Post By: Abel1 Posted: 7/16/2012 4:10:32 PM Points: 99
Thanks to all who participated in my last post regarding the preffered choice of taking fish home for dinner. It looks like I am missing out on walleye. I'm going to make it a point to try those before the end of the year.
So now let's go fishing. You were at home watching Nascar this weekend and you noticed that big open space above your fireplace. Your thinking a fish mount would look awesome in that space. (If your better half will allow it).
What species and what size will earn the right to occupy that space?
I have 6 mounts now, mostly because I could not revive them after catching them, I have caught several eyes over 10# and 1 over 14#, all released, but a record eye I would have to keep to get it certified, then a mount for sure with a place of honor in my home for it to reside.
The few trophies I have caught (or what I would consider a trophy), I have let go. I don't want to eat a fish in the trophy range because I have tasted them and they are not very good. If I was to get a mount though I would do a replica mount because they are about the same price as a real mount and the fish can still swim and the replicas are much more durable.
I like what FOM had to say though.
As far as species, a Tiger Musky for sure and over 45" !!!
FOM is being modist You should see his Musky mount a true giant but it did not survive after he tried to release it.
I have one big record cat on my wall and looking for another someday. I have no problem with that plan, but all others get released and always did. Only thing going on my walls are records. No cat over 10 pounds is worth eating in my opinion anyway.
Heck we just had a FXRplus get together Frying up some eyes and what did I bring? Store bought Catfish ..lol Everyone got a good laugh out of that.
With mounts I would hope people are making the right choices. You dont want to take home that very first fish unless it is of corse a true giant. Doing some research on this is best before hand. You dont want to catch a 30 inch Tiger musky and take it home to be mounted just to catch anotherone at 36 inches a year later. I dont recomend taking those home anyway. Always concider a reproduction. There are some speices that do need some self control on. Then there is the guys that dont like any mounts at all you will always have to deal with that also. Again a way to bypass that is the Reproductions.
I landed a 29 inch Wiper last year, but Im not getting a reproduction made because I think I can do a lot better. Some Food for thought
Personally, I have 2 fish mounts, and 7 animal mounts. A trophy is in the eye of the beholder but as far as fish go, if it's MA quality it's worth having one of each species on the wall with a certificate. Take measurements, pics and get a replica. After seeing older skin fish mounts at sporting goods stores, I'll stick with replicas.
Reply by: Abel1 Posted: 7/17/2012 8:00:16 AM Points: 99
Fishrangler: Is your catfish a real skin mount or a replica. I am curious not so I can run you down if it is a skin mount. I have my reasons for asking and I guarantee that I will not come back at you in any way. This is a legitimate question from me. Thank you!
rsrecurvehunter: You are right when you say a trophy is in the eye of the beholder. I was at a taxidermist shop one day and here was a 10" rainbow mounted on the wall. Turned out a father had it mounted for his son because it was his first fish.
I have said before a 6" brookie in the fall colors is a trophy anyday. Mother nature at its best!
Reply by: FISHRANGLER Posted: 7/17/2012 9:14:08 AM Points: 4407
It's a reproduction, Why do you ask? "Running me down" for keeping that fish seems to be popular. Kinda sucks being as it is the only Channel catfish I have kept in 35 years. Something you all should keep in mind when keeping one for a mount, is the flack you may get from others. IMO reproductions are not much more then just a reminder then the exact match. Very hard for them to match the fish up with the available molds that are used when they order them. This guy I used does hand paint his eyes though, I thought that was cool. Skin mount for a Channel cat is hard to do. So I chose the repro.
Reply by: itchyreelfinger Posted: 7/17/2012 9:27:01 AM Points: 906
I have a bucket list of which I have only landed two. 30# Striper (Beaver Lake Ark.) and a 29 inch Eye (Lake Mille Lacs, MN). Problem with the Eye is that I caught a 30 inch in Rifle Gap last year. Others on the list are 10# LMB, 8# SMB, 42 inch Mack, and a Rooster Fish...long story on that one but suffice it to say, Rooster Fish and I do....not....get....along.
Reply by: twhart Posted: 7/17/2012 10:48:26 AM Points: 1434
First, somebody please do me a favor and shoot me if I ever choose to stay at home and watch NASCAR over fishing. After further thought, please shoot me if I ever decide to watch NASCAR period. FISHRANGLER, that is a very nice looking mount it looks great on the wall in that photo. I don't have any fish mounts yet, just big game shoulder mounts. I would like to add a fish or two to the walls though. I am waiting on that 29 to 30 inch walleye that meets or exceeds 10 pounds. That one will go on the wall. Skin mount or repro, I don't know yet. There seems to be a lot of good big game taxidermists around, but I have seen a lot of crappy looking fish mounts whether skin or repros. I also don't like how the forms for repros seem to be limited in the sizes available. I would prefer something with the exact dimensions for girth and length.
