With some of the streams and rivers in my area, (and dry washes) I’m wondering if panning for gold might be combined with a fishing trip. Of course I’d have to check into the legality, but I’m wondering if it might add an extra attraction to some trips. Anybody here ever give it a try? Heck, if you get really lucky it might pay for the trip.
I fish the Arkansas in Colorado, and there is always panning going on, and sometimes sophisticated dredging, with strange people in scuba gear rising out of the water. It is said to be somewhat productive. The plus side is that there are clubs that lease water for panning, that don’t mind having fishermen around.
Look into the GPAA. Ever watch “Gold Fever” on TV??? That’s the group.
I used to watch it all the time, but I haven’t seen it in a while. But ever since retirement, we aren’t getting any of the premium programs with our TV provider.
I just started takin a pan with me…
I did see an episode on some Game Warden program in which they cited someone for damaging redds and streambed for putting a lot of dirt in the stream. Maybe he was bringing dirt to the streamed to pan it. Not sure.
If you’re panning in Washington State, you have to have the pamphlet of the regulations for panning in your possession. Those pamphlets are your license to pan in some of the streams and rivers where allowed. Those pamphlets are distributed by the WDFW and are designed with regs to protect fish and habitat. I’m not sure, but I think the penalty for violation is up to $5000 and a year in jail. Washington State takes fish and fisheries seriously.
Do you really want to be digging up the bottom of a trout stream?
Of course not. Tertiary or dry wash ravines would be fine. 
We have lots of recreational gold mining opportunities, as well as some commercial mining nearby where I spend the summer on the Yellowstone River in MT. In the past I have taken a gold pan with me when I’m fishing, however now I rarely mix the 2 since both are available literally right out my back door.
My son, grandson and I went exploring far up Emigrant Gulch one day last summer which is just across the Yellowstone River from me. Gold was discovered there in about 1862, and until WWII there was lots of mining going on there, including the largest open pit gold mine dredging in the state of Montana. With the recent high gold price, a couple small scale mines had begun in the last year or two, exactly like those on the popular TV series, Gold Rush. We watched one of them digging away part of the mountain side as we passed by, and we did some panning ourselves farther up the gulch. We may have found a small flake or two, but that’s all. My grandson had fun though, and he took home a couple sizable rocks that he believed were gold and silver!
A pan is essential. Ya gotta have that. However, a small sluice-box will make things go much easier. If you’re in an area where you can legally pan/sluice in the stream, set the sluice up, and start feeding dirt slowly into the sluice. This is a good family activity; you can have one more of the kids digging material into a bucket, then haul that over to someone that is feeding the sluice. When you call it a day, do a clean-up.
Check you heavies! You’ll get more than gold. Garnets tend to show up a lot as well. If you’re truly worried about putting dirt into the stream, you might try to take the dirt home and wash it there. You can use some large tubs to hold water. Also, it might be a good idea to NEVER DUMP YOUR CONCENTRATES. The gent that does “Gold Fever” always saves his concentrates, and takes them home. He has a custom-made wash plant in his basement/garage, that’s designed for catching the truly fine, “flour gold” and/or gold dust. Instead of a sluice, he uses the corrugated green plastic drain tubing for riffles.
You might want to have some cheap magnets around as well, to help pull the black sand out (it’s raw iron ore).
I’ll be checking with the Game Department. I have to go right past there today. In Washington, that’s where you go for permits and regs. I’m thinking a good way to start is with a 14" pan, and concentrate pan, an entrenching tool and a magnet. I have a 5 gallon bucket, a hand trowel and a stool.
here in Idaho we have a lot of water with gold in it. It is fun to try a pan now and again. I get a lot of color sometimes and sometimes I get to sit in the creek and just relax. Like fly fishing it isn’t about getting color but about enjoying what mother nature has put out there. Just my 2 cents. My bother prospects during the summer from Washington to Mexico and ussually scores between one to two ounces a month. He states it is his retirement. It take a pickup with a camper shell loaded clear up to getall his equipment around.
What your brother is doing sounds ideal to me. It would have to pay for itself.
CA allows sluices, but no suction dredging.
On fly fishing streams???
In Maine just this past week there was a committee meeting to discuss a bill banning mechanical dredging in certain spawning streams of Atlantic salmon, land locked salmon and brook trout.
