made of a fast sink rate when conditions push both ways. Were i to return to the beach farther south of Ludington. the towel line would get attention. There were winter sledding areas in dunes too. Don,t know if concession stand from sixties is on any old maps but would hit that in a heart beat.
Winter ice during break up with a west wind can do some plowing.
Back side of old pilings you likely all ready check.
Sometimes there is a second sandbar beyond first.Would be worth checking shore side.
Watch those rip currents,worse that a high speed treadmill.H.H.

Disclaimer, check rules for areas detecting is allowed. They vary.
 

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