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What's your favorite scoop for heavy surf?
- Thread starter YOHOHO
- Start date
GraveDiggerMax-VaBch-Va
New member
i have tried many.
my best luck has been with heavy duty large dia. S/S scoops wiht s/s handle.
have tried s/s scoops with wooden handles....................the problem for me was the waves would knock the wooden handle into your leg more so than the s/s handle scoops
the same for alum. scoops, due to the fact they are much lighter and the waves toss them around even more, especially when trying to get it into the hole to dig the target.
on all my scoops i use now for the surf i have added the 90* lifting handle and i really like this feature.
my 2 cents worth.
my best luck has been with heavy duty large dia. S/S scoops wiht s/s handle.
have tried s/s scoops with wooden handles....................the problem for me was the waves would knock the wooden handle into your leg more so than the s/s handle scoops
the same for alum. scoops, due to the fact they are much lighter and the waves toss them around even more, especially when trying to get it into the hole to dig the target.
on all my scoops i use now for the surf i have added the 90* lifting handle and i really like this feature.
my 2 cents worth.
grumpyolman
New member
The Nuttall is big and heavy. For that reason some don't like it. If you can't dig with that you might as well get a jackhammer. I have the 48" handle made out of fiberglass. I've really stressed that handle and it doesn't even think about breaking. The fiberglass is nice because there is air trapped in side and when you lose it in the waves, the handle tip floats while the scoop works like an anchor. It's the Diamond Head by Nuttall. A sponsor of findmall.
kaptainkosmic
New member
I have used this scoop and the earlier revisions for several years in lake michigan.
In the sugar sand you will very seldom have any sand left in the scoop by the time you get it out of the water in waste deep water.
[attachment 130229 bellyofthebeastresizedRevC.jpg]
Its not real heavy but plenty strong.
[attachment 130230 rightfrontquarteringviewresizedRevC.jpg]
Also here are a couple links that may help concerning lake michigan. I always check temp & wave height before going.
http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/twomichigans.html
http://www.weathermichigan.net/marine/waveheight.html
http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/LM/844.html
Hope this helps
Steve
In the sugar sand you will very seldom have any sand left in the scoop by the time you get it out of the water in waste deep water.
[attachment 130229 bellyofthebeastresizedRevC.jpg]
Its not real heavy but plenty strong.
[attachment 130230 rightfrontquarteringviewresizedRevC.jpg]
Also here are a couple links that may help concerning lake michigan. I always check temp & wave height before going.
http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/twomichigans.html
http://www.weathermichigan.net/marine/waveheight.html
http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/LM/844.html
Hope this helps
Steve
Orlensin-FL
New member
I prefer the Nuttall because its very well made. Heavy duty.
Heavy surf needs heavy scoop-----check out my 25 year old "poor man's backhoe"!!!
I built these in the early 1980s of welded stainless and they are still my main digging tools!!
I dig in some of the toughest conditions one might imagine with cobble stones as big as the scoop bucket sometimes!!
[attachment 130283 SandScoopPoorMansBackhoe002.jpg]
The right hand scoop has an aluminum handle added and weighs about 11 lbs.
The left hand scoop has a welded stainless handle and a lighter weight bucket, but weighs closer to thirteen lbs.
I stand my 250lbs on the flat bottom and wiggle the bucket down between the stones and usually pull out about two gallons of material at a time and dump it into a sifter for sorting.
Hard work, but it gets the job done!
GL&HH,
CJ
I built these in the early 1980s of welded stainless and they are still my main digging tools!!
I dig in some of the toughest conditions one might imagine with cobble stones as big as the scoop bucket sometimes!!
[attachment 130283 SandScoopPoorMansBackhoe002.jpg]
The right hand scoop has an aluminum handle added and weighs about 11 lbs.
The left hand scoop has a welded stainless handle and a lighter weight bucket, but weighs closer to thirteen lbs.
I stand my 250lbs on the flat bottom and wiggle the bucket down between the stones and usually pull out about two gallons of material at a time and dump it into a sifter for sorting.
Hard work, but it gets the job done!
