Need suggestions on metal detecting along a riverbank.

[Sonofcoy]

I need to know when, where, and how? Any and all help would be appreciated. As far as the area it would the Arkansas River near Fort Smith, AR; Barling, AR; Van Buren, AR; Moffett, OK; and Muldrow, OK. Thanks in advance.

 

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[RTR]

What are you looking for.Gold OR everything else?

 

[Terry Soloman]

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New aerial imagery illustrates the scope of the Arkansas River flood, which set records in some locations. - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com

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[Sonofcoy]

What are you looking for.Gold OR everything else?

Anything

 

[TooManyHobbies]

I would look for bottle dumps along the river. There were lots of them here in CT when I was a kid. Then follow the bank up to where a yard/house might have been.

 

[ARC]

What are you looking for.Gold OR everything else?

Everything else of course.... who wants to spend their days digging gold.

:P

 

[crashbandicoot]

Before you even go,look up some old maps and aerial photos,especially from before the river was dammed. It means a lot of study,but you can find the location of many old buildings and schools,churches,maybe the location of an old ferry.Docks perhaps. I use Historic Aerials,Old Maps Online,Old-Maps online.There,s others,just google old topo maps.Study them and then correlate with the ground as it is today.This would apply more to metal detecting,but don,t forget bottle dumps,old garbage dumps and the like.Use your imagination.Of course some of what is depicted on old maps is underwater today.The old river channel as it was is often able to be determined too,don,t discount that.I live about 5 minutes from the Lower Arkansas,near Dam 2. Hope this is helpful.

 

[Tommybuckets]

Rivers are tough. Long stretches with nothing but tons of trash. Erosion on the bank is constantly trying to help us but also deposition can put a can 18 inches down in the muck quickly and put any good targets out of reach. TooManyHobbies has it figured. Go up anywhere thats being eroded and shows old stuff. Pottery, brick, glass. I never do too well in the river even though a hundred people an hour float by on a hot summer day. They mostly lose sun glasses, phones and other targets that are easier to retrieve with a snorkel and goggles than a metal detector. I've spent hours in the river detecting for pennies and pulltabs and whatzits. I love it on a hot day and I'm always hoping to find a ring but a few minutes on the right area of eroded bank can yield a handful of old coins and be way easier. Long story short, there are always roads and paths above the high water mark of a river. Below that high water mark lies an aluminum wasteland with a little fishing lead. If theres a rope swing or a swim spot you may have a prayer of finding something in the river but short of that its easier to walk a walmart parking lot looking for goodies.

 

[crashbandicoot]

Rivers are tough. Long stretches with nothing but tons of trash. Erosion on the bank is constantly trying to help us but also deposition can put a can 18 inches down in the muck quickly and put any good targets out of reach. TooManyHobbies has it figured. Go up anywhere thats being eroded and shows old stuff. Pottery, brick, glass. I never do too well in the river even though a hundred people an hour float by on a hot summer day. They mostly lose sun glasses, phones and other targets that are easier to retrieve with a snorkel and goggles than a metal detector. I've spent hours in the river detecting for pennies and pulltabs and whatzits. I love it on a hot day and I'm always hoping to find a ring but a few minutes on the right area of eroded bank can yield a handful of old coins and be way easier. Long story short, there are always roads and paths above the high water mark of a river. Below that high water mark lies an aluminum wasteland with a little fishing lead. If theres a rope swing or a swim spot you may have a prayer of finding something in the river but short of that its easier to walk a walmart parking lot looking for goodies.

You,re right,but this is a big river,I know it well.He lives where there,s a lot of history too,old town established early on.Key is to find the places where structures existed back when.

 

[OH..POPS]

I have a 16ft. boat and live on the Cumberland River where they have built several flood dams and reservoirs on the river. One particular place is Fort Blunt. There also was a river ferry that crossed the river in the same location. If I beach the boat on the river side do I need permission to check the river bank?

 

[crashbandicoot]

I have a 16ft. boat and live on the Cumberland River where they have built several flood dams and reservoirs on the river. One particular place is Fort Blunt. There also was a river ferry that crossed the river in the same location. If I beach the boat on the river side do I need permission to check the river bank?

I don,t know about Tenn law,here in Arkansas every thing below"the high water mark" is considered public,on a "navigable stream". Leaves a lot of grey area.I,d suggest you search your laws with this in mind,not a lot of people know this.Also,could be Corps land or TVA controlled and they sometimes have a whole different set of rules.it can be confusing for sure.