At this point there is no regulation of stream dredging or gold panning in general even though it’s illegal to drive a vehicle through the same streams.
Surprisingly the Maine DEP took no position on this controversy
[CENTER][b]An Act To Prohibit Motorized Recreational Gold Prospecting in Certain Atlantic Salmon and Brook Trout Spawning Habitats[/b] [LEFT][LEFT][b]Emergency preamble. Whereas, [/b] acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and[/LEFT][/LEFT]
[LEFT][LEFT]Whereas, motorized recreational gold prospecting may occur without a permit, subject to certain conditions; and[/LEFT]
[/LEFT]
[LEFT][LEFT]Whereas, motorized recreational gold prospecting may negatively affect habitats for aquatic life, including habitats where brook trout and Atlantic salmon spawn; and[/LEFT]
[/LEFT]
[LEFT][LEFT]Whereas, in order to provide additional protection to certain sensitive stream segments that provide important habitats to brook trout and Atlantic salmon before the next motorized recreational gold prospecting season, after winter ends, this legislation must take effect as soon as possible; and [/LEFT]
[/LEFT]
[LEFT][LEFT]Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,[/LEFT]
[/LEFT]
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 38 MRSA ?480-Q, sub-?5-A, ?H is enacted to read:
H. Motorized recreational gold prospecting is prohibited in the following waters: u Bemis Stream in Township D and Rangeley Plantation;[/u][u](2) Bond Brook in the City of Augusta and the Town of Manchester;[/u] [u](3) Bull Branch of Sunday River in Riley Township and Grafton Township;[/u] [u](4) Carrabassett River tributaries in the Town of Carrabassett Valley;[/u] [u](5) Cold Stream tributaries in West Forks Plantation and Johnson Mountain Township;[/u] [u](6) Dead River in Lower Enchanted Township;[/u] [u](7) Dead River tributaries upstream of Flagstaff Lake, including the North Branch and the South Branch, in Chain of Ponds Township, Tim Pond Township, Jim Pond Township, Alder Stream Township and the Town of Eustis;[/u] [u]( 8 Enchanted Stream in Upper Enchanted Township and Lower Enchanted Township;[/u] [u](9) Kennebec River and its tributaries above Wyman Lake in Bowtown Township, Pierce Pond Township, Carrying Place Township, The Forks Plantation and the Town of Caratunk;[/u] [u](10) Magalloway River and its tributaries, including Little Magalloway River, in Bowmantown Township, Parmachenee Township, Oxbow Township, Lynchtown Township, Parkertown Township, Lincoln Plantation and Magalloway Plantation;[/u] [u](11) Rapid River in the Town of Upton;[/u] [u](12) Sandy River and its tributaries upstream of the Town of Farmington and the Town of Strong town line in Sandy River Plantation, Township E, Redington Township, Salem Township, Mount Abram Township, Madrid Township, the Town of Phillips, the Town of Avon and the Town of Strong;[/u] [u](13) Sandy Stream and its tributaries in Highland Plantation;[/u] [u](14) Sheepscot River and its tributaries, including the West Branch, in the Town of Alna, the Town of Whitefield, the Town of Windsor, the Town of Somerville, the Town of Palermo, the Town of China, the Town of Liberty, the Town of Freedom and the Town of Montville;[/u] [u](15) South Bog Stream in Rangeley Plantation;[/u] [u](16) Spencer Stream and Little Spencer Stream tributaries, including Kibby Stream in Kibby Township, Skinner Township, T.3, R.5 B.K.P. W.K.R., T.4, R.5 B.K.P. W.K.R., King and Bartlett Township and T.5, R.6 B.K.P. W.K.R.;[/u] [u](17) Swift River and its tributaries upstream of the Town of Byron, Township D and Township E town line in Township D and Township E;[/u] [u](18 Temple Stream in the Town of Avon, the Town of Temple and the Town of Farmington; and[/u] [u](19) Togus Stream in the Town of Chelsea and the Town of Randolph.[/u] Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved. SUMMARY This bill prohibits motorized recreational gold prospecting in certain stream segments that contain important brook trout and Atlantic salmon spawning habitats.[/CENTER]