Can anyone suggest a metal detector for finding gold in rivers

[joesdigs]

Hey guys, I'm about to embark on my first season of gold prospecting and detecting. I would be so grateful if you could recommend a good detector for use in rivers and streams. I currently use an explorer xs for coin and relic but upon reading reviews it seems it won't be up
To the task of gold prospecting or is it? Thank you all in advance .... I hope

 

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[Roscue2]

If you are going to be mding for gold in streams and rivers for gold you are going to want a waterproof machine. You could buy a gold machine and mod it into a waterproof machine, or buy a dedicated waterproof gold machine. The only waterproof gold machine that I can think of at the moment is the Garrett AT Gold. Are there any others, more experienced gold hunters?

 

[Hoser John]

Tesoro--guaranteed forever-has 2 models-sand and tiger sharks--one vlf and one pulse. Garreet has the infenium a pulse unit. Fisher has the aquanaut 1280 X designation,name change? Anyhow quite a few really. Pulse better for salt water but vlf finds smaller targets--pulse virtually no discrimination but vlf you can do but all metal mode to hunt-then flip the switch to help ID with disc. Pros and cons to them both. To hunt creeks and envirom your MUCH smarter to get a waterproof unit as you WILL end up in the water,short pole mandatory for underwater. Sooo nice when it's 115+ to snorkel around all nice and cool like-John

 

[joesdigs]

Excellent info there guys will keep you all posted on my purchase....

 

[Jason in Enid]

Are you wanting to search for lost gold jewelry in rivers or are you wanting to find nuggets? There are some very good nugget machines, but none of them are waterproof. The ones made for use underwater aren't great nugget machines because they aren't even close to sensitive enough.

 

[trinityau]

Hello Joesdigs, are you wanting a fully submersible detector or a detector to walk through the water and detect bedrock you can reach? If you are not diving and just want to detect bedrock in the streambed then I would say the Fisher GB Pro. It is waterproof and will detect sub-grain gold underwater just as good as on dry ground. The Ferrous indicator is fantastic for finding patterns of black sand in a stream. Last year I sniped just the areas that I got signals on and did very well. You will narrow down your time by not working non-paying bedrock and go for the gold in the productive zones. TRINITYAU/RAYMILLS

 

[nsdq]

Talk to Aquachigger he is the river an stream guy he may be able to help you out

 

[joesdigs]

Thank you guys.... Yes Trinity I will be walking in streams and rivers looking for bedrock outcrops and black sand a gravel bars.... The Garret sounds perfect.. Love the pics. I'm actually in Ireland and have spent the last six months researching particular areas and some old documents on gold finds here... So it's going to be an exciting year ahead to see if I can find it. I know a Lot of people try but I'm not sure they research first as most forums over here are guys asking where the gold is. But I have all my areas marked out and I'm even confident that there's quite a bit. Anyway thank you and I'll research that detector tonight. And I'll keep you all posted of my quest for the Irish gold

 

[NeoTokyo]

If you dont plan to get the entire unit wet then the Gold Bug Pro (like Ray said) would be a very good detector to use.

 

[joesdigs]

Yes seems to be the detector I need... Even If I was calling it a Garrett

 

[NeoTokyo]

Also being in Ireland you can use it to hunt for relics and have a great chance at finding really cool relics.
A larger coil to cover more area for relic hunting would be a good idea.

 

[joesdigs]

Yes Neo.. I have an explorer xs and have been doing quite well with it. I've only been detecting a few months and still learning every chance I get. I intend to keep detecting with it but as a personal quest I am going to prove to myself that I can find gold in Ireland where most people have failed.. Not for the money but for the adventure of it. I have researched and read as much as possible on the subject and it will soon be time to put it all into practice joe

 

[ezzz1]

The Garrett AT gold is a very good machine for small pickers. and good for about 10 ft using underwater ..;.. but not a salt water machine.. it can also be adjusted in high mineralized soil.... by a PLus or negative setting great feature in some parts of Ga. it did pick up where other detector would not. at a depth of 4 inches.......but as with most detectors ,,, all detectors will pick up gold it all depend on size of the nugget. The gold bug II is another good machine it just not an underwater machine

 

[Fullpan]

Hey Joe - just finished a short browse of Ireland's gold occurence and history. Looks like you could be onto something good over there, depending on your
location! Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

[joesdigs]

Hey Fullpan. I'm in the north west in donegal. Wicklow was the major gold rush in the 1700's. Locals discovered gold in the river now called the gold mines. One nugget of 25 ounces was found. And in total 300 kg from that one area. I've identified a couple of places in my area or close to me. One being a town that sits on a mass sulphide. The other a river that runs from the sperrin mountains In county Tyrone So will be interesting .. Joe

 

[joesdigs]

Hey Fullpan. I'm in the north west in donegal. Wicklow was the major gold rush in the 1700's. Locals discovered gold in the river now called the gold mines. One nugget of 25 ounces was found. And in total 300 kg from that one area. I've identified a couple of places in my area or close to me. One being a town that sits on a mass sulphide. The other a river that runs from the sperrin mountains In county Tyrone So will be interesting .. Joe

 

[joesdigs]

Hey Fullpan. I'm in the north west in donegal. Wicklow was the major gold rush in the 1700's. Locals discovered gold in the river now called the gold mines. One nugget of 25 ounces was found. And in total 300 kg from that one area. I've identified a couple of places in my area or close to me. One being a town that sits on a mass sulphide. The other a river that runs from the sperrin mountains In county Tyrone So will be interesting .. Joe

 

[Jason in Enid]

Does anyone use a gold dredge over there?

 

[joesdigs]

I think lose people pan using a shovel and classifier then pan... Where I will be using a hand dredge and river sluice... Then pan...

 

[Fullpan]

I see that the big mining corps. have a lot of environmental hoops to overcome like in the Cavanacaw open pit, just like the U.S. - do they have regs. and
restrictions on small scale mining also?