Wow! it harder then you think!

[cyperpc]

I put my Fisher CZ-21 on a military surplus web belt with a harness to hold up the belt. Have a pair of driver's shoes and a 6″ Monster Aluminum/Stainless Steel Water Scoop. Put my sun glasses and hat on and off to the surf I went. I was in the water chest high and small waves coming in that sometime would put water up my noise. I got into the rhythm of letting the water take the coil in and out. I found it was best to keep my back to the waves. The coral was along the shore line so had stay in the water between 1 to 4 feet.

I was in the water about 20 min and I hit a target!! Oops I can not see the coil. Tried to hold still but the waves where bounding me around; one foot up, one foot back. Tried to run the scoop along the rod to the coil but could not hold still. After about hour trying to time the waves and moving around I gave up and went back to the shore. Boy did I get a good workout.

Now I need to find out what that target was. It could be a coin, ring or junk and I can't just let it sit there now that I know something is there.

Maybe I should get driver's weight? MD in the surf is harder then you think!

 

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[smokeythecat]

I tried it once. And gave up! Sometimes you have to wait for that calm...

 

[stevemc]

Yes the calmer the better. If in past your belt, or so, you do need weights to keep from lifting you. When you get a hit, If you put your foot pointed to the coil, next to it, move the coil and slide the scoop in front of your foot(which should not move.). Should be very close. The rougher, the worse it is.

 

[sandmartin]

I'm sure Casper could give you some good advice on this.

 

[cudamark]

Hunting in a bay or lake is a lot easier than out in the pounding surf! Ocean hunting is not for wimps!

 

[OBN]

Timing is everything, early morning at the ocean water is calmer, once the sun is in full swing waves get more intense. This is also feeding time for the big fish. Another thing is get out beyond the breakers and bounce with the rollers as there coming in, ocean waves are timed further a part, and never turn your back on the incoming, always blade yourself, less resistance, less to get pushed. IN close where the waves are breaking your going to get hammered so stay away from this unless it's the little guys. When I am deep I tether my scoop, in the cycle between rollers (4 to 6 seconds) you dig, as the roller comes thru you dig the scoop in where the target is and jump with the roller (or just take it over the head if wearing a weight belt), the tether keeps you from loosing the scoop and hopefully oriented to get back to work on the target. Been a long time since I hunted the ruff surf, now hunt the bay, a totally different animal and one you still have to be at the top of your game. Number one rule, never push beyond safe, no matter where you hunt. I can't count the times I have left targets in a deep hole, walking away for I felt I was at my limit...Good Luck.

[video=youtube;GCvfcHz7gVk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=52&v=GCvfcHz7gVk[/video]

 

[slider66]

I put my Fisher CZ-21 on a military surplus web belt with a harness to hold up the belt. Have a pair of driver's shoes and a 6″ Monster Aluminum/Stainless Steel Water Scoop. Put my sun glasses and hat on and off to the surf I went. I was in the water chest high and small waves coming in that sometime would put water up my noise. I got into the rhythm of letting the water take the coil in and out. I found it was best to keep my back to the waves. The coral was along the shore line so had stay in the water between 1 to 4 feet.

I was in the water about 20 min and I hit a target!! Oops I can not see the coil. Tried to hold still but the waves where bounding me around; one foot up, one foot back. Tried to run the scoop along the rod to the coil but could not hold still. After about hour trying to time the waves and moving around I gave up and went back to the shore. Boy did I get a good workout.

Now I need to find out what that target was. It could be a coin, ring or junk and I can't just let it sit there now that I know something is there.

Maybe I should get driver's weight? MD in the surf is harder then you think!

I live on the Treasurecoast. I had a hit once but couldn't get it. I had to know what it was since it's the treasurecoast so I walked off 56 steps to the dunes, waited for the next low tide and was there bright and early. I just had to know! LOL well it turned out to be an old fishing lure but I had to know.

 

[cyperpc]

It is in a well swimming area no fishing here so I have my fingers crossed. Going back out tomorrow have to try again. Wish me luck!

 

[sws33]

You may want to look at getting a wider sand scoop. I will hunt the waves and I had a 6in wide scoop and it was just a pain. I purchased a stealth knock off that is damn near twice as wide and half again as long and most of my targets come out within two scoops now in the water.

 

[CASPER-2]

I'm sure Casper could give you some good advice on this.

lol..i dont seem to have that much trouble …

 

[cyperpc]

lol..i dont seem to have that much trouble …

I am sure after years of training I will get it too; I am still a rookie!

 

[LawrencetheMDer]

I do a fair amount of water detecting in mild to heavy surf. I sure would NOT recommend tying anything to your body like a scoop or your detector when in the water - just one rip tide or undercurrent and you're a goner as the weight drags you down as you're washed out to sea.

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I put my Fisher CZ-21 on a military surplus web belt with a harness to hold up the belt. Have a pair of driver's shoes and a 6″ Monster Aluminum/Stainless Steel Water Scoop. Put my sun glasses and hat on and off to the surf I went. I was in the water chest high and small waves coming in that sometime would put water up my noise. I got into the rhythm of letting the water take the coil in and out. I found it was best to keep my back to the waves. The coral was along the shore line so had stay in the water between 1 to 4 feet.

