Tips for detecting river fords?

[TrpnBils]

This is new territory for me and apparently I need some help. We found what appears to be a ford on a river that SHOULD hold some cool stuff but I'm striking out. The surrounding land has been inhabited since at least 1730. It's rural, and the oldest map we can find shows five trails all coming together right around one home site adjacent to the ford, crossing the river as one trail, and then snaking up the hill on the other side. It's like a funnel, and I can't believe there isn't anything coming out of there...for what it took to find this, I have a real hard time believing that it's been detected before at all, let alone so heavily that nothing is turning up. The surrounding land is camps and fields, so it's not like it's real developed or anything.

What's the process here? It's pretty obvious where the ford is, as there is a good, solid riffle about 50-60' long with deep water on both sides of it (which matches up with the home site on the map that's still got a house on it today). Do you typically hunt the upper end of the ford or the lower end or is anywhere fair game? Is it the sort of thing where it's better to hunt downstream from the ford to catch stuff that has moved over the years? Do you look for particular types of rocks in the ford? I know you wouldn't have crossed where large boulders would have prevented wagons from making it through, but beyond that is there anything to look for? I've been to this particular one twice now and have literally only pulled old beer can tops (the entire can top with the tab pulled out). I don't get it.... This place should be loaded. I'm stumped.

 

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[DiggerGal]

Trpn-
If I were in the position as you, I would pay attention to water flow. The lowest part of the flow is where I would look for heavy items to accumulate. Secondly, if there were a part of the water flow that moved up and over a section, I would look at the "riser portion" to have embedded material that was heavier and would not make it over the elevated flow.
Third, if there are any trees in the path, check the bases and make sure you are using a large coil so you can maximize depth, and finally, river beds and the likes deteriorate in width over the years as well as the seasons. Although the deepest part of travel is the center, expand outward past the deepest depression to maximize results. Just my thinking, I'm no expert but I would work the area on a grid based upon crossing, flow, altitude and structure.
HH

 

[The Beep Goes On]

I would think that the surrounding areas might be where you'd find the goodies. It may have been a good place to stop for the night. When they're packed up and crossing it isn't likely they'd drop much unless they lost footing, or their horse lost footing, and a pack spilled, or was lost. It would go down the river a ways I would think if they didn't retrieve it. Along the banks and likely camping spots is what I would try. Good luck!!

 

[WhiteTornado]

Look for any areas that may only be under water during floods or at least when the river is swollen. Maybe some goodies were left behind when the water receded.

Also, I have experienced first hand when you have a site that should produce, but doesn't. Those beer can tops seem odd. Wondering if the spot was ever used for trash dumping in the past, either legal or illegal. Maybe campers or farmers dumped their trash there over the years?

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I did an old river swim hole yesterday. It was pretty rough keeping my footing, and my scoop was catching the water in the rapid current area making me have to struggle to even use it. The rocks on the bottom, I scooped one signal for an hour and finally gave up. Slick rocks too big to fit in my Stealth. And that water was very cold - especially just before I was waist deep, you know the geography of that.

I discovered river hunting isn't for weenies.....

BUT, I will do it again, just had to have my learning curve thrown on me. 3 hours there and I'm sore today = that was a workout!

 

[MrMikeJackie]

My only advise to you is to go on YouTube and look up Aquachigger. Watch his videos. All you need to know about river/creek detecting can be found there.

 

[dirtdigginfool]

My only advise to you is to go on YouTube and look up Aquachigger. Watch his videos. All you need to know about river/creek detecting can be found there.

Aah! Mr. Mike you beat me to it! Beau has some of the best detecting videos, very informative too...ddf

 

[Deft Tones]

Some rivers and streams follow the same course for centuries. Others shift and change courses almost any time a major flood happens.

I know of a few local spots that when rectified on a satellite photo puts the ford 6 feet past the current bank and into the weeds. One is a creek, the other is a medium sized river...both highly variable over 150yrs. So unless I can detect to 5' depths those fords are lost, sanded and silted over.

Is this something likely on your river?