Using scoop in areas with clay bottom

[Whiterook]

I'm inland - hundreds of miles from the coast. I detect swim areas at the area lakes. People loose stuff here just like at the sandy beaches of Florida. Most are clay bottom and when you dig a signal you end up with a heavy scoop full of clay that does not easily fall apart or fall through the scoop like sand. Has anyone found an easy way to hunt these areas? Any info or ideas that would help? Thanks

 

[OBN]

Not found anything easier than just taking smaller hunks of the stuff and breaking it up in the sifter. The sifter which does help but then you have to find the target, and rarely do I use a pin pointer. Only a few spots here do I have to deal with it.

 

[WaterWalker]

OBN has said it all! Smaller scoops and a sifter, if needed. I have found that fresh water beach finds do not need much digging. Old no longer used as a beach area usually need a deeper dig. Now that pertains to the sandy Cape Cod fresh water detecting.