Digging in the rocks... any tips?

[bgscofield6]

So there is just one beach that I am aware of within an hour of me. I have gone out there twice and gotten a junk earring, 2 junk rings, a sterling ring, and a few pieces of clad and trash. My problem is this....

There is maybe 1" of sand and then a couple inches of good sized rocks and then hard packed clay. I find plenty of signals but just can't seem to get them out of the ground. I am using a Minelab Excalibur 1000. Maybe I'm not digging deep enough or something. But out of every 4 targets I find I generally only get one into my scoop, sometimes even after 15-20 digs worth I still can't get it. Even when it's a coin and screaming LOUD at me I still have bad luck getting it into my scoop. I am hunting in 3-5 feet deep water and using a 4 foot long scoop.

I read about a lot of people hunting rivers and was just curious what your digging techniques were. This area is just not fun to dig in, but since it's my only option for the time being I want to try to make some more recoveries.

Thanks guys!!

 

[Anonymous]

Most of the time the rocks are gravel-sized, mixed with sand. There are a few bigger rocks, which I can usually move with my feet or scoop. I use a floating sifter in these instances, to help with recovering the target. Be advised that there are many, many, different kinds of targets in rivers, some of which are easily seen, and others are not.

From what it sounds like, your area may be a little too rocky to dig. Your best bet is to get a decent snorkeling rig, and use the "drop and fan" method. You'll need some weights to hold you in place on the bottom. Pinpoint your target, drop down, and using your hand, or a ping pong paddle, fan the material away. If you can't see it and there are large rocks, move them, then try again. A waterproof pinpointer, like the Vibraprobe 560, is good for this. Just be sure that your weight belt is quick-release, in case you have to ditch and recover your gear.