Dredging at the Patch

[slynch]

I have to say that I've been going to the patch since 2003 and I have NEVER gotten skunked at the patch. I might get a bucket with nothing in it but I always leave with some gold I didn't have when I got there. I have only gotten skunked once in my short time as a prospector and that was my fault.....I didn't know I was panning in a stream that was feed by a DAMN.....I mean Dam....LOL. I look forward to the new dredging experience.

Skip....Kelly....ALL post are welcome. If anything is said out of the way then Admin will delete it....right Admin? LOL

P.S. Don't delete this George....LOL

[KellyD]

Ok, Ok.. I never meant to imply anyone would get skunked at Cotton Patch. Now, for example, I traveled 4 or so hrs north to Chuck Lassiter's
outing this past spring on my first attempt at dredging. While my home built unit performed rather nicely, it is not equipped for air. I ran out of project money, so that will be this year's upgrade. Anyways, I found out from some fellows just upstream that the pay layer was about 6 feet down. I was pretty much screwed.
One time I went fishing to a pay lake about 2 1\2 hrs N.E. of here and could not get any of the catfish to bite on
the several types of bait, even some that the owner recommended in his store. He was even flabbergasted to see that happen.

That's what I meant by traveling further to get skunked.

Now... where to find a T-80 on the cheap? 

[slynch]

KellyD,
I didn't mean to imply that you were implying that. I was just giving the Patch a good pat on the back for having really good gold recovery. Nothing worse than traveling a long distant and not finding anything....that sucks.

[MHP CPHRMA]

Hey, we all get skunked occasionally, I have followed a promissing vein for yards, many hours of heavy digging, and have ended with zilch. Then again my best find only took 45 minutes to yield a 5.2 oz rock. If we found good gold on every outing, we'd all be rich. It seems that all of life is that way. Been buying lottery tickets for 40 years and never won a large amount. Hunted gold for twenty five years and only found one great prize. Seems like the more knowledge and skill I acquire the less I get skunked. North Carolina has a lot of gold left in the ground. I have tried many different places with some success and have acquired enough color to keep that fever going. Certain people have indicated that they will allow more effecient methods of hunting for color but have indicated the expence will be higher. I have spent a considerable amount of money to improve my returns in my endevors and feel that I am not wasting my money or time. CPHRMA showed those of us who ventured in that area an improved recovery rate. Next Step Mining is advancing that recovery rate even more.

As we progress we improve our recovery, I don't plan to get rich, but I do plan to enjoy my hobby. Many fishermen and hunters can't justify a return on their equipment. Others catch trophy fish and mountable antlers as their return. Armchair quarterbacks have empty beer cans to show their end result. I personally have gold filled lockets aroung my wife and girls necks, vials in my little leather pouch, and memories of the thrill of the search. Here's for finding the next shovel full of gravel and loads of color. If not in that one, maybe the next one.

Stay with me people, we have a hobby that does pay a small reward for our endevors. I forone will keep searching as long as I am physically able. Good luck to all of you that share my hobby.

[SamBurgin CPHRMA]

Well said, George!

[slynch]

I agree...well said George. I have often referred to gold panning like fishing with one difference...you don't throw the small ones back. I too will hunter for the yeller stuff as long as I am able. Hopefully I have purchased all the equipment I will need. Although, I would like to have a 4" dredge.

Happy Hunting.....

[admin]

Steve, we have a 2" highbanker/dredge combo unit we are thinking we might rent out for use here at the patch. We already rent sluice boxes for the pond and have several slots for highbankers. Our being able to offer renting highbankers and dredges will open another advanced opportunity for our customers to gain expierience without having to commit to a large purchase.

These are the items we are investigating and are asking for your opinion. We need to know the particulars for this service. I will be asking some of our customers to help me to make dicisions on these items.

A customer can now rent a slot at the pond and a sluice, buy a load of material and process that material in a certain amount of time. That has a cost attached to it and we have many customers that return often to perform this activity. That indicates the return over time is sufficient to justify the cost. I am expecting from my expierence that the new processes being investigated will have a larger return for the time and expence invested. Investigation and tracking of results will allow us to establish a reasonable fee for this new service. I am looking for a few selective volunteers to help me out with this investigation. If you are interested,please let meknow.


Admin

[rockchunker]

I would like to try dredging.I am interested in learning all I can about my new hobby.

[slynch]

Thanks George,
I have a Keene 2 1/2" Highbanker/dredge combo and I love it....made a few mods to it. I have a 4" suction dredge that I've never used mainly because it is the old type where you need innertubes to float it. Plus it needs about three feet of water to float. It has a Briggs and Straton motor that I had about $300 worth of work done to it and it still is hard to start.

[admin]

The '2 1/2" Highbanker/dredge combo' sounds ideal for the creek where the ' 4" suction dredge' sounds very suited for the pond. There is no ice on the creek right now and only about 2" of ice on the pond, bring the 4" and a very large sledge hammer, I'll put you in the pond. Those shinny new shovels you have you can probably leave at home, they won't break through the ice. See you soon.

Admin

[slynch]

HA HA HA I have a nice new shinny sledgehammer to go with those shinny new shovels I have. I'll need a dry suit and firewood and heater and hot choc. and hand warmers and long johns and a small building to run them all in. You got any buildings at the pond?

[admin]

What no peanuts? Haven't worn a suit in a long time so if I have one it's hanging in the closet and it would be dry. Got the firewood and the heater but they are being used at the panning area. Got a flat spot or two on that heater you could put a pot with hot chocolate in. My hand warmers are my pockets and you have to use your own. My long johns would come up to your shoulders, won't do you much good and the only small buildings I have do have a quarter moon on the door and you will get several visitors. So come on get started and find some color.

By the way how's the New/Old job going?

[slynch]

I'll get back to ya about the new/old job. I start back on Wed. Thanks for asking.

[19000mike]

I would make a trip this spring.  I here lots of good things about Cotton Patch. I don't know much about dredgin but have spent the last couple months building one and need to get started sometime.  Let me know you price and I will see if I can make a 10 hr drive.
Mike
Illinois

[jglenn]

how  much  does  it  cost  and is it for  allday