The all around device, as these are not dependent on a source of water and are usually lightweight. However this requires a lot more patience in the beginning as you can go a long time without finding gold before you get good at it, while with most other methods one can find at least a little gold right away. One club member found his first gold nugget after 5 years of hunting. As a matter of fact, he found 3 nuggets so it pays to be presistent. They can be used strictly for nugget hunting or can also be used to check your oversize tailings while placering with other methods to be sure that larger nuggets have not been discarded.
Metal detectors can be classified into two broad categories. Most use a continuous frequency, such as BFO and Induction Balance (VLF, TR) types, while some use a series of pulses (Pulse Induction), each has their niche. Many detectors can be fitted with a wide assortment of replaceable coils except for the units referred to as “Gold Probes” which have the coil built into the unit.
The most popular units among club members are the White’s Goldmaster series, followed by equal amounts of Fisher Goldbugs, Minelabs and the Tesoro Lobo. Even though there are strong opinions regarding these detectors, nuggets have been found by club members using all of these units. Selection is a personal choice.
