Fisher Gold Bug Pro Metal Detector Overview
The Fisher Gold Bug Pro runs a single 19 kHz VLF frequency that First Texas designed to detect the smallest gold nuggets even in highly mineralized soil, with coin shooting and relic hunting as further uses. Ground balance is real-time computerized Ground Grab, and in All Metal mode you can also set it manually with the plus and minus buttons. The display shows a ground phase number that indicates the type of mineralization and a 7-segment Fe3O4 bar graph that shows how much there is. All Metal mode maximizes sensitivity, Discrimination mode uses a DISC setting from 0 to 80 (at settings up to 40, targets below it give a low tone; higher settings reject them), and the 2-digit target ID reads each target in Discrimination mode. Pinpoint mode is static and shows approximate depth. The waterproof 5 inch DD round coil rides on an adjustable S-rod with a padded grip. The Gold Bug Pro weighs 2 lb 8 oz (1.13 kg) with the battery installed, runs about 15 to 20 hours on one 9V alkaline battery, has a 1/4 inch headphone jack and carries a 2-year warranty.
Gold Bug Pro Configurations: 5 Inch, Combo and Gold Bug DP
First Texas sells the Gold Bug Pro in three configurations, and the electronics are the same in each; only the coils change. The Gold Bug Pro with the 5 inch DD coil has the tightest footprint for bedrock cracks, brush and the hottest soil. The Gold Bug Pro combo adds a 10 inch elliptical coil to the 5 inch, so one detector covers both tight spots and open washes. The Gold Bug DP ships with an 11 inch DD elliptical coil for more coverage per swing on open ground. If you are not sure where you will hunt most, the combo is the configuration we recommend, because swapping the coil changes the job without changing the detector.
Gold Bug Pro vs. Gold Bug 2: Which Should You Buy?
The Gold Bug Pro runs 19 kHz with Ground Grab plus manual ground balance, a 2-digit target ID, ground phase and Fe3O4 readouts and a depth-reading pinpoint, on one 9V battery. The Gold Bug 2 runs 71 kHz, which First Texas says lets it locate even the tiniest gold nuggets in highly mineralized soils. It has manual ground balance only, Normal, Boost and Iron Disc modes, no target ID and no pinpoint mode, weighs 2.9 lb and runs 25 to 35 hours on two 9V batteries, and its control box can be hip mounted.
Choose the Gold Bug Pro if you want one detector for gold, relics and coins, with numbers on the screen to learn from. Choose the Gold Bug 2 if you hunt small gold in worked patches and are comfortable balancing by ear. One step down, the Gold Bug has the same 19 kHz electronics, coil and weight as the Pro but balances with Ground Grab only.
Gold Bug Pro, Best For:
- Prospectors in variable, mineralized ground who want Ground Grab plus manual ground balance
- Relic hunters who want a 0 to 80 DISC setting and a 2-digit target ID
- Buyers who want two coils in one box with the Gold Bug Pro combo
Gold Bug 2, Best For:
- Dedicated nugget hunters chasing the smallest gold in hot ground
- Long days in the field, with 25 to 35 hours on two 9V batteries and a hip-mountable control box
Gold Bug Pro Settings That Matter in the Field
Start every session with Ground Grab: hold the touch pad and pump the coil over clean ground until the sound evens out. Fisher's manual explains that ground balance is only adjustable in All Metal mode, so that is where you fine-tune it with the plus and minus buttons. The ground phase number tells you what kind of ground you are on (Fisher's table puts red, yellow and brown iron clays at 40 to 75 and magnetite at 75 to 95), and the Fe3O4 graph tells you how strong it is; when either jumps, rebalance.
We prospect in All Metal mode and switch to Discrimination mode only to check a signal. With DISC set around 40, most iron gives the low tone; Fisher's manual gives typical target IDs such as 58 for a nickel and 85 for a quarter, so the screen also works for coins and relics. Static pinpoint shows depth calibrated to coin-sized objects, which helps you decide how deep to dig.
