Dredging Up Some Fun!

[IdahoPeg]

This past year I’ve been venturing out doing different things since nugget detecting is getting tougher, with all the known patches hammered to death and new ground so hard to come by. So I’ve enjoyed sluicing, relic & coin hunting, as well as artifact/arrowhead hunting lately. This past week my partner Jeff and I went dredging…he’d done it years ago, but this year upgraded his equipment, got our permit & off we went!  

Here’s a view of where we’re working and the big hole he made by moving lots of rocks….

 

The water is too crazy to venture out in the middle. Here’s Jeff moving one of the many boulders….mother nature’s gym!

My job is to clear jams in the suction hose, keep black sands from filling the riffles…tons of black sand, and to keep an eye on his safety. I periodically run a big magnet over the riffles & tap it under the water flow to dislodge any gold possibly trapped before it’s discarded…works good. Otherwise the black sands would completely fill the sluice & gold would tumble over, that’s how much sand there is!  Much easier job than Jeff’s?

The pups supervised us closely ?

Here’s the totals after about 8 hours runtime…he got into an awesome spot following a bedrock crack.

The chunkies….

 

And the fines…

What a great way to spend a gorgeous day on the river! Next season I’ll get me a thick wetsuit…my florida diving suits won’t cut it here. Then I can get in the water and play too!?

 

[Valens Legacy]

Thanks for the read and glad to see some nice gold come your way. Really like the larger pieces.

When I am trying to move a large rock like that in water that is running the fast, I dredge further down river before getting to where the rock was. The reason is the water tends to move the lighter gold away from where the rock was and if I am not careful I will lose that gold. I didn't know if you knew that or not, but I can only guess that you did.

Good luck on your next hunt and stay safe out there.

[YubaJ]

And another Thanks for the great read & pics! Beautiful small river that's good for the soul to be at, the gold being a great bonus. If I were younger I'd love to snipe underwater there. Used to have 1/4 oz. days in California doing that--it's way too athletic now. But it's something you might try when you get your 1/4" thick wetsuit, Peg.  And what I'd heard about Idaho having only small gold is not true from seeing your pics & Gerry's alluvial specimens. You've gone the opposite direction from me--I started with sluicing & dredging and have been slowly learning gold detecting--have to if I want to find gold because I'm  now in N Nevada. It's part of my adventure-exercise program. I sure do miss the streams & rivers. Maybe you've inspired me & my wife to journey to the Downieville area where we know some of the country.

[John-Edmonton]

OMG! Look at the size of those nuggies?. Looks like a great day.......gold, exercise, fresh air, sunshine (vit D) and a good night's sleep too. You are so lucky that you can dredge.  No dredging in my local and only flour gold.  But.....gold is gold. Great post!