Where would you dredge

[Bigwill]

I have sluiced and dredged around this Alabama sand bar because I thought that would be the best place. I have gotten some small gold every time but only specs. I have not dredged the bedrock cracks leading into the curve but I think this will be my next mission as well as behind the small waterfall. This creek usually runs at about 300cfs when I go there but it has risen to around 16000cfs during these past flood rains. I have imagined that during the flood stage the moving gold would be hugging tightly to the inside of the curve and dropping out over the sandbar but it is too much overburden to try to process with my 4" dredge. I tried last year to dredge into the sandbar from the side but was only able to work a very small spot due to the depth of overburden. I have not dredged out the bedrock cracks leading into the curve because there is no overburden and I thought the gold would have washed out. From reading many posts from you experienced dredgers this is the main spot I should be concentrating on, not the sand bar. Also when I was in the sandbar trying to move all that overburden, I would get many plug ups. Trying to shoot straight down in a small hole with the engine at 1/2 throttle and not being able to see what was going up the nozzle, only trying to avoid the big or flat rocks with one hand. Aggravating. Afraid to open up throttle because I might blow out the little gold. The gold I have recovered has always been in the upper section of the Gold Grabber. I will use the tips from other posts regarding throttling up to move more material in overburden, watching what goes up the nozzle and blocking the nozzle intake when not moving material. I have a lot to learn but I really appreciate you experienced dredgers sharing your knowledge. Any more tips would be appreciated.

 

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[omnicron]

Sample sample sample! Start on the side and work out toward the other side, looking for that pay layer. When I look at your pic, I see a "pool" after the bend, personally I would be targeting that. As the water flows and hit that "pool" it's slowing down and the gold is dropping out.
Are you diving? You really need to be seeing what your doing otherwise your wasting time. When you say to much overburden, how much are you talking? For me when I was running my 4"...6 foot of o/b was my limit but the most I came across was 3' o/b and 2' of hard pack. It comes down to your personal preference. The general rule is 1 foot per inch of hose size but that personally doesn't mean much to me. Ask yourself how much you want to move to hit the gold and what is profitable.
Just remember, gold is where you find it!

 

[Bigwill]

I have air and prefer to dive than long arm, much easier on the ole back. The water mid stream is usually only about 2' or so except that pool which is 5' to 6'. I thought most of the gold would fall out at the head of the bend or around the sand bar not reaching the back side deeper pool. I can definitely check it tho. The side of the gravel bar that I dredged into was probably 3' to bedrock but that's on the outside. Doesn't look like it in the pic but the top of the gravel bar is at least 6' taller than the lower part. I may have done better if I had opened the throttle up and widened my hole. Took a long time at 1/2 throttle to get a 3' x 2' area. I have new Kanaflex hose and will have Shaw Veranda carpet soon, ready to try this area again

 

[omnicron]

If I'm not mistaken, the gold will fall out towards the tail end of the bend rather then the front. I usually find a good concentration with flat rocks as it takes more force to move them like gold. With this said, that pool would be my first choice as it at the tail end and will cause the water to lose it's energy thus dropping gold.

 

[Bigwill]

Thanks Omnicron. I will try the pool on my next trip

 

[spillercanyon]

Are the bedrock cracks perpendicular to the flow of the river? If so, they will act as riffles and will catch the gold, if not, then the river will wash them out for the most part. If the cracks are perpendicular, that's where I'd be digging.

 

[Bigwill]

The bedrock cracks run both ways. I will have to do lots of sampling next trip