A new past time and reason to get the TC out!! A friend in Great Falls MT invited me over to MT to do some gold mining this July. I don't know a thing about it, but I will. I am fortunate enough...
If you get more than a little bit serious about gold mining, I am coming around to the idea that time/money should be spent on good ground rather than more equipment.
A 4 inch dredge isn't going to be as much fun if your ground has $1 of gold per yard of material, but you can have a blast with a $6 pan and $15 homemade sluice on $30 a yard material.