What clues should I look for in a creek?

[oldblues]

What encouraging signs should I for when looking for a place to pan for gold?? (small stream) I am an absolute beginner.

 

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[B H Prospector]

Hi Oldblues,
welcome to prospecting. Look at the inside bends of the creek for gravel bars. Depending on the size of the creek and depth and the size of the gravel bar you may have to dig pretty deep to get the good gold but there could be gold in different quantities throughout the bar. Also look for benches, (gravel deposits left by old channels or that were deposited during flood times.) These benches could be any place from just a few feet from the creek to 100 yds or more away and even half way up a mountainside. One of my claims has a bench about 40 ft above the creek and 80 yds away. The claim next to mine has the bench about 100ft away from the creek but is 100 ft. above it. Both have proved to be pretty rich. Also look for exposed bedrock both in and out of the water. If it is in the water you will need some sort of suction device such as a dredge or a hand suction tube. In both instances, wet and dry, you want to clean the depressions and cracks of material the best you can. Break open the cracks if you can to do as good a job as possible. Look also along the bank for exposed roots and round river rock. Dig on the upstream and down stream side of boulders and large rocks near the edge of the creek and on the banks. If there is large boulders in the creek work them also but unless the water flow is very slow you will angain need a suction device. Hope this is helpful.

Good Luck

B H Prospector

 

[TerryC]

What encouraging signs should I for when looking for a place to pan for gold?? (small stream) I am an absolute beginner.

Welcome aboard, oldblues. If you are an absolute begginer, you started at the same place we all did! You will need to learn more than this thread can possibly teach so my suggestion to you is hook up with a mentor.... club..... or group in your area and go out to the stream as often as possible to learn the tips and tricks. Good books and videos will go far but nothing beats the question and answer potential of a mentor at stream-side. If you have some bucks and you live near Jamestown, CA you can even get stream-side classes. TTC

 

[kuger]

What encouraging signs should I for when looking for a place to pan for gold?? (small stream) I am an absolute beginner.

Welcome aboard, oldblues. If you are an absolute begginer, you started at the same place we all did! You will need to learn more than this thread can possibly teach so my suggestion to you is hook up with a mentor.... club..... or group in your area and go out to the stream as often as possible to learn the tips and tricks. Good books and videos will go far but nothing beats the question and answer potential of a mentor at stream-side. If you have some bucks and you live near Jamestown, CA you can even get stream-side classes. TTC

..if you have "Bucks",and are anywhere near Jamestown,I will,"Mentor",ya!!!!

 

[Armchair prospector]

Don't get discouraged, hang in there, especially when you get skunked. It will happen. That is the learning curve. We never stop learning.

 

[Klondikeike]

Hey oldblues,

Welcome aboard and to the great prospecting hobby...

I have been at it for over 40 years.. consider myself a professional miner... but can tell you for sure.. the first several years, as I look back, I am so glad I didn't quit my day job....

As some have stated here... visit some clubs until you find one you are comfortable being around the members.. find one or two who you "click" with easily and in whom they have some experience...

Read... read.. and then apply..apply.. apply.. just get out as often as possible and pan, sluice, metal detect..or what have you... just remember, it is unlikely you will find much gold laying on top of any stream bed... you will normally need to dig down deep...or maybe to bedrock to locate any gold...but what gold is on top will be a reasonably good indicator what lies unseen deeper...as gold gets bigger as one go deeper into the soil..or stream gravels... Where there is a sand/gravel bar, it is there because of a significant change in the bedrock formation.. when this occurs, usually gold will be found in places like this, IF there is any gold at all in the stream...

Practice, practice practice...Oh..and then more practice, practice practice....

Please always post your questions here, no matter how simple your question may sound to you.. others here will offer you advice and answers... every one here was a beginner at one time in their lives...

Good luck to you... it is a long and slow learning curve..for sure..but a very fun one and if you can endure the curve... it may be rewarding too...


Klondike...

 

[freddy williams]

check out the 49's mining supply you can join it also they have allot of good info on gold and it related info. Trust me the bug doesn't go away anytime soon I have had it for about 3 years now. I don't get out much because the funds are scarce but I almost find gold in speck and mini nuggets invest in a good scale later down the road I bought a MX-500 it is awesome has 4 different setting so far I have sluiced panned and dredged about 3 grams in the small stuff. Like everyone says don't get discouraged because the gold does come along just a little by little they one day you'll hit the big nuggets and maybe take a little time off work I know it is my plans. Replace my income so I can go traveling and gold hunting.. Good luck and may the dirt in your pan be golden

 

[gold doc]

Hi all, Iam a begginer and posted for help in the general gold section here. This posting has answered some questions I have. Yall sure are helpful here, Thank you. I'm excited already.

 

[freddy williams]

Everyone on here has alot of excellent opinions listen closely to them all especiallt the not to give up. The first 5 times I went out I found nothing. Then it started happening Gold started showing up in my pan in my sluice box. Then I got laid off my only set back right now. Back to work an the gold bug is kickin in worse than ever.so far I have about 4 grams. my bigest find was .625 th of a gram one outting. Soon as I get my first check I will post some picture. May all the sands in your pan contain gold.... don't forget to roast the black sands and dump it in ise water it will fracture out the fine and powder gold from the sands. Also check out 49's web site and check out some of the info Dave McCracken has out there it is a big help to me... HH and god speed

 

[ohiochris]

It makes a difference where you are located. I am still just a beginner myself , but what Ive learned so far is that it depends on whether you are going after gold that has been worn away from a lode or vein somewhere and washed downstream , or going after placer dust moved there by glaciers. Gold pretty much all acts the same once it hits the water but depending on its source you may have to look in different areas to find it , and the location of the creek can determine whether there is any gold even there or not.

 

[Goodyguy]

What encouraging signs should I for when looking for a place to pan for gold?? (small stream) I am an absolute beginner.

What everyone else said ........ and here's some more.
http://www.angelfire.com/ga4/orlandogpaa/StreamGold.html

GG~

 

[Lanny in AB]

If your stream cuts through bedrock, always, always test the bedrock thoroughly. It's a great place to find gold as it traps it and holds it until you free it. Check all cracks and crevices. If it's in sheets--pry them apart and pan every tiny bit of material. If you find a crevice, widen it and clean it past what you think is the bottom.

All the best,

Lanny