First off let me say welcome to the asylum! I call it that because we're all nuts (about gold) here!
Next.. You already seem to have a case of gold fever, so you're going to have to learn that there is no cure for it. Symptoms can only be controlled by frequent prospecting and mining activities.
As a beginner, you've got lot of things to learn and you've come to the right place to do just that. Here are some of my views on how to improve you chances of finding some of that yellow stuff we all love....
1. Learn your quarry! There's much more to being successful at finding gold than going out and digging blindly. As stated before a club is a great place to start. This will help you in several ways. A: You get to learn the equipment from people that know it. B: You have a better chance to learn what types of methods work best in your area. This will save you money in the long run. No sense in buying stuff that isn't going to work for your area is there? ALWAYS REMEMBER... Let the terrain dictate the equipment. Not the other way around.
2. You've just gotten involved in the biggest game of "Hide and Seek" there is. Your opponent is none other than Mother Nature herself! To be able beat her and win the game you need to learn just how she hides the prize. You do this by learning some geology, some mineralogy, as well as some hydrology (how water flows and how materials react to that flow). Other skills to learn would include how to read topographical maps, basic survival skills as well as basic first aide. Military training is some of the best available in these subjects so find and download the manuals for these subjects off the web. They're free and very good ways to pick up these skills. (if you don't have them already that is) Some are available on the My Land Matters web site. The link to it is in my signature below.
3. Take the time to learn your equipment and learn it well! A maladjusted sluice isn't going to catch all the gold it is capable of, just as a poor panning style is going to loose gold as well. Learning to adjust and use your gear is very important.
4. A pan is the first and last step in getting the gold. Make sure that you get one that fits your hand well! You will have times that you're going to be using it for long periods and if it's not comfortable to use it will take a lot of the fun out of it.
5. In prospecting, PATIENCE is important! Even when you have learned the game, Mother Nature doesn't always play by the same rules. Never assume that the gold is where you think it is and never forget that it can hide in some very unlikely places.
6. Learn the laws! Each state has it's own unique laws that go with the federal mining laws! Never prospect in an area that you're not sure of the status of! Mining on someones claim without permission is theft. My Land Matters also has a lot of information on this aspect as well. Learn how to use the site to your advantage and it will go a long way towards kepping you legal.
Also remember that there is always more to learn! Many of us here have been in the game for years and not a one of us knows it all. I am regularly learning new things here on the forum and am glad to have this resource.
Always keep it fun and remember to work smarter, not harder!
since you need to know what gear will work in your prospecting area before you buy equipment. Just promise me you won't buy a metal riffle based sluice as those things are harder to run well and are really old-fashioned compared to modern tech like fluid beds and drop riffles.
