# fish mounting question



## glenmontpikefisher (Feb 26, 2010)

ok just a few questions on gettin one mounted. do u need the actual fish for mounting? i thought there was skin mounts and replicas but not sure if i need the fish. i like to catch and release just cuz that fish will live and be caught again and be even bigger so if i could just use a pic and the length and girsth or something that would be nice. but i dont want the replica to look fake and not like the real fish. so idk. whats best and what would anyone prefer?


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

The best part about replicas is you get to release the fish! I am not against someone keeping a big fish for a skin mount, because I do understand the thought of mounting THE fish rather than a copy. I am also all for replicas, because the trophy fish gets to reproduce and spread it's genes. This is not just for pike/muskies, as plenty of my friends have replicas for bass, catfish, etc.. Some guys who make replicas just try to duplicate the size and color of the typical species. That being said, there's guys like Joe Fittante who make your EXACT fish. I like that! Another thing to think about is how long you plan on having the mount. There's advantages to replicas over skin mounts, which you can read about here:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Fiberglass-Fish-Verses-Traditional-Skin-Mount-Taxidermy&id=1589743

If you catch a trophy and want to release the fish, a replica is a great alternative. Just be sure to get accurate legnth and girth measurments and several clear photos. Guys like Fittante will make it look very close to the actual fish. Check out the detail on the head below! (http://www.fittantereplicas.com/)


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## Weatherby (May 27, 2005)

Replica. These are the 2 best in the business. Just take measurements and pictures.

http://www.laxreproduction.com/id6.html


http://www.fittantereplicas.com/muskie.shtml


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Just my personal opinion here, and this has been discussed over and over in the past...however, I have not seen a reproduction mount yet that looks as good as the real thing. To me, they look good....almost too good....so enhanced and perfect that they look fake. Just look at the fins and the markings - TOO PERFECT IMO - This is all just coming from an artist's perspective here....Now the two folks mentioned are certainly the best in the buz. and their work is commendable. Another thing I have found with 99.99% of the repos out there is they not only do they enhance the look and markings of the fish, but also the over all size....remember, this can easily be done and numbers conveniently "tweaked" when the "real thing" is not actually at hand...


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

There are positives and negatives to both and that article is crap. A lot of fish taxidermists prefer replicas because of the higher profit margin. That&#8217;s fine, but it&#8217;s a crappy thing to tear down the works of others in order to shed light on your own. That&#8217;s exactly what he&#8217;s doing. In the right hands, both types can look beautiful and life like. In the wrong hands both can look fake. The one time that a replica is the only good option is with most salt water fish. 
Most people seem to not understand much about fish taxidermy, or taxidermy in general. The marking are purely the work of the person painting it. It has nothing to do with whether it&#8217;s a skin mount or repro.
The shape of the fish as well, is dictated by the person doing the work. Most skin mounts are not of the exact proportion as the live fish either. In the end it makes no difference whether you get a skin mount or a repro, it&#8217;s the taxidermist you choose. Pick the right one and you&#8217;ll have something you&#8217;ll be proud to look at. Pick the wrong one and it will end up in the garage.


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

M.Magis said:


> The marking are purely the work of the person painting it. It has nothing to do with whether its a skin mount or repro.
> The shape of the fish as well, is dictated by the person doing the work. Most skin mounts are not of the exact proportion as the live fish either.


I agreed with most of what you said there but the above quote is completely un-true dude. A good friend of mine is a taxidermist and has been doing it for many years. First, the markings of a fish are in fact there after being frozen for some time; they are just faded and lacking vibrant color. Markings are merely being enhanced by the taxidermist through airbrush work. This is where the repo guys deserve some applaus since the airbrush work they do are strictly improvised, however typically never reproduce the marking exactly. They go by general markings of different species of fish. Second...if you only have so much skin to fill with a mold or plaster, you only have so much skin...the fish WILL, in fact, be as close as it gets to the "actual" size when it was caught. Unless, of course, skin is added to the rear which sometimes is necessary due to shrinkage. Adding too much skin will offset the fins and you can tell when its been over-exaggerated. The pre-made molds out there also come very close to the proportions allowed by how much skin is present....repos can be made whatever size you want them to be made....I can call up Lax today with some bogus numbers and measurements and get a fish done for me without ever wetting a lure...can't do that with the real thing...something to be said for that. G'Day!


