Moving from Ohio to Texas I quickly realized if I was going to do much metal detecting in the summer this fat guy was going to take up some water hunting. I’ve had the Tesoro Tiger Shark for a few months now and although I am not an expert with it by any means I feel like I am ready to write a review or at least my first one.
A little back ground
Until this year I had never done much water hunting. I had been out the past few summers at least a few times with a CTX 3030 though so it’s not like I’m brand new at it. One set back I had was it’s hard to find a lake down here with a sand beach. Mostly what you will find is gravel sitting on a clay/mud like layer that is very hard to dig and my $100 dollar aluminum scoop just wasn’t cutting it. I got a Sunspot, Stealth 920iX X-treme hybrid with slots at the back of it instead of holes. What a difference, It’s a great scoop and easily handled the gravel!
Tesoro Tiger Shark Review
I haven’t used it enough yet to really go into detail like some of the people out there running one who can tell you what a chain, gold rings and coins sound like but there are those out there that can and hopefully with time I can as well. With the really tough digging I only last a few hours before I am wore out so I haven’t metal detected nearly as many hours as I hoped this summer but I have had many short trips.
One of the first things I quickly found appealing was the ease of moving the control housing. You have the option to mount it under your elbow, great for land hunting, it really makes it enjoyable to swing for extended periods of time. Then you can mount it mid shaft which I found great for when I was in the water, it really helps to keep the coil down. Lastly, you can hip mount it which I never tried, I just go from rear to mid mount.
Another great thing about the metal detector is once you have your discrimination set and ground balanced, anyone can use it. My Fiancé fell in love with the Tesoro Tiger Shark and it’s her first metal detector she’s ever swung. I set the discrimination at around 4 and was still picking up foil but iron would be chirpy at best. When Stephanie would go with me I was her digging buddy and she would rarely let me use the detector!
To this point I haven’t touch the Disc setting. I leave it at four and go hunt, digging everything. My next step with the Tesoro Tiger Shark is to start using the Disc to see where different targets come in on the disc. I know of people who can tell the difference between a nickel, pull tab and gold on other Tesoro metal detectors simply by turning the knob and seeing where a target starts to get discriminated out.
At first I didn’t like the idea of the threshold and sensitivity adjustment inside the housing. To adjust it you have to open it up and although it’s easy enough to open it up, with any other detector I’ve ever ran, that’s at your fingertips. After several hunts though I have to say I never had to open it up and adjust it. Once it’s set it’s not something you need to do often. I am sure if you’re going from freshwater to saltwater or from a sandy beach in Michigan to a gravel beach in Texas, you will probably have to adjust it but it is simple enough to do.
The Tiger Shark I am using is a demo unit sent to me from Tesoro so I could use it and review. I knew going into this that it would have to go back and although I have fallen in love with it I knew the deal and it has to go back. Stephanie on the other hand is not taking it very well! She has really enjoy beach and water hunting with this legend. Summer is drawing to an end and I know it will be going back soon. I haven’t told Steph yet and I think it’s for the best! I am just going to pack it up soon and send it back when she’s at work and I will deal with the fallout after!
I have heard great things about this machine for years. I know many people who have more expensive water detectors who prefer their Tiger Shark, especially in freshwater. It’s known that they are more sensitive on smaller gold and I’ve been told they pick up gold chains very well where a lot of other detectors can’t.
The Tiger Shark has become a legend over the years at least in my mind. I have talked to so many people who love it and is there go to water detector. It was a real pleasure to use this detector and I have to say it lived up to its reputation!
Tesoro Tiger Shark Pro’s
- Can quickly and easily move the housing
- Great balance under elbow for all day beach hunting
- Lower mount keeps coil on the bottom in water
- Very easy to use
- Sensitive on small objects
- Built like a tank!
Tesoro Tiger Shark Cons
- I would prefer sensitivity on the outside of control housing
Odd to Find a Buffalo in a Lake That Wasn’t Made until 1960’s!
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