SEEKING ADVICE ON NEW SLUICE BOX

AkTradArcher · Jun 3, 2026

Howdy! I'm looking to buy my first Dream Mat sluice. I can't wait to try it out after watching so many awesome videos, but I have some questions for the community.

I will be prospecting in Montana with a partner and am looking to use the 12x47" Prospectors Dream river sluice with dredge mats, a header, and adjustable legs. I like the idea of the dredge mats because my partner and I will be able to feed it at a high rate, either unclassified or classified to 3/4". I know the dredge mat requires high flow rates, so it takes a little more work to set up a river sluice outfitted with them, but as stated above, the high feed rates are very enticing. Two men filling buckets can move a lot of material.

Much of the placer gold to be found where I will be prospecting is flour, but of course, pickers and some nuggets can be found in certain tributaries.

My first question is: Will dredge mats achieve a high recovery rate of flour gold? Or will I need to instead outfit with a Micro or Cape D mat and classify down to 1/8 inch in order to capture flour gold?

2nd: Is it better to purchase one sluice with two mats (dredge, and Micro or Cape D ), and when I pack into a new spot, decide which mat to use based primarily on what the test pans reveal?

I know Prospectors Dream sells a combo mat with Micro, Cape D, and Mini mat in one 36-inch piece, but I am really held more towards choosing the single correct tool for any given job, and as I said, I am really attracted to the rate of feed that it seems can be achieved with the setup I described above.

Thank you ya'll, happy hunting.

russau · Jun 3, 2026

Do yourself a favor and do your set ups at home for you to be able to decide which set up is best for the gold your trageting ! and I'm sure you know that water pressure ,sluice angle and feed rate does apply to a good recovery ! Good luck on your search and post some pics when you return !

AkTradArcher · Jun 4, 2026

russau said:
Do yourself a favor and do your set ups at home for you to be able to decide which set up is best for the gold your trageting ! and I'm sure you know that water pressure ,sluice angle and feed rate does apply to a good recovery ! Good luck on your search and post some pics when you return !

Thankyou!
I think I'll buy two or three gauges of mat, and run test buckets at each spot we try. Ill
Write down my results. Every spot is so different in flow rate and gold size it will be interesting to hone in on the perfect setups.

Reed Lukens · Jun 4, 2026

You can't get the flow needed for the dredge mat without the motor and dredge... Just get the standard sluice mat or the combo mat. Lots of places you will go will have low water flow, so the smaller the set design, the better. I use the standard in my mini trommel, but I would never even try it in a sluice box because finding water as fast as it needs is next to impossible.
I run the dream mat at 11° and with lots more water then you see in my desert recirculation set up.

AkTradArcher · Jun 4, 2026

Reed Lukens said:
You can't get the flow needed for the dredge mat without the motor and dredge... Just get the standard sluice mat or the combo mat. Lots of places you will go will have low water flow, so the smaller the set design, the better. I use the standard in my mini trommel, but I would never even try it in a sluice box because finding water as fast as it needs is next to impossible.
I run the dream mat at 11° and with lots more water then you see in my desert recirculation set up.

Thank you Reed! I subscribed to your channel, I'll check out your other videos. Looks like a pretty good resource. Like most things, prospecting looks like luck until you realize it mostly comes down to skill, experience, and how much you try to learn.