Sluice Mods for Arkansas river + info

[WildernessAU]

So I have a tiny stretch of river on the Arkansas, each test pan show 12-30 specs of flood gold. I have dredged here to just under 4 feet and am still finding ok color but it is really small. This stuff is soo small that much of it I cannot completely isolate from the heavies.....I can usually pan flour pretty clean.
Anyway, for now I'm running a 3" keene highbanker/dredge combo basically stock. The dredged material gets preclassified in the hopper and then is sent to the sluice where it meets a punch plate covering v- ribbed matting, then small riffles w nomad, then larger riffles with expanded metal and carpet. I replaced the small v-matting with deep groove black matting...slight improvement in top of box.
Would a damper on this type of setup help?
What kind of mods have you guys done or seen, that are effective in capturing the ever fine Arkansas river gold?
Maybe carpet and expended the entire length? Cut out some riffles put in expanded?
I feel like I am definitely blowing small gold out the box.

--I saw some pics somewhere about 2 years ago of a guy with a 4" that pulled 1/2oz+ super fines from the Ark in a day...supposedly around RR bridge. given he may have had more and bigger gold in his spot.
--I heard a story of guys dredging with an 8" in the 1980's and doing really well a click or two above the gaging station. Does anyone know more about this? how deep where they dredging?
--Also the folks that worked the boat launch zone for years....anyone know what they really got or how deep they were dredging?

Thanks for your knowledge and help!
Dainis

[golden optimist]

Above the Numbers launch site has larger gold than down around the pump plant. I found a 3/4 penney weight nugget there many years ago. I don't know what the status of that area is now. Getting a few pwnny weight a day wasn't unusual there.
Leonard

[CO_sluicer]

How do you like the deep grove black matting? Did it make a difference as compared to the small v-matting? I was thinking of making that adjustment to the top of my sluice.

John

[WildernessAU]

John, the deep v matting works better for me than the small v, but it's only about a 8-10" section of my box. I want to modify the entire length of my sluice somehow.

[Hoser John]

WAU- a dampner is good on any/all units!!! Helps to deaireate,spread out the flow evenly and help them fines settle out too-tons a au 2 u 2 -John

[WildernessAU]

Thanks John, I figured so much. Now I just have to find a suitable piece of rubber.
D

[urbanminer]

Try using the peice of small v mat. It's already cut to about the right size and it's free. Marc

[trick]

Hey WildernessAU,
Sorry but I'm unable to PM you. Yes it's Patrick that you met at Cache. How've you been? My detector was a MXT. Ended up selling it due to lack of use. I'm in the middle of building a 4" dredge. It's almost complete. Looking to spend a lot of time on (in) the Arkansas. Got air on my dredge as well. I'd like to maybe meet up with you at some point this season. As soon as the forum lets me I'll PM you.

[CO_sluicer]

WAU,

Went up to the GPAA claim this weekend upstream from the RR bridge - just around the bend. Was digging in bank gravel down to 1 ft. I tried a modification on my sluice (Keene). Took out the carpet and expanded. Put in deep V, then miner's moss, then the riffles. Second time I have used this, tried it last week on clear creek. This setup seems to catch more fines for me on both rivers. Just have to watch as it seems to build up quicker, so I have to clean up a little more frequently. But it does catch more of those fines. Still thinking of replacing the top section of small v with deep v - but haven't yet. Not sure how this relates to your dredge set up - but thought I would share.

By the way, found quite a bit of fine gold spread evenly through that 1 foot layer. you could really see it collect in the top mat. Seems like more quantity than clear creek, but the clear creek gold can be bigger. Ran a few test pans behind big boulders out in the river (only down maybe 6 inches) and they seemed to have similar results, maybe 5 specks and another 7 or 8 really small specks per pan. Never got to try right down by the bridge - ran out of time. River is pretty low still - could probably wade accross in spots.

Maybe upstream farther or somewhere that isn't prospected as much might have a little bigger gold.

John.

[YellowFever]

I have a 4" Keene with air! i was thinking about moving to the deeper V-mat and maybe miners moss. sure would be nice to know from others whats working best for them! I was told from a guy that dredges there that i should clean my sluice every time I have to refuel or you will loose gold! I plan on takeing that advice to heart.

Also i am looking for some dredging partners! With the economy the way that it is this will become a full time deal for me. I'm new to dredging and want to learn all that I can!!!