GL&HH,
CJ
OldBeechnut
Well-known member
[size=medium]If you can handle the weight GO Big And SS w/ Handles like Max's.......If you watch my Vid, I use a Rielly's Long Nose in a fairly ruff surf, {14 inch Nose, long enough but mine needs to be 6 to 7 inch round} You Need to hit the target hard on the first try, the more sand you can get into the bucket the better chance you got in recovering your target in ruff surf and not spend 20 minutes digging a dime with a medium size scoop................Good Luck.....Obn[/size]
Gulf Hunter
Active member
[attachment 130284 scoop1.JPG]
[attachment 130285 scoopbucket.JPG]
Here is mine, but it is a love-hate relationship. The scoop weighs in at a hefty 11lbs. The bucket, I bought from my local dealer, Alexander Enterprise. I then threw out the galvanized handle. Purchased 304 stainless pipe and T and had it welded up and bolted to the scoop bucket. Also have had to add stainless strapping to the bucket, where it stress cracked. I am hard on equipment, but it seems to hold up, usually it breaks me, before I break it, LOL! Makes me sore, if I use it to hunt wetsand, but in the surf and deep water, it is a faithful friend. I am pretty buff after a hunt, savvy?
[attachment 130285 scoopbucket.JPG]
Here is mine, but it is a love-hate relationship. The scoop weighs in at a hefty 11lbs. The bucket, I bought from my local dealer, Alexander Enterprise. I then threw out the galvanized handle. Purchased 304 stainless pipe and T and had it welded up and bolted to the scoop bucket. Also have had to add stainless strapping to the bucket, where it stress cracked. I am hard on equipment, but it seems to hold up, usually it breaks me, before I break it, LOL! Makes me sore, if I use it to hunt wetsand, but in the surf and deep water, it is a faithful friend. I am pretty buff after a hunt, savvy?
You all are great! I truly appreciate the direction and insight. This is definitely going to save me money in the long run.
I definitely lack skills to operate some of those beasts! ...that's for sure...
I think I've come down to the Reilly Long Nose and the Diamond Head. OBN...your videos have been very helpful with the long nose.
I have a feeling both with have a learning curve to be a "one scooper"...
The Reilly Long Nose is said to be for dry and wet sand... Do you think the Long Nose & Diamond Head will perform well in waste/shoulder deep water? Or will the length of the nose lend to loss of load during a scoop performed in the water?
I definitely lack skills to operate some of those beasts! ...that's for sure...
I think I've come down to the Reilly Long Nose and the Diamond Head. OBN...your videos have been very helpful with the long nose.
I have a feeling both with have a learning curve to be a "one scooper"...
The Reilly Long Nose is said to be for dry and wet sand... Do you think the Long Nose & Diamond Head will perform well in waste/shoulder deep water? Or will the length of the nose lend to loss of load during a scoop performed in the water?
OldBeechnut
Well-known member
I know I have a very hard time with the Reilly Long Nose in the ruff surf, {works the best in the wet sand of all my scoops And it hits Very deep, just not wide enought for the ruff surf} , but if you go with a New Nuttall Diamond Head with the Fiberglass handle I think it will work for you all the way around, wet and in the ruff surf. Something about the design of the Scoop seems to hit the targets better then most,,,But let me say If I were to get another scoop for the ruff surf, It would be like VB Max's the handles work wonders when you need to lift, it looks 6 inch wide 12 inch deep and it is heavy. What it boils down too is how good can you pinpoint and center your targets in ruff surf, if you are real good get the riellies.....if not the Nuttal allow a margin of error.......maybe some else can chime in on the nuttall that hunt the ruff surf and enlighten us on that.....keep us up to date...Good Luck .......HH.........Obn
When I designed the "Backhoe" all those years ago, I wanted a scoop that had the ease of handling of a shovel.
When it is placed at the tip of my boot the bucket bottom is aligned just like a shovel almost straight down.
I wiggle the handle a bit to start the cutting edge into the sand or between the large stones.
I then step onto the flat bottom using my detector to help balance myself there and continue wiggling the handle to force the bucket into the bottom.
When I have as much material in the scoop as I want, I then tip the handle back so that the part that is welded to the back of the bucket is almost flat and parallel with the bottom raising the cutting edge.
It is easy enough now to grab the part that is welded to the top side of the bucket and lift with the contents protected from falling out by the tipped up cutting lip. I use my right hand to help lift the load .
The big loop of a handle provides lots of leverage and allows me to grab the handle at any angle I need to lift and otherwise control the big bucket of a scoop.
The weight of the tool is not a problem in the water and the floating handle is easy to use.
I drag it along behind me with my left hand as I use my right to sweep the coil.
I dump the bucket load into a sifter and have rarely lost a find over the many times I have used the system.
[attachment 130399 SuperSifter.jpg]
The sifter is all plastic and I use a Vibraprobe pin pointer to locate those tiny bits of metal that are so hard for my old eyes to see.
