Panning—Where to Start

[StoryWriter85]

I’m new to prospecting and am doing research for a novel. I've been told that when panning a creek, you’re supposed to start near the mouth and go up until you find flakes or dust…then keep panning upstream until you stop finding it.

Is this ALWAYS how it should be done? Or can people start in the middle and pan downstream until they stop finding deposits? Wondering if it can work both directions.

 

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[Johnnybravo300]

Or he came to the headwaters first as he crossed over a mtn range, so he worked downstream instead.
I'm sure it was done that way plenty of times.

 

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[Assembler]

Or he came to the headwaters first as he crossed over a mtn range, so he worked downstream instead.
I'm sure it was done that way plenty of times.

Correct there is a number of reasons to start at the headwaters.

 

[StoryWriter85]

Most people would go upstream for the reasons pointed out. With that being said depending on the storyline perhaps the time is short and winter is coming soon. Perhaps as a green horn John Doe decided to jump to the head waters of the stream and not finding much in the pan other then fine dust makes the decision to move downstream. Most would at that point would head down stream to see if they could start hitting on the flakes of gold where it is entering the stream. Especially if John Doe knows the stream contains large flakes of gold from say a trip before.

There also could be a logistic reason to start at the headwater of the stream and that is trail or road access is best at the headwaters and perhaps the mouth of the stream both would be the best access points to test pan the stream. Boots on the ground is needed in between.

I did point out that John Doe headed down stream only on the stream and not the little feeder creek where the large flakes are coming from. The same is true if the source of the flakes is coming from a hill side into the stream. The panning starts for most in a stream heading to the source of better values even if the source is heading away from the flowing water.

I hope this helps as this is just ideas. There is no real single answer.

Well again you’ve been very helpful. Thank you very much

 

[Assembler]

Well again you’ve been very helpful. Thank you very much

You are welcome. Let me know how the novel book goes.

 

[BoulderTroll]

I have no idea about all of the characters in the novel because I did not "Assemble" the chapters of the novel book.............LOL.

I see what you did there haha

The novel has a character who knows about prospecting. So he would know to start lower and pan upstream. So I think I just made a mistake.

He did find gold farther up this same creek in the past…so would it work to say he simply went downstream hoping to get lucky and find more flakes from another source?

I have heard a couple times where some people prefer to go downstream to look for the good deposits. The reason being, the fine gold is much more plentiful than the larger gold. The spring floods can easily move this stuff downstream, as where it takes a 100-year flood to move the bigger gold. (I'm sure it someone can explain better than this)

He knew that river has gold. He knows there's bigger pieces to be found upstream. But he also knows the river has lots of fine gold, and the places that the fine gold collects can be quite rich, and the deposits are much larger. He wasn't searching for a quick paycheck, he was looking for that life changing amount of gold.

I think there's a way to be able to explain working downstream. Rivers and streams have their own little quirks. If he's very knowledgeable about this river, he might know some things that others don't.

 

[Assembler]

I see what you did there haha

I have heard a couple times where some people prefer to go downstream to look for the good deposits. The reason being, the fine gold is much more plentiful than the larger gold. The spring floods can easily move this stuff downstream, as where it takes a 100-year flood to move the bigger gold. (I'm sure it someone can explain better than this)

He knew that river has gold. He knows there's bigger pieces to be found upstream. But he also knows the river has lots of fine gold, and the places that the fine gold collects can be quite rich, and the deposits are much larger. He wasn't searching for a quick paycheck, he was looking for that life changing amount of gold.

I think there's a way to be able to explain working downstream. Rivers and streams have their own little quirks. If he's very knowledgeable about this river, he might know some things that others don't.

My guess the novel may not get real technical about John Doe panning down the stream. With that being said perhaps someone aware of force on the size, shape, and surface area of different values such as gold will determine the fall out or drop out from a current of water. The larger flat flakes will drop out differently then a non flat roundish fine color values. If John Doe is aware of this he will likely pan at different locations in a given area of the stream etc.

I can't wait for the life changing point of the story................

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

Not knowing how people will pan up the stream the green horn John Doe tried to jump the gun and just pan at the headwaters first and still found the finer dust gold there. Not giving up John Doe decided to travel on foot heading down the stream to a point where the bigger flakes started to show up right at the small creek that spills into the stream then making the decision to head up that small creek drainage to see if he can locate the source...............

I have no idea about all of the characters in the novel because I did not "Assemble" the chapters of the novel book.............LOL. With that being said perhaps John Doe decided to jump the gun and pan first at the head waters first? Perhaps there was a time limit for John Doe to find some good flakes?
Perhaps John Doe was part of some rush out there?

History shows that there tends to be some green horn prospectors that head out not knowing any better and still finding something worth claiming and working.

Resistance is futile, you shall be "Assembleated"

 

[tahomatom]

I’m new to prospecting and am doing research for a novel. I've been told that when panning a creek, you’re supposed to start near the mouth and go up until you find flakes or dust…then keep panning upstream until you stop finding it.

Is this ALWAYS how it should be done? Or can people start in the middle and pan downstream until they stop finding deposits? Wondering if it can work both directions.

Try panning the moss. Sometimes you find clinkers in it😊

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Also if it was glaciated like here in Colorado and there was a terminal moraine it would be towards the bottom.
Usually that's where the best gold is too.