Beach and Water vs Parks/Land

[tripperman79]

I have been detecting for a couple years now and I am at a crossroads with my hunting. I'd like to hear from some beach/water hunters on pros/cons of beach water vs. land and parks. The parks just aren't really thrilling for me and I would like to get into beach and water hunting. Just seems more high adventure.

I am currently equipped with a Garrett Ace 350 and hunting wherever I can - mostly parks. I've probably found a few hundred dollars in clad, 5 or 6 silver coins, 12-15 silver rings, and 1 gold ring.

Do you like water/beach hunting? Are there gold rings everywhere or are they few and far between like in the parks? Have you hunted parks before and do you like beaches better?

I'm looking at the Garrett Sea Hunter Mark 2, Garrett Infinium LS, and Minelab Excalibur 2 (I think).

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ScubaDetective]

Are your parks all salt water? You have two PI machines listed. If there is lots of iron or in fresh water you will be digging a whole lot of trash.

 

[tripperman79]

No salt water in the parks - I am in Dallas, TX so the nearest salt water is the Gulf of Mexico. Pretty much my only close options for water hunting will be lakes.

 

[Turtle Creek]

Are there gold rings everywhere or are they few and far between like in the parks? Have you hunted parks before and do you like beaches better?

I'm looking at the Garrett Sea Hunter Mark 2, Garrett Infinium LS, and Minelab Excalibur 2 (I think).

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

I am reading Gold Beneath the Waves. The author explains his theory for finding Gold. (that has worked for him in SC/NC) Seems he feels the gold is found in areas of erosion caused by the changing tides/surf - holes, runnels, etc... It's holding my attention so far, but I'm new at this so that's not saying much. I've read on here where others were not too impressed with his common sense approach.

He claims he tends to find heavy mens rings, sinkers, and quarters together in the deepest holes - That's all I got ... I'm still reading.

 

[tripperman79]

Thank you Turtle. Have you tried water hunting?

 

[ScubaDetective]

Ok not salt water the first two choices are out. If not diving A Garrett AT Pro Fisher 1280X, Tesoro Tigershark Fisher CZ-20 or 21 or an Excal.

There is gold out there BUT you need to be first to get it and it just isn't going to jump in your scoop.

Look at my website for advice. http://www.scubadetector.com

Expect a lot of work and a bit of gold to pay you for your time. Also silver. The water is where a lot of jewlery is IF you have the tools and patience to find it and get the edge like being the first and only one at a spot.

 

[tripperman79]

Thank you Scuba. I like your site. I will read the tips, but was impressed by the returned items stories. Pretty much what you do is what I would like to do. Get in the water - 6ft or less, and hunt around. Then maybe get out on the dry sand for a little while too.

 

[Irons]

I enjoy all kinds of treasure hunting, I hunt parks and farms and sports fields etc. but if I have the chance I'm in the water, period.

It takes different equipment and there are no shortcuts when it comes to stuff like scoops but the rewards are fantastic. Plenty of info here.

 

[Turtle Creek]

Thank you Turtle. Have you tried water hunting?

I haven't pulled the trigger on a machine yet. Gotta think this thing through. I'd like a Salt water machine and a mid range 'land' machine, but realistically that just won't happen. Reading up and doing the homework on everything is kind of fun. Would really just like to get out there and dig something.

 

[Twinkies]

You wont be disappointed with an Excal II. You can hunt fresh or salt water with ease and its an acceptable land machine.

 

[Lobsteresq]

Parks are fun but I only find a few rings and lots of clad and junk. Beaches are great lots of gold 9 gold for beaches but only one gold for parks this year.
People go swimming and lather them selves up with greasy sun tan oil and splash around in the water and are surprised when they come out without their rings. Don't forget beaches equal bikinis BIKINIs.
B I K I N I S ... for the win.

 

[RustedShut]

I am from NW Washington. Lots of freshwater lakes. I use a Tesoro Tiger shark. It is very good in fresh water and has a salt mode for saltwater. I use waders and also a wetsuit. I am finding that you have to be out quick after a sunny weekend because we seem to have a lot of detectorists here. No gold yet but soon I hope. I still enjoy land hunting as well as water.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

 

[Jressman]

I'm a woods and farm fields relic hunter, so I don't detect parks or even have an interest in parks.

To be honest I'm not interested in beach hunting either, but July and August the woods are all overgrown and mosquito infested and all the farm fields have crops I have no other choice but to do beaches or nothing at all. Luckily I found just about $2,000 in gold alone, and over $2k if you combine all the clad and silver jewerly within 6 weeks water hunting. Also in the dead of winter when we are snowed in and/of the woods are frozen I will go back to the beach for a few weeks until a thaw.

My breaks from land hunting to water hunting is an easy way to pay for upgrades and it's nice not to be sweating to death during the summer.

 

[itsaring!]

I've got a friend who water hunts around the Dallas/FW area with an ATpro. He finds more gold than I do hunting saltwater beaches. But he knows where to look. Do research on old or active swim areas. Even boat ramps sometimes. I've got another buddy in Dallas that won't hunt water at all. He uses an ace250 with the small coil instead of his etrac to hunt for gold. Gotta dig them pulltabs FO SHO!

 

[flphil]

Don't get a PI for fresh water. Use a detector with discrimination.
Tiger shark, CZ21, atpro or Atgold, Excalibur
Would all do a good job.

 

[zeemang]

Gold is few and far between these days... Beach/water hunting vs dirt is a tough question, i enjoy both. I'd say beach and water hunting you're way more dependent of conditions than dirt digging. As long as it's not pouring down rain you can dig dirt, but water hunting I might get two ideal days per week. Conditions are different in every area, my particular area is tough right now. The ocean is rough, and it's been raining so much this year that the country side is so overgrown you couldn't swing a coil out there if you wanted to.
If you're the kind of guy who gets the shakes if you can't get out everyday, i'd say stick with the dirt...

 

[tripperman79]

Thank you everyone for the insight. I am leaning toward the Excal II at this point. I will hit the lakes close by, but also want to have salt water/sand capability when I head to the Gulf. I'm going to take the Ace 350 out to a nearby lake this weekend to just see what it is like. I should be able to go a little in the water with the 350 (coil only). Maybe I'll find enough to pay for my Excal.

I think LobsterESQ has the best argument yet...Bikinis!

 

[Spectra1]

I love both... Been very successful with land, lakes and beaches. I use a v3i and a ctx3030!

 

[Grumpysrb]

I have hunted the Gulf Coast quite a bit. The amount of gold you find will depend on the number of people who use the beach. I have found two gold wedding bands, one on Surfside Beach and one on Quintana County Parks Beach. Both are rarely packed with people. I'm sure if you can get further into the water there are more. I have never seen anyone deeper than I, and I only detect I a few inches of water. The Surfside ring was at the high tide line. The other near the dune.
Haven't seen anyone with a PI machine this far west of Galveston. There are a large number of regulars who hunt the Galveston beaches often. They go deep too.

 

[tziebs]

Water vs dirt

Both types offer there own pros-cons. The biggest pros of water hunting are no asking/begging permission,restoring holes is simple,lots more gold. Living in Wisconsin limits my time in the water but I easily paid for my Excal in the the first season and its also a nice dirt detector albeit a bit heavy.My dirt detector is a tesoro silver umax.