Where the Gold Bug Pro Works Best and Its Limits
The Gold Bug Pro is built for small gold in mineralized soil, from dry washes and bedrock to tailings, and it also handles relic sites and coin hunting, the purposes First Texas lists. Its limits: only the searchcoil is rated waterproof, so it is a land and creek-edge detector, and Fisher sells a rain cover to keep dirt and water off it. In very heavily mineralized ground, or for larger nuggets deeper down, prospectors step up to a pulse induction machine; for the smallest gold, the 71 kHz Gold Bug 2 is more sensitive. Compare them in our gold detectors collection.
Coils and Accessories That Fit the Gold Bug Pro
Fisher's Gold Bug Pro manual lists the 5 inch DD round coil, a 10 inch DD elliptical and an 11 inch DD elliptical, so every Gold Bug Pro configuration can add the other coils later. The Fisher 10 inch solid biaxial DD elliptical coil fits the Gold Bug Pro and the Gold Bug and is the coil we add first to a 5 inch Pro for open ground. Gold Bug 2 coils do not fit. Headphones need a 1/4 inch stereo plug; the DetectorPro Black Widow is one wired option, and mono plugs will not work. A Fisher pinpointer speeds up recovery, and the free Gold Bug Pro digital manual is in this collection.
Fisher Gold Bug Series Comparison: Gold Bug, Gold Bug Pro and Gold Bug 2
All three Gold Bug models are single-frequency VLF gold detectors with waterproof searchcoils, a 1/4 inch headphone jack and a 2-year warranty. The differences sit in frequency, ground balance, target ID, coils and battery.
| Feature | Gold Bug | Gold Bug Pro | Gold Bug 2 |
|---|
| Technology | VLF, single frequency 19 kHz | VLF, single frequency 19 kHz | VLF, single frequency 71 kHz |
| Search Modes | All Metal, Discrimination | All Metal, Discrimination | Normal, Boost, Iron Discrimination |
| Ground Balance | Ground Grab computerized (automatic) | Ground Grab computerized plus manual | Manual (Ground Reject knob) |
| Discrimination | Adjustable (plus and minus buttons) | Adjustable, DISC 0 to 80 | Iron Disc mode (ignores hot rocks and ferrous objects) |
| Target ID | 2-digit numeric | 2-digit numeric | None |
| Ground Phase and Fe3O4 Readout | Yes | Yes | LCD shows the ground reject setting and the Mineralization setting (Low, Normal, High) |
| Pinpoint | Yes, with depth indicator | Yes, with depth indicator | No pinpoint mode |
| Stock Searchcoil | 5 inch DD round | 5 inch DD round (Gold Bug Pro); 11 inch DD elliptical (Gold Bug DP); two-coil combo | 6.5 inch or 10 inch elliptical; two-coil combo |
| Fisher Coil Options | 5 inch DD round, 10 inch DD elliptical, 11 inch DD elliptical | 5 inch DD round, 10 inch DD elliptical, 11 inch DD elliptical | 6.5, 10 and 14 inch elliptical |
| Water Resistance | Searchcoil waterproof; Fisher rain cover available | Searchcoil waterproof; Fisher rain cover available | Searchcoil waterproof; control box dust and moisture resistant |
| Headphone Jack | 1/4 inch (stereo plug) | 1/4 inch (stereo plug) | 1/4 inch |
| Battery and Runtime | 1 x 9V, about 15 to 20 hours (alkaline) | 1 x 9V, about 15 to 20 hours (alkaline) | 2 x 9V, 25 to 35 hours (alkaline) |
| Weight | 2.5 lb (1.13 kg) | 2.5 lb (1.13 kg) with 5 inch coil | 2.9 lb (1.3 kg) |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years |
The Gold Bug DP and the two-coil combo are configurations of the Gold Bug Pro, so they share its column.
For the 19 kHz versus 71 kHz decision in more depth, read our Fisher Gold Bug Pro vs Gold Bug 2 guide.
Why Buy the Fisher Gold Bug Pro from Serious Detecting?
- Free Shipping on Orders Over $99: Your Fisher Gold Bug Pro ships at no extra cost across the continental US.
- Authorized Fisher Dealer: Showroom in Ypsilanti, Michigan, full 2-year manufacturer warranty and product registration support.
- Help Before and After You Buy: Our staff answer setup, coil and Gold Bug Pro questions by phone or email.
