Forum Friends Find Filthy Fossil Fish

[Pagurus]

They were out there somewhere, we knew they were. We knew from the start this wouldn't be easy. Or pleasant. We had seen them before, but this was different. Everything was different. These fish had been underground for longer than anyone could remember. It was our job to bring them out and we knew from experience they'd never come out alive.

Tim aka Fossildude19 was the hardened sleuth. He'd been here many times. Mike aka Pagurus was newer to the game but just as determined. The day was dry and hot, but our search area centered around a mudhole in the ground. They say if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging, but we were on a mission. We couldn't go home empty-handed.

While Tim applied his shovel several yards away, on a secret mission, Mike foolishly hopped into the mudhole. The mud was as thin as a can of turkey gravy watered down to feed a dozen unexpected guests. Mike searched the hole for the elusive shale and began expanding the hole. As the mudhole widened, it filled with overhanging dirt. More shale was exposed. A good thing. The mud got muddier. Not so good. Mike got closer and closer to his quarry and with the now sticky mud up to his elbows and dripping into his work boots he pried the shale loose from its lair.

The mud-caked shale was piled on drier land and Mike crawled out of his hole. Tim, an accomplished shale-splitter, was invited to help with the splitting. There's always a fellow fisherman, with the same bait and tackle as his buddies, who catches twice as many fish. While Mike split his share of the shale and found a few scales, a few plant pinules and a few coprolites, Tim the fossildude found this fish:

Tim the Generous handed the fish to Mike to work on at home and to add to his collection. Thank you Tim!

Here are the results, an almost complete Semionotus.

Success!

It's a small fish, about 3 1/4 inches long.

Oh, and Tim also decided to hop into the hole, wisely covering the mud with a drop cloth first. It helped a little.

Edit: I forgot some important details. Found in Connecticut, Early Jurassic, Shuttle Meadow Formation, Newark Supergroup.

Edited July 19, 2016 by Pagurus

[Trevor]

Excellent commentary! True character comes out when you go through pure grit and go beyond the "oh don't just keep digging your hole deeper". Great finds. Hope you can go again and find more material. Nice hunt.

[Fossildude19]

Thanks for posting this, Mike.

Although, I seem to remember finding the fish,... a shovel, ... then, ... darkness.

When I came to, You were fawning over it mumbling something like,... "My Precious,... My Precious...."

Kidding.

*******************************************************************************************

In reality, Mike worked extremely hard for about 10-15 minutes, trying to wrestle this huge slab (must have been about 22 inches long, and about 4-5 inches thick!) out of that mud-pit.

It should have been chock full of fish.

Alas, split after careful split, Mike was stymied by the ever fickle Shuttle Meadow Formation. A pinnule here. A stem there. Oh look, ... 3 scales! The nature of the beast.

Mike generously invited me to split some of his spoils, and I got to work.

I picked up a club like portion of the slab that had broken vertically off of the slab.

Took a swing with the ol' Estwing, and there it was.

Well, I couldn't take credit for one hammer swing, so it went to it's rightful owner.

Thanks again for coming and playing in the mud, Mike.

I look forward to the next time.

Regards.

[ynot]

Nice tellin' of the hunt Guys! Thanks for sharing and that is a nice fish.

Tony

[JohnJ]

Heck of a story, guys. Y'all probably looked and acted like a couple of muddy ten year olds on an adventure. Congrats.

[BobWill]

Wait, you serve gravy from a can? And water it down? I'll get something to eat before I come by

Love the story and great fish find but shouldn't the title be "Filthy Forum Friends Find A Fish"?

[doushantuo]

Superb Semionotid !

Edited July 19, 2016 by doushantuo

[smt126]

Sounds like a trip you'll remember. Great fossils.

[StevenJD]

Awesome fish, nice find!

[Shazuren]

Congratulations. One of my favorite parts of hunting is not only are memories for a lifetime made, you also often end up with a "memento" or a few along the way. Thank you for sharing the story. Very well told.

[xonenine]

Fantastic, friends and fish!

[Castle Rock]

I like the "film noire" quality to the story! The hole was dark, gritty…like the streets of this city. The quest to find an illusive fish, not just any fish….and then…...

[old bones]

Look at those remarkable shiny scales! Very nice finds and fun report

[lissa318]

Nice fish!!! That is another fossil I would love to find one of these days. p.s. some people will actually pay money for mud baths you know... lol

[Raggedy Man]

Thanks for posting this, Mike.

Although, I seem to remember finding the fish,... a shovel, ... then, ... darkness.

