The habit of beach detection

[JASON CHINA]

Hi, guys！Which hand do you like to hold a sand scoop and a metal detector when you're exploring the beach? Can you share your beach experience?

 

[laplander]

I am right handed so naturally I detect right handed, I have friends who are ambidextrous but find it very uncoordinated. So the sand scoop/digger is delegated to the left in the water and out.
Laplander

 

[JASON CHINA]

谢谢你的建议，我只是觉得右手比左手更有力量!我会尽量习惯用左手挖砂勺

 

[nagant]

Jason's translated reply....Thanks for your advice, I just think right hand is more powerful! I'll try to dig sand left-handed scoop

 

[WaterWalker]

Translation:

 

[JASON CHINA]

Translation:

Thank you WaterWalker and nagant!You're right

 

[JASON CHINA]

Thanks for your advice, I just think right hand is more powerful! I'll try to dig sand left-handed scoop ....I forgot to translate

 

[Charles (Upstate NY)]

Its been proven you dig 20% more gold digging with your left hand.

 

[dewcon4414]

Id say use your dominate hand for the detector......... better coil control. DO NOT use your detector as a crutch as you dig. You wont get the digging process first time out...... in fact its funny to watch new guys.

 

[Charles (Upstate NY)]

I hunt wet sand at low tide so I use a long handled stainless scoop, dig with my left hand detect with my right hand as I'm right handed.

For beach hunting think conservation of effort. Hunting a 4-5 hour low tide digging in wet sand can take its toll physically.

1. I use a STAINLESS scoop because wet sand slides easily out of the scoop I don't have to flip it over and shake it out like I did with aluminum scoops the sand sticks to them. The stainless scoops also slice into the wet sand with less effort vs aluminum.

2. Take a few seconds to accurately pinpoint your target. Chasing a poorly pinpointed target 8 scoops down into a water filled hole with sand collapsing in will leave you huffing and puffing, best to get it on the first or second scoop.

3. Stainless scoops are heavy, I pin the handle to my left hip and drag the scoop behind me using my hip mostly to tow the scoop to save wear and tare on my arm.

4. I never bend down to pick up a target. I scoop the target out of the hole and dump the sand out onto the flat. Kick the sand pile a couple times to roughly locate the target, give it a decent kick the sand being lighter than the target will fly off and separate from the heavier target, typically the target will plop down in full view. I then scoop up a handful of sand and the target with the tip of my scoop, lean the detector against my right up, use both hands to pull the scoop bucket up to me like climbing a fire pole. put the target in my pouch, kick the sand back into the hole and I'm off again. The whole process takes only seconds.

5. Buy some hockey stick tape and secure the scoop hand grip to the shaft of the scoop so that it can't twist or come off. You get working the plastic hand grip on a stainless scoop and they loosen up on the scoop shaft. I got tired of the grip pulling off the scoop shaft and twisting around, the hockey stick tape has lasted forever. The original tape I put on my scoop is still going strong after years of beach detecting.

6. I wear a glove on my scoop hand so my hand doesn't get chewed up. Thin in the summer, warmer thicker in the winter.

7. Take short breaks. Burry your scoop in the sand with the handle leaning forward, then lean your detector up against the scoop handle, take your headphones off and hang on the detector arm cup, enjoy the view and a drink of water. I always carry a bottle of water in my pouch.

8. I carry my pouch over my shoulder like a canteen, strap on left shoulder, pouch back/right of right hip out of the way so I can swing. This is especially ideal when you are digging a lot of fishing sinkers and your pouch is getting heavy. I first switched to this method when the pouch belt around my waist began giving me that sciatica nerve burning, this eliminated that. This also eliminated having to cinch the pouch belt super tight around my waist to keep it up as it got heavy with sinkers and targets.

9. Get a small waterproof pouch for your vehicle keys and wallet. I typically stuff into my shirt pocket and button.

10. Sand is abrasive and will get up your shorts, I like the longer leg Under Amour brand long under shorts for beach hunting.

11. Pay attention to your feet, a sopping wet tennis shoe is not ideal, they get heavy wet, sand gets in there and grinds on your feet. For summer/decent weather I wear diving booties, don't go cheap make sure they are rugged and comfortable. Keep them clean, rinsing and washing after each hunt. You want to get the sand out and the ocean organisms, if you let them die in your booties ahem ewww they stink.

 

[Guzz1]

LEFT HAND

 

[JASON CHINA]

I hunt wet sand at low tide so I use a long handled stainless scoop, dig with my left hand detect with my right hand as I'm right handed.

