Where would u dredge on this river?

[Strebs]

Been prospecting this stretch of river... The hard pack about 3 feet then I hit a hard clay layer, best clean out so far been .3... Been thinking with such a small river might be in the gut of the river, the patent claim that touches my claim up stream averaged 75 cents to the ton in 1897 figure got to be some good gold here. Any advice for a new dredger would be appreciated
Thanks, Strebs

 

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[Jason in Enid]

Without an aerial view, it's hard to tell, but from just that little pic I would start on the "right hand" side of that island. This is assuming that the flow is coming behind the island and not from behind you. A lot depends on the longer view and how that river runs when flooding. If its curving around from the left then that left side of the island might be better.

 

[winners58]

in an area where it slows down look for where the bigger rock starts to drop out and the bottom starts to slope up, start in the middle go left and right.
I'd say closer to the split channel down stream but each area is different, maybe sample and drop back 30' at a time,
check the rubber mat or pan out the top of the box often. once you get on the pay line might do better to stay on top of the clay layer.

 

[Strebs]

Jason, the river is coming from behind me in this picture, where my finger is, is where I had the .3 looks like must be a change in bedrock the left side is lower than the right
Thanks, strebs

 

[Strebs]

Winner, I was thinking about the bigger rocks I cleared about two feet square of the clay layer here...I noticed the boulders on the left side but figured was on the outside bend, but thinking of a giant flood and the gravel bar on the left side I will punch a hole there tomorrow
Thanks for the input, strebs

 

[ecmjamsit]

You could get aerial view from Google Earth. It is a free download!

 

[winners58]

I've sampled and sampled then after several days sampling when I finally find a good streak its usually only 5 feet off from one of my spots.
Keep at it you'll find it, if there's good gold up river there has to be something, work it systematically the paystreak could be only a few feet wide.

 

[Hoser John]

Slow side of the gravel bar-left on the pic. BUT bedrock rules gold recovery so that's what I always look for first. Mother Nature does 90% of the pay streak concentration work and miners always make it when the bedrocks up---John

 

[Reed Lukens]

In high water, the heaviest gold will drop at the head of that bar. I would get as close to the bar as you can and see if any big gold comes out of there because that's where it will stop. The river widens during run-off but that bar in the middle is the top end of a drop zone. It either has gold or it doesn't. Then go left and punch some holes upstream if you find gold. This way you can track the gold path. But... If there's bedrock showing anywhere, that is where I would start.

 

[jere64ca]

I would move up closer to the head of the pool as Reed has suggested then dredge a cross cut across nearly the whole creek from bank to bank. The goal being to find the bedrock gut of the creek, as Hoser suggested, bedrock of course rules and the deepest old channel on bedrock rules supreme, which does not necessarily lie in the middle of the current creek.

 

[Goodyguy]

Rule of thumb is to draw a straight line from inside bend to inside bend and follow the line.
But as previously stated, bedrock and the cracks in it trump the rule of thumb.

GG~

 

[ORAUhunter]

My 2 cents is the good line is to the far left using Reeds's pic above. Look in the background and you'll see the mountain coming down from the right. That's your inside bend. Think big water flowing as tall as those trees on the island.

 

[Strebs]

Hello, Thanks guys for all the replies. I think i was finally getting into a good area, the yellow circle was my last hole didn't get to the clay layer unfortunately had to come home for supplies, But this was the first time that i found large steel cables, a bunch of lead, and what looked like an old semi brake drum. The red is my first hole, arrow shows river direction. Over burden was a lot deeper there close to 4 feet. I'm going up again for 3 weeks here soon.how much area do you guys clear from the bedrock/clay layer to find out to keep going or not? I've been doing about 2 foot squared for a sample hole. I figured this hole is pretty close where you guys would dredge, just a matter of time
Thanks, Strebs

 

[Jason in Enid]

Thats really hard to answer and it depends on the river bed and flow. Where I dredge in colorado, the river is so fast, you can't test layers. If you can, test each layer seperately. The deeper you go, they wider the overburden hole will have to be to prevent collapsing into your hole. I say keep going down until you hit bedrock, or you just can't work any deeper, or you stop getting enough gold to warrant working that deep. The best gold isn't always down deep.

 

[specksandflecks]

If I could safely do it, I would sample around that boulder and head toward the left bank from there. Wherever the river changes speed or direction can be good places. Vegetation affected by high water with change in direction or orientation of debris left in them. I found some really good pans once from that type of spot Reed circled also, should have dredged there but never made it back..

You are getting some gold and cleaning the river of man made trash so I'd say you are off to a good start! Sampling can be a lot of work though.

 

[bill-costa rica]

gold is where you find it and I have a great talent of finding where it is not. spend some days with a pan and shovel and dig in the most likely spots . then in the unlikely spots , make a map of the river and were you sample, how many colors you get in each spot. that will help give you that big X that's marks the spot.

bill

 

[Strebs]

Hey guys, thought I'd give ya an update, dredging just left of the boulder... Boy is that some fast water! Anyways the first 2 1/2 feet is a really sticky brownish layer with lots of flakes . Then turns to a hard grey clay layer, has alot of rust and pyrite but hardly any gold... Gonna try the head of the island for the grey maybe be some good gold in that. Thanks everyone for the input.

 

[wtetro]

Gold will travel straight, but ad the river meanders, it's course will change, especially is a flat area like that, and in a plain like that. Take what's on top of the clay, hit the clay and sweep on top. Boy, keep testing an punching through, you might find a nice pay streak too...hard to tell, but if I hit clay, and it doesn't pay under, I stay over...but, I know that's not the first layer too...always test, but keep on your pay