It is sad how so many of you felt the need to quickly apologize for keeping a fish to mount and how you felt you had to justify it because of all the flack you receive from the whiners. It is also pretty crappy that FISHRANGLER has taken a lot of flack for his catfish. Fortunately, I don't give a crap what others think and that will never be a factor in what I have mounted or whether I go with a skin mount or repro. To heck with what others think. If you want to have a fish mounted, do it. If you are not into that, don't do it but don't berate others for doing so. Be proud of your fish and enjoy your mounts.
Good grief I thought I made it clear my reason for asking was not in reference to running you down.
The reason I asked is that I am a taxidermist. Not by trade but by hobby. I once tried to mount a 16" catfish because I was told it couldn't be done so I was going to prove different. I should have listened. I seen one in the pages of my Breakthrough magazine (taxidermy) that was a repro and thought it was the coolest fish I ever saw.
Please tell me where I made reference to the fact you were wrong in keeping any fish along with where I have ever said that in any of my posts.
For the record I prefer skin mounts. I catch a trophy its going on the wall. You prefer fibreglass thats your choice and sometimes in the case of the cat it is the only choice.
And lastly not a Nascar fan?? What world do you live in?
Fish i would get replica mounts for- 18" brookie 10lb LMB 46"+ pike 20 " crappie (I've caught three 18" one is in pic) 30 lb + laker 15"+ Perch 2 lb bluegill no walleye because I'm afraid the mount would fight better than the fish did :) 16 lb wiper ( my first ever was 10lb + waiting for another one...)
Killing a fish to fill up a place above the fireplace isn't for me. Taking a picture of a good fish and letting it swim is more my style. Besides, most fish mounts I have seen look rather tacky.
I do however see the correlation between guys that watch NASCAR and guys that would stuff a record fish to feel more manly. :)
Reply by: Farmer Brown Posted: 7/17/2012 2:59:07 PM Points: 160
The trophy status is all in the eyes of the fisherman I have two fish mounts one is a 4lb bass which while nice is hardly a trophy and the other a bluegill. Also size isn't as good of a standard as is the experience. I would much rather look at my 4lb bass and remember the great time I had fishing that spring break then look at a 8lb bass I spent hours and hours hoping to catch. Might just be me though.
It takes more than a fish mount and Nascar to be a man.
So I went to taxidermy school to learn the trade. Now I surround myself with several large game heads. I mean large! None of that small spike shi. I also drive a pickup with a 10" lift and 44" tires. I go bear hunting with a blade. Nothing but a pair of shorts and a blade. Yeh I'm a man! baby I'm a man! :)
I live in a world where I have all of my teeth, stayed in school beyond 8th grade, don't walk around in a stained wife beater with a pack of cigs rolled up in the sleeve, and have much better things to do (like fish so I can catch that big walleye and put it on the wall to be more manly than Coyute) than watch NASCAR.
Reply by: Abel1 Posted: 7/18/2012 8:16:10 AM Points: 99
Gosh I have all my teeth, my son is an honor student, I don't smoke or drink and am happily married. Maybe your referring to those you see on the shoreline or on the water?? I'm confused. That would explain a lot of the issues with etiquette you see in these posts.
This is a site for fisherman not for pissing matches so I'll leave it at that but I just wanted to make sure you weren't reffering to those in the number one sport. Don't care for Nascar that's your choice. Maybe you should check it out.
Reply by: Bassackwards Posted: 7/18/2012 8:44:10 AM Points: 2327
male Tiger trout in spawn colors. I already have a Bass on the wall. I would not mind a Peacock bass as well. I caught 2 8lbers when I lived in Florida, but really want that 10lb Male Peacock.
Oh yeah, by the way. There's no way in Heck, that my wife would let me take down her angel stuff, and replace it with a fish. LOL
I only have an old yellowtail mount from Pierpoint Landing when they closed in the 60's.
I do, however, have 84 species of fish on film. I need to re-catch and photograph many that I never had a camera for, like Guitarfish, Leopard Shark, Midshipman, Shinerperch, Queenfish, Spanish Mackerel, Clingfish, Monkeyfaced Eel, Sargo, Spotfin Croaker, Corbina, Red Tailed Perch, Pinfish, Striped Bass, White Bass, Black Drum, Pumpkinseed, Grayling, etc. Some can never be re-photographed, unless I go back to Mexican Waters, since they closed deepwater rockfishing in California. CowCod for one, along with Sablefish, Hake, Catalufa, Chimera, and other deepsea denizens.
Dang, I need to get back to fishing with a purpose. A few hundred smallmouth later, and I have no new photos.
I'd probably replica mount a mossback Yellow or Rooster if I could catch one. Mine have all been under 45 lbs.
