Tips for the Great Lakes

[Turtleman]

To all,
I recently returned to the Great Lakes region after three years in school in SoCal. Anyone have any advice about hunting the Great Lakes? I am especially interested in the way sand moves in a Great Lake compared to the ocean. Obviously, there are less waves in the lakes but sometimes we get big waves, too. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
T-Man

 

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[kaptainkosmic]

a couple sites that might help?

t man i use these sites to determine water temp and wave height before heading to lake michigan.

http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/twomichigans.html
http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/LM/844.html
http://www.weathermichigan.net/marine/waveheight.html

the trough between the beach and the sandbar is usually where i do well.

becareful of the rips!
and the water temp this time of year doesn't take long to put you in danger!

hope this helps.

hh steve

 

[Northern Lights]

Hi:
I'm on lake Huron & Georgian Bay and usually when we get a storm or high winds, it just moves the sand in. The wave action is minor in comparison to storms on the ocean, and does not produce any cuts and there is no real undertow. A few days of cross winds, will move some of the sand, or a lot of calm days in a row will allow the natural current of the lake to erode some of the sand. It's a game of inches, from day to day and that's where those weak and whisper signals can pay off. That's why I like a pulse for the depth, you dig a bit of junk, but it's just exercise which is good for you anyway. If your lucky enough to find a very sheltered bay
( through research ), the hunting may be better. Sometimes, there are bays off some of the islands where the boaters congregate and swim, but be prepared to dig a lot pulltabs and beer caps and you will have to get there by boat.
I agree with Steve, some of the best hunting is in the troughs between sandbars and there can be numerious sandbars
depending on the beach or area. Do the flats when it's too rough to get out into the troughs.

terry

 

[Sandman]

Terry and Steve gave excellent advice. The sand doesn't move around as much as it does in the saltwater as the tides are less and storm wave action is lots less too. Still hunting the areas between the sand bars is very productive. You aren't hindered by the saltwater and black sand making many detectors unstable either. While a good Pulse detector is very deep, sometimes you save yourself from digging deep holes for bobby pins and such with the use of a Minelab Excal that has Iron Mask.

Just get out there and enjoy the fun and good luck.
Sandman