Water Scoop Hunting... A Question

[Muddyshoes]

Ok, I've got the bug for water hunting. Seriously, I don't know why I didn't try it sooner. Even found this gem, check it out...

http://swimmingholes.org/

But I digress...

In my first couple water hunts, I noticed a lot of things falling through the larger holes in my scoop, and I notice most water scoops do have the larger holes which can let things like earrings fall through, or other small jewelry which can be frustrating as heck when you're scooping and scooping and scooping.

Someone posted a picture of a scoop that had what looked like 1/4 inch holes in it and I was wonder who made that or if there was a suggestion on how to retro-fit a temporary smaller-holed bucket inside a scoop that has larger holes. I know you don't want holes that are too small as it would take too long for the sand to empty out.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance,

- Muddyshoes

 

[dahut]

Ive added 1/4 hardware cloth mesh inside my scoop for this reason.
3/8" is the common size for holes in water scoops. This is the "regular" size that will keep a dime in the scoop, but allow sand to filter out quickly.
It's a legacy thing. When water hunting became popular, we weren't interested in tiny things like earring backs and necklace loops. Rings and large hunks were the thing.
Today, with the many searchers and the price of gold so high, we're glad to take anything we can get.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

There is a happy medium between too big and too small...too small and poor drainage and broken arm and back and too large lose valuable itmes..Most scoops are made so a dime won't fall through which usually kills two birds with one stone....I know fishing sinkers and small pieces of foil can drive you crazy as you can't find them as they fall through but on the other hand not much gold in an earring and water hunting is hard work as is so the dime won't fall through works for me and if working in fine sand can alway add wire mesh to catch the extremely small targets and still get good drainage..

 

[fongu]

Thanks for the link to the swimming holes.