I realize the post is about working in rough water and the sifter is not a good idea when the surf is high, but where I hunt that is usually not a big problem.
Today the waves were bad enough that I had to call it a day after 3 hours!
GL&HH Friends,
CJ
When it is placed at the tip of my boot the bucket bottom is aligned just like a shovel almost straight down.
I wiggle the handle a bit to start the cutting edge into the sand or between the large stones.
I then step onto the flat bottom using my detector to help balance myself there and continue wiggling the handle to force the bucket into the bottom.
When I have as much material in the scoop as I want, I then tip the handle back so that the part that is welded to the back of the bucket is almost flat and parallel with the bottom raising the cutting edge.
It is easy enough now to grab the part that is welded to the top side of the bucket and lift with the contents protected from falling out by the tipped up cutting lip. I use my right hand to help lift the load .
The big loop of a handle provides lots of leverage and allows me to grab the handle at any angle I need to lift and otherwise control the big bucket of a scoop.
The weight of the tool is not a problem in the water and the floating handle is easy to use.
I drag it along behind me with my left hand as I use my right to sweep the coil.
I dump the bucket load into a sifter and have rarely lost a find over the many times I have used the system.
[attachment 130399 SuperSifter.jpg]
The sifter is all plastic and I use a Vibraprobe pin pointer to locate those tiny bits of metal that are so hard for my old eyes to see.
I realize the post is about working in rough water and the sifter is not a good idea when the surf is high, but where I hunt that is usually not a big problem.
Today the waves were bad enough that I had to call it a day after 3 hours!
GL&HH Friends,
CJ
CJ, I aspire to have the skill to operate a setup like that one of these days...
For now, I just picked up an older Diamond Head with a SS handle... I'm looking forward to getting the hang of it... I think it has most of the features I need....
My girlfriend took one look at the Diamond Head picture and all she could say was..."please don't hurt yourself with that thing"..hahaha...
Thanks to all for the great insight...it's been invaluable
For now, I just picked up an older Diamond Head with a SS handle... I'm looking forward to getting the hang of it... I think it has most of the features I need....
My girlfriend took one look at the Diamond Head picture and all she could say was..."please don't hurt yourself with that thing"..hahaha...
Thanks to all for the great insight...it's been invaluable
When I was at our local dump last year I found that someone had thrown away several plastic tubs such as local commercial fishermen and lobster-men use for handling their catch.
They are heavy duty while not too heavy and after cleaning them up a bit I was able to salvage three.
I cut one to a depth I thought would be right based on a couple or three I had built in the past.
I found the floaties at Walmart and using electrical plastic ties anchored the foam plastic float to the shallow tub by way of carefully positioned holes.
A few hundred 1/4" holes and some lines for towing it along behind while I search completes the set-up.
I gave one of the three to a good friend and Fellow Hunter (He has been thrilled with his sifter!!) and I am keeping one in reserve.
[attachment 130558 SuperSifter2012.jpg]
The large fishing sinkers on the tether are dragged behind to help keep the sifter at arms length and the Garrett's screen (green) is used to catch the heavier material for a quick check while allowing the smaller stuff to fall into the tub for closer inspection.
I have found BBs from BB guns and small split-shot sinkers, .22 caliber bullets and all sorts of tiny bits of metal using this rig and it is rare for something to get away.
The large brass clip hooks to a loop on my wading belt so I can drag the unit along.
GL&HH Friend,
CJ
They are heavy duty while not too heavy and after cleaning them up a bit I was able to salvage three.
I cut one to a depth I thought would be right based on a couple or three I had built in the past.
I found the floaties at Walmart and using electrical plastic ties anchored the foam plastic float to the shallow tub by way of carefully positioned holes.
A few hundred 1/4" holes and some lines for towing it along behind while I search completes the set-up.
I gave one of the three to a good friend and Fellow Hunter (He has been thrilled with his sifter!!) and I am keeping one in reserve.
[attachment 130558 SuperSifter2012.jpg]
The large fishing sinkers on the tether are dragged behind to help keep the sifter at arms length and the Garrett's screen (green) is used to catch the heavier material for a quick check while allowing the smaller stuff to fall into the tub for closer inspection.
I have found BBs from BB guns and small split-shot sinkers, .22 caliber bullets and all sorts of tiny bits of metal using this rig and it is rare for something to get away.
The large brass clip hooks to a loop on my wading belt so I can drag the unit along.
GL&HH Friend,
CJ