Fossil Fishing Trip #2

[RJB]

 Well,, it was just a couple of weeks ago when I was out on a fishing trip to the Green River Formation.   We were invited back to the almost unknown 'Phareodus' layers!!!   Very tuff layers for sure. We had to use special chisles for these layers along with the normal thin shims used for the 18 inch layers.  We didnt end up with very many Phare's, only 2 but the boys did get some purty good B-Grade Phare's!!!    What we did find was quite a few small diplo's and small Mio's in some very very nice high quality preservation.  The one thing was,,, just how many small good preservation Mio's does one see?  These are almost rare.  What struck me also was the difference in the layers here!  From one layer to the next can be completely different!   Some of it was super nasty rock and had travertine on it.  You find a fish in this travertine you simply toss it aside.  That hurt!    When the sun went away we had to go dig the 'mini' layers.  The mini layers are very much like the split fish layers but you can get some really good hard layers there and you can also find some big fish there too along with the 1000's of little Knightia's.   But the sun came back and again we dug the Phare layer.  The boys also did some night fishing with lights in the famous 18 inch layers but only lasted about 3 hours.  Still, some nice little prisci's for their efforts.  It was also very cold!  First morning was 32 dgrees.  Tons of wind too and the second day destroyed out tent!!!!!   Im gettin old and can do without the cold and wind, but for those of who know,  after almost 14 months with this stroke I was for the first time able to actually do some work and for some hours.  Quite happy to say the least about that!!!  and even though I payed for that the next day, for me, it was Fantastic.  And today, just one day after getting back I was able to unload almost all the fish, get them squared up with a square and pencil and now having a very deserved whisky and writing this!   Wooooooooop   Woooooooop!!!!   I will pay for this tomorrow but I dont care.  Ive always love getting out and fossil hunting and camping and its now finally gettting a tad bit easier.

 

Here is my little set up before it got desroyed the next day!!!

 

 

 

Here is a large Phareodus with some of the head missing from the 'mini' layers.  The very first rock my middle son lifted.  This fish is upside down.

 

 

Had to build a wind block so we could have a fire for cooking baked taters with onion garlic and a slice of bacon.  Makes for one heck of a baked tater!!! and some New Yorks too!!!

 

The boys working the famous 18 inch layer.  You can see in the lower left of this photo the small pad of the unknown Phareodus layer.

 

 

 

Here is a small but very high quality Mioplosis from one of the 'Phareodus' layers!  Im super excited to get these!!!  To say the least!!!

 

 

This fish, Diplomystus is one of the most awesome ive seen.  Just fatter than a pig!!!  Sad to have the tail end missing!!!  This fish came from the 'mini' layers.  If this had a tail I would have paid some serious moneys for it!!!  Just check out the anal fin!!!

[RJB]

More pics from trip #2. 

 

A very good and high quality Diplo. 

 

 

Another high quality diplo!!!

 

 

Nice little Prisci

 

 

A very nice and high quality little Mioplosis!!!

 

 

Not sure what this is, Phareodus Im hoping?  But its in what I call 'blue rock'.  I absolutely LOVE this rock.  You can see big chunks of this rock all around the quarry from when they bulldoze.  You dont find many fish in this rock but when you do it can be of the absolutely  highest quality!!!  My youngest son found this rock and im gunna hafta offer him some money or something. I HAVE TO HAVE THIS ROCK!!!!!!   and if I do get this rock and no matter what species of fish is in it, you wont believe what I will do with it!!!!!   Im so excited about this slab of rock I cant stand it!!!!!

 

 

 

[RJB]

More pics from trip #2  Still have fish slabs in the back seat but too heavy for me and have to wait for the kids for some help.   Lots more fish but only showing the ones closest to the surface so you can see them. 

 

 

This should be a really nice high quality Prisci.

 

 

Lots of fish slabs ready for the trim saw.

 

 

 

[Bobby Rico]

You must be using some good bait,,their Ron. Fantastic all the best Bobby 

[Randyw]

Looks like you had a really good haul! Can’t wait to see your prep of the one in the “blue rock”! Glad to hear you doing better too!

