Reading the stream/creek/brook - Gold Prospectors Association of

Last Post 03 Jul 2018 12:13 PM by MICHAEL STEELE

Reading the stream/creek/brook

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JUSTIN MORALES

Greenhorn
Posts:

18 Jun 2018 10:29 AM
I am fairly new to the gold panning world and have learned a lot from good people that I have met on in the waters and banks. However I have been out multiple times on a gold producing creek and have recovered small colors from my pans. Just yesterday I was out and met this guy and he was having pretty good luck up here in the north east and showed me his findings and there were some pickers and good flakes. I have been to this creek many of times over the past couple months and only pulled out flour gold and plenty of specks. I am 90% sure it’s not my panning technique or how I classify. I find my self most of the time unsure where start or continue or even really how to read the creek. Or the best way to pan in a spot then move either up or down the creek and when to stop. If anyone can give me some insight and school me I would be definitely appreciative. Thank you in advance.

Leo Lorenz

Basic Member
Posts:486

18 Jun 2018 10:42 AM
Are you sampling in an area or just picking a spot and start classifying? if you are in a bend of a creek or up on a bench, digging down a certain distance sample it and pan it out...then move another 5 ft, and on and on until you get a spot that appears to be better than all. Gee even in 1 spot, you might dig down a foot or two, and see nothing....but had you dug another foot or 2 deeper, maybe there would be gold.

JUSTIN MORALES

Greenhorn
Posts:

18 Jun 2018 11:21 AM
I have dug a little in the creek it’s self behind big rocks. Not to any certain depth. I really have no system just what I have read about in articles. some time on a bend full of gravel but haven’t dug deep. Mostly just on the surface. Should I be digging deeper? Or on gravel bars?

Leo Lorenz

Basic Member
Posts:486

18 Jun 2018 11:28 AM
You gotta work for the gold. Dig a foot, if nothing dig 2. If you know there is underlying bedrock, get down into it. As you know, gold will always sink through the lighter materials until it hits something hard and unpermiable. Gold will tend to accumulate in layers as well. Taking dirt right from the surface is not going to tell you anything. You need to sample areas.

Lonny Wilcox

Greenhorn
Posts:

18 Jun 2018 12:14 PM
Best thing I have found is to dig until you hit hard packed material and then start testing. The material that is loose might contain some small gold but not in any concentration at all. The bigger gold and concentrations will be lower in the stuff that is hard to move.

JUSTIN MORALES

Greenhorn
Posts:

18 Jun 2018 01:08 PM
Awesome!! Thank you I will try digging a couple feet down this weekend!! I definitely appreciate the help. Now my question for for that is I should be digging on the gavel bars or in the creek it’s self? I have read that gold will go behind big rocks within the creek water suspension. How do you personally determine where you start and evaluate a creek for the first time?

Lonny Wilcox

Greenhorn
Posts:

18 Jun 2018 01:34 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCIiak37b3c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJppVQHfBNE https://youtu.be/5FU0gEF1t_0

Leo Lorenz

Basic Member
Posts:486

18 Jun 2018 01:41 PM
Well...you need to read the stream...where the inside bends of the creek are, that is where the water would be slowing the most allowing for the gold in motion to drop out and be deposited. But its not just the stream. In the stream you would likely be finding more flood gold which was recently deposited. Get up into the benches where the creek "used" to be years and years ago. The stream never was at its present location, but likely higher up and back away from the current banks, Unless you are in a deep ravine. Thats all part of "reading" the location to determine where older flows were located and dropped larger gold as well.

JUSTIN MORALES

Greenhorn
Posts:

02 Jul 2018 10:49 AM
Thank you for you advice!!! Went out last weekend and for some good flakes down deep about 2-3+ feet in some areas. Kept on the inside bend. Thank you again for your help

MICHAEL STEELE

Greenhorn
Posts:

03 Jul 2018 12:13 PM
Follow this link to an article on reading a stream. http://www.angelfire.com/...gpaa/StreamGold.html There is also an article on this site called "how to read a stream for gold" Do a search for it. Both are good articles with great advice.

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