New To Gold Panning

[WeekendProspector13]

So i just started panning and went on my first trip today and went to creek here in washington and and when i was panning i couldnt find any gold. I found some shiny gold looking little flakes but i took them out and when i shinned a light on them they looked silverish?? Im havin trouble finding gold and i was wondering if you guys had any tips on where to look for gold and panning tips? also how do i know its gold?

Thanks,
Chandler

 

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[DesertNuggets]

Not every area has gold. Make sure you're looking in an area where gold has been found before.

As for tips try digging behind big rocks and cleaning the dirt out of cracks and crevices in bedrock.

 

[Gold Maven]

Radio Shack sells a pocket 30x microscope for ten bucks or so, that really helped me when I was starting out.

Even the smallest speck looks like a large gold nugget under 30x magnification.

 

[WeekendProspector13]

Ok thanks for the tips

 

[B H Prospector]

HI WP13,

first go to places that has had gold found before. Then look on the inside bends of streams. gravel bars,arounf and under large rocks and boulders both in and out of the water. Look for bedrock and clean out all the material found in the cracks and depressions. As for what gold looks like, it will look just like a gold wedding ring. when you find gold in your pan take it into the sun. Notice the lustre of it. Now shade it with your hand. If the lustre is the same it is real gold. If it changes in lustre or color it isn't. I suggest you buy a bag on panning cons from a reputable seller like Felix pay dirt or a member here named Kuger. Shop and buy what you can afford but it will then show you what gold looks like. Once you learn what it looks like you will always remember and want more.

Good Luck!

B H Prospector

 

[TerryC]

Welcome to the net, 13. B H and the others have good advice. I would just add two things.... First, once you see real gold, you will never make a mistake again as to what it looks like. Second, 30X may be a little too high. (just my opinion). The standard size reccomended by and for geologists is 10X. That seems to be the highest power yet retains good definition. You'll get alot of info on this Tnet.... the best, most long lived "treasure hunting" site, on the net. Enjoy yourself. You are among friends with a common purpose! TTC

 

[kuger]

sounds like mica,great nfo above....I just posted this for another fellow,so I will paste it here too
The main thing is learn how to pan,everything in mining comes back to a pan,and unless you can pan you arent much of a miner.As I said take some samples in your yard,whats it hurt?Take some lead fishing weights....leave em round,a lot of people say smash em.....dont,a flat piece stays in the pan much better...go with the round...challenge yourself.....throw three or four in the pan with some dirt/sand,if ya have all of em when your done,your doing good,now work on pannng ALL the dirt/sand out and keeping the balls,when you get good at that,give me a holler,and I will send you some black sand ....you just pay the shipping.Put your lead in there,and when you can pan that and keep em.....you can say,"I am a panner"

 

[mattfink]

someone posted this in a different thread....its very useful so I saved it

 

[delnorter]

Good advice guys. Take Kuger up on his challenge Chandler. You'll learn fast and I'm sure you will know what gold looks like afterwards.

Mike

 

[AlwaysBusyJ]

Everyone else already took the words right out of my mouth. I second the idea of buying a little paydirt, it's not that expensive, and you already know it has gold. And by the time you finish the paydirt you'll have no doubt whether you have gold or not, it's hard to mistake the look of it and how it moves in the pan.

Also, I'm curious how much dirt you panned on your first trip. Sometimes it takes awhile to get on the gold, especially when you're just starting out. If you don't find anything in your first pan or two... move around and try different areas. Even if you're in an area you know holds gold, it doesn't mean you'll find some in every pan. Most people move a whole lot of dirt just to find a tiny amount of gold, so don't get discouraged. The more dirt you move the better chance you have of finding some colors.

And if you haven't started doing it already... make sure you're classifying your material! Washington usually has smaller gold, so you'll make life a lot easier and save a lot of time if you get rid of the bigger stuff. Keep going, it'll all be worth it when you see gold in the bottom of your pan!

