Hi Alex, welcome to the family. Prospecting is a blast! My first advice is if you are not sure where to start, is try to link up with other prospectors in your area. Maybe you could join a local chapter, if you have one. Try to find other GPAA members in you're state, I'm sure they'd be glad to help. I don't know what you were planning on doing with the generator, pump, garden hoses, and extension cords. If you are just panning, than you don't need all that stuff. You will need a shovel, a pan, a snuffer bottle, and you might consider getting a classifier. As far as when would be the best time to start, there's no time like the present, but it kind of depends on where you live and what type of prospecting you are doing. I suggest watching as many videos on YouTube as you can, and maybe look for some videos of others prospecting in your state, or even closer to where you live. I hope that helps. Find out if there is any gold rush history where you live. Take care Alex.

Thanks. I live in pennsylvania. Hopefully I can find some people in my state or close to me that I can pair up with. Appreciate the advice

Is there anyone from pennsylvania on this forum?

http://www.goldprospector...ome/ChapterId/GREEPA

Alex, there is a chapter in PA. If the link above doesn't work, click on "Community" at the top of the home page, and you will find links to chapters all over the US.

Thanks

There's a chapter in the western part of pa, Alleghany chapter, they have a web site and there's a GPAA chapter that meets the 1st Saturday of each month at StormsTown municipal building that's on the west side of State College pa., at 1100am they have a web site and facebook page Bald Eagle chapter.  Pans, shovels, sluices, and old fashioned rocker type boxes are what's permitted in pa waters.  No motorized equipment within the high water line without a permit which the state won't issue.  Not to say a certain percentage of us haven't collected highbankers and small dredges to use when and where the situation permits, but start with the above mentioned basics

Welcome to the club, and if you are mainly panning save your money on more expensive equipment until you get on some of the claims and get to know the chapter. The cheapest and most efficient time saving device you can get is a classifier. Most of the gold you are going to find is going to be flake and powder so use the classifier to get rid of the heavy wash items for you, and you can use it equally well on the river bank as dry sand areas. But go through those stones carefully, there are plenty of Gem stones that you will catch.

Then invest in a Billy Goat to haul your buckets for you. :-)

Thanks to everyone that responded to my queries. Great helpful info.

Hi Alex yes I am from the Pittsburgh side, where you located?

 

I'm in Stroudsburg area