I was in the water about 20 min and I hit a target!! Oops I can not see the coil. Tried to hold still but the waves where bounding me around; one foot up, one foot back. Tried to run the scoop along the rod to the coil but could not hold still. After about hour trying to time the waves and moving around I gave up and went back to the shore. Boy did I get a good workout.

Now I need to find out what that target was. It could be a coin, ring or junk and I can't just let it sit there now that I know something is there.

Maybe I should get driver's weight? MD in the surf is harder then you think!

The one time I went out in the crazy surf...besides being knocked around the whole time, the waves crashing on my ATP ended up cracking the housing and filled with saltwater.

And it happened in about 10 mins of being out there.

 

[cudamark]

I do a fair amount of water detecting in mild to heavy surf. I sure would NOT recommend tying anything to your body like a scoop or your detector when in the water - just one rip tide or undercurrent and you're a goner as the weight drags you down as you're washed out to sea.

I agree, the only things I have tied to me out in the surf is my finds pouch and pin pointer. You need to keep a firm grip on that scoop too. The first time a wave slams the basket into your shins will make you a lot more careful!

 

[LawrencetheMDer]

Rule #1. Don't tie anything to yourself while water detecting. [Read here or elsewhere a few years ago that a fellow metal detectorist drowned in a quiet lake when he stepped in a deep hole.]

Rule #2. Take the waves on your right or left side; this way you see the waves coming and can bob up, stay down and, importantly see what's coming. Get hit by a large rough wave from the back and you can lose your ear phones, detector and scoop. There is a reason why we find a lot of dental gold in the water - imagine you're looking toward shore when a 1 in a 100 larger than expected wave hits you unexpectedly in the back - out pop those dentures!

Rule #3. Know the tide - don't get caught on a sandbar when the tide comes in and you find yourself stranded. I end-up having to "walk" back to shore when the water in the trench between me and the shore was about 9 ft deep! [Popped-up with help from my detector in one hand and scoop in the other periodically for air. Just when I thought I was going to have to release my weight belt in order to pop-up like a cork to breath; I started to walk on an incline and surfaced just in time.]

Rule #4. Know the weather, wind, surf conditions. If the conditions favor rip-tides (and particularly if you see signs of riptides forming), hunt dry sand!

Rule #5. In the ocean or Gulf, shuffle your feet so as not to step on a stingray.

Rule #6. Know how to recover a target with your eyes closed. In the water, you often do not see your coil, feet or anything on the bottom. Everything has to be done by feel (foot touching coil, scoop touching foot) to recover a target in water.

Rule #7. Use a waterproof, multi-frequency (or FBS or PI) detector for hunting in salt water.

Rule #8. Rinse your equipment with fresh water immediately after you leave the hunt. Take fresh water with you if none is available at the beach to rinse detector, pointer, wetsuit, etc.

Rule #9. Know what the hell you're doing BEFORE you hit the water. Read books, look at web stuff, bla, bla bla, etc., etc. But know what you're getting into. Salt water (ocrean, gulf, etc.) is a hostile environment. You can seriously injure and even kill yourself if you don't know what you're doing and aren't prepared. At the same time, water hunting is a unique metal detector hunting experience and sometimes you're amply rewarded.

Happy Hunting

 

[cyperpc]

I agree, the only things I have tied to me out in the surf is my finds pouch and pin pointer. You need to keep a firm grip on that scoop too. The first time a wave slams the basket into your shins will make you a lot more careful!

You are right about holding that scoop. My two fears was dropping the scope and not finding it or the wave crashing the scoop into my leg. I did not what to tie a rope to it because I felt the rope would get tangled or rap around my neck or something.

 

[OBN]

You are right about holding that scoop. My two fears was dropping the scope and not finding it or the wave crashing the scoop into my leg. I did not what to tie a rope to it because I felt the rope would get tangled or rap around my neck or something.

Always had my scoops on a rope with a hoop to go around my wrist. Ten years never a problem shallow or deep. You just have to know the conditions and warnings before getting wet. And one thing I use to do all of the time was wear a manual inflate PFD at locations I was not familiar with specially when hunting deep ocean water. Most of my hunting now is in the Chesapeake Bay, rarely do I use one anymore, since the average depth of the bay is 3 feet. I do have one river I hunt that I still wear a PDF MI, some nasty drop off's. Bottom line is knowing your beach's habit's, being wise, and aware of.

 

[RustyGold]

Timing is everything, early morning at the ocean water is calmer, once the sun is in full swing waves get more intense. This is also feeding time for the big fish. Another thing is get out beyond the breakers and bounce with the rollers as there coming in, ocean waves are timed further a part, and never turn your back on the incoming, always blade yourself, less resistance, less to get pushed. IN close where the waves are breaking your going to get hammered so stay away from this unless it's the little guys. When I am deep I tether my scoop, in the cycle between rollers (4 to 6 seconds) you dig, as the roller comes thru you dig the scoop in where the target is and jump with the roller (or just take it over the head if wearing a weight belt), the tether keeps you from loosing the scoop and hopefully oriented to get back to work on the target. Been a long time since I hunted the ruff surf, now hunt the bay, a totally different animal and one you still have to be at the top of your game. Number one rule, never push beyond safe, no matter where you hunt. I can't count the times I have left targets in a deep hole, walking away for I felt I was at my limit...Good Luck.

Great advice OBN