When I came to, You were fawning over it mumbling something like,... "My Precious,... My Precious...."

Kidding.

ROFL!!!!

[Shamalama]

Woo Hoo! Congrats on the great find! Jurassic fossils from the east coast are not easy pickins so sometimes you have the take what you can get. Lucky for you you got what you took and it was good.

[Khyssa]

Great trip report and funny commentary. Those are some shinny scales on that fish.

[Jeffrey P]

Congrats both of you on a great find. Wonderful teamwork. You both suffered a lot to recover that and it sure looks worth it. Thanks for posting.

[Pagurus]

Heck of a story, guys. Y'all probably looked and acted like a couple of muddy ten year olds on an adventure. Congrats.

Funny you should mention that, John. It was a fine adventure but we sure startled a couple of hikers when we got back to our cars.

Wait, you serve gravy from a can? And water it down? I'll get something to eat before I come by

Love the story and great fish find but shouldn't the title be "Filthy Forum Friends Find A Fish"?

Come by for Thanksgiving, Bob, and my wife will serve you the best homemade gravy anywhere (other than your place, of course.)

I do like your title better than mine, though Filthy Forum Friends Find Five Fish would have been better if it were true. Or Five Filthy Forum Friends ...

Superb Semionotid !

Thanks for the alliteration.

Sounds like a trip you'll remember. Great fossils.

I'm remembering it too much already, thanks.

Awesome fish, nice find!

Thank you kindly, Steven.

Congratulations. One of my favorite parts of hunting is not only are memories for a lifetime made, you also often end up with a "memento" or a few along the way. Thank you for sharing the story. Very well told.

I'm nursing a "memento" on my knuckle this morning, but it's all part of the memories. I'm expecting that fish to grow bigger over the years. Thanks for the compliment.

Fantastic, friends and fish!

Thanks for the comment, Carmine. That fish will get fantasticer and fantasticer as I age. I hope we get together again soon.

I like the "film noire" quality to the story! The hole was dark, gritty…like the streets of this city. The quest to find an illusive fish, not just any fish….and then…...

I'm happy that you noticed. Thank you.

Look at those remarkable shiny scales! Very nice finds and fun report

The preservation of the scales at this location is indeed remarkable. I think some of the scales on this fish are slightly pyritized as well. I'm glad you enjoyed the report.

Nice fish!!! That is another fossil I would love to find one of these days. p.s. some people will actually pay money for mud baths you know... lol

Thanks, Lissa. This mud was free. And the parking too.

[Pagurus]

Excellent commentary! True character comes out when you go through pure grit and go beyond the "oh don't just keep digging your hole deeper". Great finds. Hope you can go again and find more material. Nice hunt.

Thank you, Trevor. I'm looking forward to going again with Tim. That's when the characters come out.

Thanks for posting this, Mike.

Although, I seem to remember finding the fish,... a shovel, ... then, ... darkness.

When I came to, You were fawning over it mumbling something like,... "My Precious,... My Precious...."

Kidding.

*******************************************************************************************

I hope that lump on your head is feeling better today, Tim.

Nice tellin' of the hunt Guys! Thanks for sharing and that is a nice fish.

Tony

Thanks, Tony. I've always like telling a good fish story.

Woo Hoo! Congrats on the great find! Jurassic fossils from the east coast are not easy pickins so sometimes you have the take what you can get. Lucky for you you got what you took and it was good.

It's all good, Dave. Hope to collect with you again soon.

Great trip report and funny commentary. Those are some shinny scales on that fish.

Thank you! These fish sure do display nicely after a couple hundred million years.

Congrats both of you on a great find. Wonderful teamwork. You both suffered a lot to recover that and it sure looks worth it. Thanks for posting.

Oh how we suffered! I'm looking forward to collecting with you again soon, Jeff. I want to share my suffering.

[JohnBrewer]

Cracking fish and fabulous commentary!

[sixgill pete]

and the Broadway Play is starting when?

[Pagurus]

Cracking fish and fabulous commentary!

Thanks, John. I don't have the patience to write a novel but TFF 'tis enough, 'twill serve.

and the Broadway Play is starting when?

...As soon as I can find an actor to play Tim.

[Fossildude19]

Thanks, John. I don't have the patience to write a novel but TFF 'tis enough, 'twill serve.

...As soon as I can find an actor to play Tim.

May I suggest George Clooney, ... or Matthew Mcconaughey.

[njfossilhunter]

It sounded like a real treasure hunt story. And that fish was remarkable find...Congrats.