For beach hunting think conservation of effort. Hunting a 4-5 hour low tide digging in wet sand can take its toll physically.

1. I use a STAINLESS scoop because wet sand slides easily out of the scoop I don't have to flip it over and shake it out like I did with aluminum scoops the sand sticks to them. The stainless scoops also slice into the wet sand with less effort vs aluminum.

2. Take a few seconds to accurately pinpoint your target. Chasing a poorly pinpointed target 8 scoops down into a water filled hole with sand collapsing in will leave you huffing and puffing, best to get it on the first or second scoop.

3. Stainless scoops are heavy, I pin the handle to my left hip and drag the scoop behind me using my hip mostly to tow the scoop to save wear and tare on my arm.

4. I never bend down to pick up a target. I scoop the target out of the hole and dump the sand out onto the flat. Kick the sand pile a couple times to roughly locate the target, give it a decent kick the sand being lighter than the target will fly off and separate from the heavier target, typically the target will plop down in full view. I then scoop up a handful of sand and the target with the tip of my scoop, lean the detector against my right up, use both hands to pull the scoop bucket up to me like climbing a fire pole. put the target in my pouch, kick the sand back into the hole and I'm off again. The whole process takes only seconds.

5. Buy some hockey stick tape and secure the scoop hand grip to the shaft of the scoop so that it can't twist or come off. You get working the plastic hand grip on a stainless scoop and they loosen up on the scoop shaft. I got tired of the grip pulling off the scoop shaft and twisting around, the hockey stick tape has lasted forever. The original tape I put on my scoop is still going strong after years of beach detecting.

6. I wear a glove on my scoop hand so my hand doesn't get chewed up. Thin in the summer, warmer thicker in the winter.

7. Take short breaks. Burry your scoop in the sand with the handle leaning forward, then lean your detector up against the scoop handle, take your headphones off and hang on the detector arm cup, enjoy the view and a drink of water. I always carry a bottle of water in my pouch.

8. I carry my pouch over my shoulder like a canteen, strap on left shoulder, pouch back/right of right hip out of the way so I can swing. This is especially ideal when you are digging a lot of fishing sinkers and your pouch is getting heavy. I first switched to this method when the pouch belt around my waist began giving me that sciatica nerve burning, this eliminated that. This also eliminated having to cinch the pouch belt super tight around my waist to keep it up as it got heavy with sinkers and targets.

9. Get a small waterproof pouch for your vehicle keys and wallet. I typically stuff into my shirt pocket and button.

10. Sand is abrasive and will get up your shorts, I like the longer leg Under Amour brand long under shorts for beach hunting.

11. Pay attention to your feet, a sopping wet tennis shoe is not ideal, they get heavy wet, sand gets in there and grinds on your feet. For summer/decent weather I wear diving booties, don't go cheap make sure they are rugged and comfortable. Keep them clean, rinsing and washing after each hunt. You want to get the sand out and the ocean organisms, if you let them die in your booties ahem ewww they stink.

be educated

 

[Terra1959]

Left as I am right handed
I also drag the scoop behind me to 1. Keep it out of the way of my swing & 2. Leave a track in dry sand which helps me when gridding

 

[JASON CHINA]

Left as I am right handed
I also drag the scoop behind me to 1. Keep it out of the way of my swing & 2. Leave a track in dry sand which helps me when gridding

How to fix the sand scoop on the hip without affecting its use?

 

[ROBOCOP]

One handed, left handed digging.

 

[Charles (Upstate NY)]

Left as I am right handed
I also drag the scoop behind me to 1. Keep it out of the way of my swing & 2. Leave a track in dry sand which helps me when gridding
How to fix the sand scoop on the hip without affecting its use?

NEVER attach your scoop to your body, when your choice is drowning or staying alive let go of your scoop and detector and swim/wade to safety. I tow my scoop with my hip by pressing the handgrip against my hip so I'm still gripping it with my left hand, but most of the force required to drag it along is pulled by my hip.

Back to safety, even hunting just the wet sand you can get clobbered by a rogue wave. Especially if you are hunting right after a storm and the ocean is still angry. I have seen some insane rogue waves. Was hunting a flat beach once, stopped to talk to Harry at the high tide line, at low tide, there was about a 2 foot high cliff at the high tide line. The waves were breaking way the heck out there at low tide, maybe 300 feet away. Out of the blue while we were talking here comes this rogue wave WHAM it slammed into the 2 foot cliff and was a good 2 foot deep. And it was moving fast like a freight train. Had I been standing near the waters edge when that thing hit probably would have been 5 feet deep and knocked me down. That thing was moving about 20 mph. I learned to fear rogue waves, especially at night you need to pay attention when hunting in storm conditions.