[Al Tahan]

Those are just awesome!  I really do like these green river formation fish  I may have to start owning more specimens lol

[Sagebrush Steve]

Very nice.  Can’t wait for you to show us your prep of the “blue rock”!

[RJB]

On 6/24/2019 at 4:34 PM, Randyw said:

Looks like you had a really good haul! Can’t wait to see your prep of the one in the “blue rock”! Glad to hear you doing better too!

 

On 6/26/2019 at 8:49 AM, Sagebrush Steve said:

Can’t wait for you to show us your prep of the “blue rock”!

 

  I talked with my son who found this "blue rock' fish the other day.    Its now mine.  and no, I didnt threaten him with standing in the corner in order to aquire it.      Can wait to get started on it.

 

RB

[Sagebrush Steve]

1 hour ago, RJB said:

 

 

  I talked with my son who found this "blue rock' fish the other day.    Its now mine.  and no, I didnt threaten him with standing in the corner in order to aquire it.      Can wait to get started on it.

 

RB

I assume it’s blue because of all the oil in the rock.  Whenever I prep fish from the 18” layer I have to take frequent breaks to keep from getting overwhelmed by the smell.  Maybe it’s less of a problem inside a blast cabinet?  Good luck!

[Tidgy's Dad]

Lovely report and finds. 

Single malt? 

[RJB]

  I finished up a nice fossil leaf that my son found on our 1st trip and did some work on a bunch of fish today ruffing them out and getting a bunch ready for the air abrasive system.  I should be doing that this coming week.  Here are just 2 of the fish, the little liops was simply brushed with toothbrush and water and you can see the difference if you go up top and check it out. Its the same fish.   The serrata looks to be about 9 inches and I will be prepping this out for my youngest son.  Should be a good one?  Not sure about tail?   and I think the leaf is from a gum tree?

 

RB

[Mark Kmiecik]

Sweet leaf!

[JustPlainPetrified]

Sign me up! When can I come down and work my … off to get some of your totally awesome finds. Great. I do mean it. I will leave Canada to come and work for fish, not peanuts.  

[PaleoNoel]

That's an awesome leaf!

[RJB]

13 hours ago, JustPlainPetrified said:

Sign me up! When can I come down and work my … off to get some of your totally awesome finds. Great. I do mean it. I will leave Canada to come and work for fish, not peanuts.

Several years back a guy from canada and I made a 17 day trip to lots of my sites.  I cant do that anymore.  Even these 3 and 4 day trips are hard on me.  Call up the city of Kemmerrer and ask.  Im sure they have a whole list of places to dig for fish.  Good luck

 

RB

[ynot]

Sounds like You had a good trip!

Got lots of mice fish too.

Glad to hear You are getting back to normal after the stroke.

 

Regards,

Tony

[RJB]

8 hours ago, ynot said:

Glad to hear You are getting back to normal after the stroke.

I dont think I was quite normal in the first place, but only a little tiny bit of change for this dang stroke.  ive got a tiny bit of feeling in my left leg that now buzzes with electricity every time I move.  Very annoying but I will take what I can get.   The good thing is im still out there doing it and can still prep.  and as for stumbling,,,,just ask Kris, he told me one day while were in the quarry and I was stumbling around as usual to go have a drink so I wont stumble so much. 

 

RB

[JustPlainPetrified]

On 2019-07-04 at 6:48 AM, RJB said:

Several years back a guy from canada and I made a 17 day trip to lots of my sites.  I cant do that anymore.  Even these 3 and 4 day trips are hard on me.  Call up the city of Kemmerrer and ask.  Im sure they have a whole list of places to dig for fish.  Good luck

 

RB

Will do. Thanks!

[6ix]

My god man, those are incredible!

[RJB]

3 hours ago, 6ix said:

My god man, those are incredible!

Ive bugged you a few times to try and get some of your crabs.  How bout a trade?  I have lots of unpreppared fish.

 

RB

[Monica]

Beautiful fish and leaf, Ron - congrats to you and your boys!