gold

[flyfishWA]

can anybody here give me some pointers for gold panning? thanks in advance

[fast60eddie]

 A license or a permit and sometimes you have to get permission from claim owners. I got a few pans years ago but have never gone the extra mile to do it.

[trophyhunt]

Hmm, I’d not mess with someone’s claim but to heck if I’m going to ask FS for permission. But that’s just me, no offense, your giving him good advise I guess.

[snake]

no license or permit for recreational prospecting needed. you are required to have a copy of the washington state gold prospecting handbook in your possion.  it has been a few years but that's what it was about 5 years ago.

[Cultusman]

 
 You need to get a copy of the Gold and Fish pamphlet from WDFW and read the rules for gold prospecting so you don't get in trouble. I would recommend getting a small Sluice so you can run more material , lots of videos on you tube on how to use one.
 There is Gold in most of our streams here on the west side but be careful it can be very addicting once you find some (gold fever).

[flyfishWA]

thanks for the information, does someone have any tips on how to pan for gold? videos, pictures and written instruction or suggestions on other ways to get the gold out of creeks would be appreciated

[7mmfan]

Just visit Youtube my friend. More videos on panning for gold than you can watch in a year.

[JKEEN33]

I’ve done quite a bit of recreational gold “searching” in WA. As stated above, lots of videos. Also agree with getting a sluice box. The pan is for locating and cleaning up. Don’t expect to to do anything other than have a good time. The gold is so fine, your going to spend 50.00 to find .03 worth of gold. I have a bunch of pictures, videos of sluice boxes and my power sluice running. I’ll try and post some later. There is a mine in CA that sells bags of dirt for 50.00 plus around 15.00 shipping. I bought a bag at a gold and mineral show and was surprised at what I got out of it. It’s a good way to learn or practice. I’ll try and find the name of that place too.

Look up gold prospecting in WA State on YouTube. Dennis Petersen has a lot of videos to watch. He is or was president of one of the local WA mineral clubs.

[JKEEN33]

Roaring Camp is the place in CA.
Pic 1. WA fine gold
2,3,4. Getting and cleaning gold.
5,6. CA gold. A lot chunkier than WA
Last is cleaning up a 5 gallon bucket worth of dirt a friend brought back from AZ

[KFhunter]

I would start with a pan and some creeks, save you a pile of cash 

I did a lot of hiking around looking for gold in local creeks with no claims, thought I was doing it wrong as nothing was in my pan besides some specks so small I needed a magnifying glass.   

Went to Alaska few years back at one of those tourist spots with "pay dirt!" and panned it out perfectly, they even said I knew what I was doing! 

hahah  wouldn'ta thought so in WA


If there's no claims on it, there's a reason for that. 


So now I can pan some dirt out of a creek and find some flour specks most times, but turning that into a paying hobby??   don't think so.



So my recommendation is have fun and only spend money realizing its just a hobby like any other hobby and you'll enjoy it more.  Once you learn and get more serious then you'll know more than I and most on this board and won't need to ask for info  (it'll be a big secret)   

[jeff68]

You can download the WA regs onto your phone and you're good.