 

[JASON CHINA]

Left as I am right handed
I also drag the scoop behind me to 1. Keep it out of the way of my swing & 2. Leave a track in dry sand which helps me when gridding
How to fix the sand scoop on the hip without affecting its use?

NEVER attach your scoop to your body, when your choice is drowning or staying alive let go of your scoop and detector and swim/wade to safety. I tow my scoop with my hip by pressing the handgrip against my hip so I'm still gripping it with my left hand, but most of the force required to drag it along is pulled by my hip.

Back to safety, even hunting just the wet sand you can get clobbered by a rogue wave. Especially if you are hunting right after a storm and the ocean is still angry. I have seen some insane rogue waves. Was hunting a flat beach once, stopped to talk to Harry at the high tide line, at low tide, there was about a 2 foot high cliff at the high tide line. The waves were breaking way the heck out there at low tide, maybe 300 feet away. Out of the blue while we were talking here comes this rogue wave WHAM it slammed into the 2 foot cliff and was a good 2 foot deep. And it was moving fast like a freight train. Had I been standing near the waters edge when that thing hit probably would have been 5 feet deep and knocked me down. That thing was moving about 20 mph. I learned to fear rogue waves, especially at night you need to pay attention when hunting in storm conditions.

When you wear headphones, you ignore your surroundings，I've never seen anything like that, but it's scary

 

[Charles (Upstate NY)]

Left as I am right handed
I also drag the scoop behind me to 1. Keep it out of the way of my swing & 2. Leave a track in dry sand which helps me when gridding
How to fix the sand scoop on the hip without affecting its use?

NEVER attach your scoop to your body, when your choice is drowning or staying alive let go of your scoop and detector and swim/wade to safety. I tow my scoop with my hip by pressing the handgrip against my hip so I'm still gripping it with my left hand, but most of the force required to drag it along is pulled by my hip.

Back to safety, even hunting just the wet sand you can get clobbered by a rogue wave. Especially if you are hunting right after a storm and the ocean is still angry. I have seen some insane rogue waves. Was hunting a flat beach once, stopped to talk to Harry at the high tide line, at low tide, there was about a 2 foot high cliff at the high tide line. The waves were breaking way the heck out there at low tide, maybe 300 feet away. Out of the blue while we were talking here comes this rogue wave WHAM it slammed into the 2 foot cliff and was a good 2 foot deep. And it was moving fast like a freight train. Had I been standing near the waters edge when that thing hit probably would have been 5 feet deep and knocked me down. That thing was moving about 20 mph. I learned to fear rogue waves, especially at night you need to pay attention when hunting in storm conditions.
When you wear headphones, you ignore your surroundings，I've never seen anything like that, but it's scary

Rogue waves will get your attention even with headphones, they ROAR LOUD you will hear them, I have took off running up the beach slope from many a rogue wave now there's a funny sight. lol Don't get too comfortable if you are wading waist deep either. The ocean can dig deep holes in the sand its possible to step into them. I was hunting the wet sand with Bernie once, summer, calm seas, he pointed to this spot just a few feet from shore, dang it was about 8 feet deep just a few steps from the shore. Unfortunately there have been some people how have drown loaded down with detector gear who stepped into a hole, ocean and lake.

 

[Terra1959]

Left as I am right handed
I also drag the scoop behind me to 1. Keep it out of the way of my swing & 2. Leave a track in dry sand which helps me when gridding
How to fix the sand scoop on the hip without affecting its use?

Hi,
I dont attach it anywhere when walking I hold my hand behind my left hip and drag the scoop.
I have an Ezimate handle on the scoop shaft near the end.
I have a rubber strap through the Ezimate handle
...I hold onto the rubber strap as it is soft, flexible and easiest to hang onto and it absorbs bumps

 

[JASON CHINA]

Left as I am right handed
I also drag the scoop behind me to 1. Keep it out of the way of my swing & 2. Leave a track in dry sand which helps me when gridding
How to fix the sand scoop on the hip without affecting its use?

Hi,
I dont attach it anywhere when walking I hold my hand behind my left hip and drag the scoop.
I have an Ezimate handle on the scoop shaft near the end.
I have a rubber strap through the Ezimate handle
...I hold onto the rubber strap as it is soft, flexible and easiest to hang onto and it absorbs bumps

That's a good idea