How, where and when.

Here are three important things that will help you as a beach or water hunter, no matter what you are searching for.

Know what you are searching for and likely to find

In my opinion, many beach and water hunters do not bother to plan around the things they are searching for.
For example, I love searching for old coins and artifact in Florida, but the chances of me finding any of these objects are slim most of the time.
So I take advantage of the many tourist areas in Florida by searching for modern jewelry.
I revolve my whole metal detecting plans around searching for lost jewelry, predominantly freshly lost platinum, gold or silver jewelry.
From my choice of metal detector and search coil, to my search mode and search techniques
I know what I am searching for and use the best search mode and search techniques to find what I am searching for.
If I detect old coins or artifacts its a bonus, but I cannot dig every piece of junk metal at the beach just in case I miss something old and encrusted.

Know where to find what you are searching for 

The majority of beach and water hunters struggle to find what they are searching for because they are searching in the wrong place and they do not bother to learn how to read the beach.
Beach and water hunting hunting can often be very monkey see, monkey do, if you are not careful.
As you would expect by the photos of the gold jewelry I post, I know what equipment works best for me, how to read a beach and where to find jewelry.
I can tell you for sure, jewelry is not found at the same place at the same time every week, as many other beach hunters assume it is.
The amount of people using the beach, the weather and surf conditions all effect a jewelry hunters chances of having a successful jewelry hunt.
A beach or water hunter who takes the time to study the way people use the beach, the way wind and waves effect the beach, and how all of these things are connected will be successful no matter what they are searching for.

Know when to find what you are searching for 

When you know what you are searching for and where to find it, knowing when to find it becomes easier. 
Developing good timing comes with experience, being in the right place at the right time is the sign of a good beach or water hunter.
Being "Johnny on the spot" makes a difference, especially at heavily hunted beaches. 
Many people just show up at the beach to detect, but if I am there it is usually for a good reason or two.
I found fifteen pieces of jewelry in three hours water hunting yesterday morning, unfortunately only three pieces of gold, but my timing was spot on. 
Timing is seldom talked about in beach and water hunting circles, but it should be as it can make a huge difference, no matter what you are searching for.
Yesterday morning my timing was spot on again, three 22K gold bangle bracelets and a dozen other pieces of jewelry recovered during a three hour water hunt.

How, where and when, three words to revolve your beach or water hunting plans around.