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

I think we're talking about different things as far as the markings go. I may have misunderstood you. I thought you were referring to the colors themselves. Your right, the markings on a repro are created by the painter. Most simply go by what is most common in that species, unless photos are provided. 


> Second...if you only have so much skin to fill with a mold or plaster, you only have so much skin...the fish WILL, in fact, be as close as it gets to the "actual" size when it was caught.


It would seem so, but that's not true. A skin mount can be enhanced very easily, and many taxidermists do just that. Remember, most fish mounts are single sided. A gap on the back side is easily filled and blended to where few people would ever notice.
Now I'm not saying I prefer repros. I don't, I personally like skin mounts in most instances. There just aren't an enormous amount of taxidermists that excel at repros, maybe because they are still somewhat "new". However, the quality and selection of blanks is always improving.


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

M.Magis said:


> I think we're talking about different things as far as the markings go. I may have misunderstood you. I thought you were referring to the colors themselves. Your right, the markings on a repro are created by the painter. Most simply go by what is most common in that species, unless photos are provided.
> 
> It would seem so, but that's not true. A skin mount can be enhanced very easily, and many taxidermists do just that. Remember, most fish mounts are single sided. A gap on the back side is easily filled and blended to where few people would ever notice.


Agreed....however a gap exceeding 2 to 3", as I stated before, will begin to alter the locations of the fins and the natural look of the fish. Making it very evident that too much "enhancements" are made to a fish. And most "reputable" skin mount taxidermists only enhance enough to compensate for shrinkage. Ultimately, IMO, making true skin mounting the more honest of the two processes.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

You're absolutely right, it does alter the fin position and such. Most people just don't notice it, and most are happy when their mount is a bit bigger in the belly than the one they actually caught, though they'll swear it was that fat when they caught it.


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

LOL! True true....A buddy of mine had a guy "enhance" a 45" muskie like that before....the thing looks rediculous! But the average Joe would be very impressed! The thing is about 2.5" across the back and looks like it was ran over by a truck!!


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## glenmontpikefisher (Feb 26, 2010)

this is all great info thanks alot i had been woundering which was the best and have been argueing with my brother inlaw on if i even needed the fish or not.


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

I have seen both skin mounts and replicas that looked horrible. Skin mounts tend to shrink over time and replicas can be "embellished". I guess it just comes down to the guy doing the work, and whether or not you choose to kill a big fish. Just because you choose to kill big fish doesn't mean that all replicas look like crap. LAX replicas are as bogus as they come IMO, even the Dale McNair fish he did was between 4 and 6" off size. Fittante's work is more realistic and he tries to be as accurate as possible when it comes to the size....You may have to sacrifice a bit of accuracy for your mount, as a replica is an ALTERNATIVE to killing the fish. Obviously the real thing is always going to be more accurate.


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## ThreeRiversEsox (Mar 27, 2008)

ShutUpnFish- Did you have your Kawarthas fish done up there, and if so, were you pleased with the final product compared to the pictures taken previous of it? Looking for a place up there besides Advanced.


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

I had my Kawarthas fish done here at home in Ellwood City. The fish and the colors were matched almost perfectly. The guy I know, does an A-1 job on muskies. If you want his contact info, I can certainly hook you up. There was only one thing I was not happy with, but it was mostly my fault....He clipped the front fin closest to the wall...I was sick about it, but entirely my fault.....One word of advice when getting a mount done is to make sure you are CLEAR about everything and anything you want or don't want in your mount...because once its done, its done!

The mount is over 10 years old now and still looks like the day I first picked it up.


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## tyrantCraft (Feb 11, 2008)

I believe the argument was you had to have the fish n again like usuall i told u that you could get a replica n didnt have to KILL the fish so we could catch it again n you said naw you need the fish as u can read on here these guys r teln u about some excellant taxidermies that can produce excellant looking life like replicas in wich the article u sent me stated then u wined about the price so b4 you go throwing me under the bus catch a big enuf one first and then do what ever you so desire i know my monsters will b returned to the water to catch another day! Happy Fishing


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## BITE-ME (Sep 5, 2005)

Dued, just take a couple of good pictures of your catch with a high resolution digital camera. If you want to put something on the wall - get the picture blown up & framed. A real mount or repro are sweet, but the picture will be a lot cheaper and better captures the moment!


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