Another how I got into prospecting story!!

Back when I was a young lad (12) my brother and I lived with my grandparents during the summer on the Salmon River in Idaho and we used to go fishing almost every weekend and on this one Saturday morning our Grandpa said to load up the fishing gear so we could head up the river for a day of fishing. We went about 24 miles up the Salmon River from Riggins Idaho and got to a likely fishing spot, we all piled out of the truck and grandpa informed us we were not there to fish, he reached behind the seat and pulled out 3 gold pans!!! Grandpa said we are here to fish for GOLD! We were wondering as we drove up river why there were buckets and a couple of shovels in the back of the truck. We hiked down to the river with the buckets and shovels and grandpa looked around and said lets dig right here. He explained that were were on the inside bend of the river and that gold being really heavy would drop out in that area. We dug under some big boulders and he had screens on the buckets telling us that the big rocks didn't have gold. He showed us how to classify and put water in the buckets and shake them telling us the gold would drop to the bottom. Next he dug some of the bottom material out of the bucket, put it in the pan and showed us that you have to shake the pan to get the gold to drop to the bottom of the pan. He started to dip the pan then he would shake it some more then dip and shake until there was only black sand and some garnets in the pan. He told us that the black sand and garnets were a good sign that gold might be present. He swirled the pan until the blacks and reds were pretty much out of the way and lo and behold!! GOLD!! I have been panning and prospecting ever since except for the times that life got in the way! Thank You Grandpa!! Love & Miss You Les, IDAufinder By the way, my brother didn't get the fever!! Just me!!

Top story Les, I to was a keen fisherman but got the bug 3 years back and have the fever real bad, no time for fishing its all about doing homework on area's planning the next big hunt, like you I love it.


Cheers Kev

Thanks for the Great story Les

your Grandpa hooked you into a great hobby
He gave you the gold bug.

When you said your brother didn't get hooked..
I can understand that part.
I have two boys.
One got hooked.
The other even though he tried metal detecting, found gold  
He didn't take up the hobby.
More into other hobbies.
He loves his fishing

Thanks Jen and Kev; I also have 2 sons and one could care less about prospecting or detecting and my oldest bought a metal detector before I did but he somehow got cured of the fever (girls&beer)LOL but he still uses his beeper to look for jewelry and coins in the parks around where he lives. Hope you all made it through the big storm OK!! Les, IDAufinder

G'day Les,

Your story on how you became to love this hobby is very similar to mine. Mine started off when I was only a young tacker. Dad used to take us camping in an area where there was gold in the river that flowed through the township. I would spend most of my time down at the water with my Gold Dish and I was the second oldest of 4 children. I was the only one that got bitten by the dreaded Gold Fever and to this Day I can't seem to shake it.
Thanks for sharing your story.

Regards.

Mike.

Thanks Mike; Mom gave me some asprin but it didn't cure me either!! Once you have the fever, you have it for LIFE!!. Les