 

[WeekendProspector13]

Everyone else already took the words right out of my mouth. I second the idea of buying a little paydirt, it's not that expensive, and you already know it has gold. And by the time you finish the paydirt you'll have no doubt whether you have gold or not, it's hard to mistake the look of it and how it moves in the pan.

Also, I'm curious how much dirt you panned on your first trip. Sometimes it takes awhile to get on the gold, especially when you're just starting out. If you don't find anything in your first pan or two... move around and try different areas. Even if you're in an area you know holds gold, it doesn't mean you'll find some in every pan. Most people move a whole lot of dirt just to find a tiny amount of gold, so don't get discouraged. The more dirt you move the better chance you have of finding some colors.

And if you haven't started doing it already... make sure you're classifying your material! Washington usually has smaller gold, so you'll make life a lot easier and save a lot of time if you get rid of the bigger stuff. Keep going, it'll all be worth it when you see gold in the bottom of your pan!

The first time i went we got panned about 10 pans and then filled up 2 5 gallon buckets and we went through all but a little bit left in one bucket and didnt find anything, we still have a little left cause we went out again to a different creek and got 4 buckets full and i found 3 small flakes i think, i think im gunna go do the fishing weight thing cause im really into fishing and have a bunch of weights. Do you guys know any good creeks for gold? I was on google maps and found a bunch of creeks on the north fork skykomish river, the creeks we went to were money creek and olney creek, nothing at money and 5 little specs at olney. I think i want to explore olney creek more cause its a really beautiful creek! Thanks for the tips

 

[Oldyoungtimer]

That's the million dollar question. Where to go to find the gold. From my six months of experience is it's a big secret to the locals. Who would want you to dig gold they can dig up later? The internet is a little more liberal with information and had nicer people lol. I'll tell you this much it's not as easy as it sounds but if you don't mind getting skunked a lot the reward is much more fulfilling. It took me four trips to three different creeks to get me to find my tiny piece. I thought I was crazy for running around the Forrest digging in creeks lol. One you see it you know for sure and more than likely you will be hooked! Good luck!

 

[mattfink]

That's the million dollar question. Where to go to find the gold. From my six months of experience is it's a big secret to the locals. Who would want you to dig gold they can dig up later? The internet is a little more liberal with information and had nicer people lol. I'll tell you this much it's not as easy as it sounds but if you don't mind getting skunked a lot the reward is much more fulfilling. It took me four trips to three different creeks to get me to find my tiny piece. I thought I was crazy for running around the Forrest digging in creeks lol. One you see it you know for sure and more than likely you will be hooked! Good luck!

Haha ain't that the truth there is a group of us here in mn and wi that share where we find gold and help newcomers and tell them where to look. We're trying to build our hobby and share do's and don'ts with newcomers so they don't make a mistake and get in trouble. we help our fellow prospectors.

 

[WeekendProspector13]

Haha ain't that the truth there is a group of us here in mn and wi that share where we find gold and help newcomers and tell them where to look. We're trying to build our hobby and share do's and don'ts with newcomers so they don't make a mistake and get in trouble. we help our fellow prospectors.

Haha im also lookin for a pannin buddy, my dad and i could use some tips and help out on the water! Also there is this tiny creek in my neighborhood that im pretty sure doesnt have gold but idk. Im wondering if i should pan it or if i would just be wasting my time?

 

[mattfink]

Haha im also lookin for a pannin buddy, my dad and i could use some tips and help out on the water! Also there is this tiny creek in my neighborhood that im pretty sure doesnt have gold but idk. Im wondering if i should pan it or if i would just be wasting my time?

I learned panning by just getting out and going down to the mississippi river I never found anything there but I learned the technique if you end up with black sand in the bottom your doing it right, it took my 8 months to finally find find gold. I just looked on google to find streams went there and tried it and it payed off. I would pan that creek it can't hurt the trick is know where in the creek to look, behind rocks and inside bends are the best places to start.

 

[WeekendProspector13]

Ok if im not going to my friends dirt bike race tomorrow ill try it out!