I have a question about knights ferry,ca and anyone who has panned there.

[Santafe308]

i have herd that it is only pans and hand trowels.and also herd that its only pans and spoons?? a spoon just sounds so unproductive.
but in any case i have a few tools id like to use here and want to know what anyone has gotten away with here and not had hassle with them. like a small hand metal rake or a mini hoe or tools of that manor small in stature. a spoon would work for small stuff getting a few scoops from a crack/hole but use only a spoon for everything all day is discouraging to me. i would think a plastic and a metal hand shovel would be the main tools id LIKE too be using plus the 2 pans i have the 14 and 18 inch. Ive herd of people bringing in a sluice and having the ranger take his gold and that's what i want to avoid i don't mind taking risks but also don't want to ruin it for future panning there.

 

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[aarthrj3811]

The only thing I know about Knights Ferry is that it is great for catching Catfish at night

 

[Santafe308]

that's always good to know.

 

[Santafe308]

in a few weeks im going to find out the "rules" at this spot and ill post them up here to share, just have to wait till after paying tags on my ol pickup. even tho i need no smog the tags are $175 for a 1971 truck.......

 

[Russ ECV58]

There is a sign with the rules posted right there in the parking area. unless the rules have changed with the new year, it's pans and hand trowels, and only allowed to dig within a certain distance from the water. on the flip side of that, they also allow metal detectors as well.

 

[Santafe308]

went to knights ferry last weekend and had no luck no color in any pans have to go back again soon and try some more farther up stream.anyone want to share there spots at this location?

 

[Santafe308]

unless finding a crusty 1999 penny in the pan while sifting out glass and rocks is a 1 cent find.

 

[Santafe308]

Well went back to knights ferry again yesterday and worked a new spot to me, And what do ya know i stuck gold not any amount to brag about but enough to see it with the eye and get it with the trusty mustard bottle snuffer. found bout 4 visible flakes all from the same pan found this pan about 5 pans in testing the area. made me happy and showing my lady the pan finally showed her i could find gold haha unlike the microscopic specks i claim is gold to her from the other pans . when i got home i also remembered i removed a couple magnets from a old hard drive there the neodymium magnets and used that to move a majority of the black sands to the side of my pan worked well.

 

[aarthrj3811]

A little trick I learned a long time ago….Put the magnet in a plastic bag….Pull the plastic off and you have a clean magnet again…Art

 

[Santafe308]

great idea should have done this last night i just had the magnet under the pan and moved it till all was in a pile and scraped off in to a jar to save for what i dont know make a home made eche a sketch ? lol

 

[aarthrj3811]

Any time that you use a magnet to move black sand you have to be very careful that the gold is not hiding in the glob on the magnet….Shake the pan and get the black sand down to the riffles….The gold should now be in the bend in the pan….Tap the front of the pan and the black sand should move back revealing the gold….Pick any silver looking stuff out of the pan….Don’t put it in with your gold..If it is mercury covered gold it many migrate to your other gold…Now dry the black sand out side on a hot plate….When it is hot and dry dump it into ice water….That tends to crack some of it. Now start over…Art

 

[golden sluice]

I've also heard nights ferry has good catfish there. Those catfish love junkfood... marshmallows, bacon, cheese, balled up bread. I went fishing there once. Goodtimes with my brother, he caught a heavy fish with bacon.

 

[aarthrj3811]

I found that Chicken liver (left out in the sun for a few days always worked good..Every time I go prospecting I always take these with me….two 5 gallon plastic buckets. Screens that fit the bucket..1/2 inch, ¼ inch and 1/8 inch….I also take a metal milk create lined with ¼ inch hard ware clothe…Two gold pans….If I am digging close to water I keep the bucket full of water…I dig into the pan and dump it into the bucket with the ½ inch screened bucket…It is easy to clean all the dirt from the rocks…If I am away from water I just screen it…I may pan what’s in the bucket or screen it down more…I never take anything that is not screened to 1/8 inch home with me…Art

 

[QNCrazy]

I live in Oakdale, just down the road from Knights Ferry. There are several locations along the Stan where gold can be found. I did some extensive research on the rules of the Stanislaus River Parks. After months of research and calling the Army Corp of Engineers, I found the rules that state the District Commander sets the rules for prospecting. I also spoke with the staff at the visitor center in Knights Ferry. The advised me if they caught anyone using anything other than a trowel and pan, they would only be cited. I too have heard the story of someone's gold and gear being taken. Not sure what the truth is especially when the visitor center staff said anything found valued at more than $20 has to be turned in to the center. Yeah right! My advice is not to work too close or in any of the parks themselves. Walk up or down stream until you find a secluded location. When I first moved here last year and before I knew the rules, I used shovels, buckets, classifiers, and a sluice. I have since found other more profitable areas without regulations within an hours drive.

P. S. Anyone looking for someone to go prospecting I'm game.

 

[Santafe308]

open locations in the Jamestown/Sonora/Columbia area or beyond would be greatly appreciated starting to get a few of my friends into it. some were paying out better than knights ferry would be awesome.

 

[QNCrazy]

You can use the LR2000 on the BLM website to find out what is claimed and what isn't. What I have discovered is that anywhere there is a road within a half mile from a creek, stream, or river, is claimed. If you don't mind packing in a mile or two, there is unclaimed ground. Be mindful of private property as well. BLM has tools to help you figure that out as well. Here is a pic of my take from highbanking last weekend on Sullivan Creek.

 

[Santafe308]

Is Sullivan Creek open in areas?

 

[QNCrazy]

I have found areas along the creek from its origin above Phoenix Lake and below where it crosses Mono Way in Sonora. Everything else downstream is either privately owned or landlocked by privately owned property. The trick is to use the tools i mentioned in my previous post and get out there and drive the roads that follow the creeks. You will find access points along the roads. Again, be mindful of private property and claimed areas.

 

[Santafe308]

well i tried the lr2000 had a hard time using that site

 

[QNCrazy]

well i tried the lr2000 had a hard time using that site

To use LR2000, you need to understand how to read the maps; Meridians, Townships, Ranges, and Sections. If you are not sure, maybe we could meet up somewhere and I can show you or PM me your number and I'll call you. There is also a mapping program called Geocommunicator which I use in conjunction with LR2000. It took me a while to figure it out, that's why I don't mind helping others understand it. All prospectors, new and old, need to know how to use these programs to avoid claimjumping and trespassing.