Try going out on club outings. You can learn a lot from helping dig in the right areas. Otherwise its sample , sample , sample , till you hit the gold!

I've had best luck in the banks of the washes and up on the flat benches where there are often small feeder run-off areas. I generally always find fine gold in King#1, Yahoo#2, and Dumb Luck. Dig a half bucket, classify to 1/4 or 1/8" and pan (with water) on site as a test to be sure there's gold there before spending alot of time digging. If that sample doesn't show a few colors, move on to another area. Don't get discouraged, we all usually get skunked alot just starting out. Goioid luck. Enjoy and have fun!