LOL, yeah I get the fake feeling from him too.

To OP, being that I spend majority of the year fishing, I would recommend a replica also. I don't have anything against using the real thing except that it could be easily damaged before it is actually worked on and colors of the fish will fade fast after death. So if your taxidermist is slow to the work then you may get the fish he caught but not in the pristine condition you guys remembered catching him as.

A good replicator will certainly need measurements and plenty of good pictures. I have seen some guys work and that they would match dot for dot the specks you see on a brook trout, color and all. You could spend all day comparing the two and not find anything off. Most of the guys I trust and would use are based out of Florida being that they spend the greatest amount of time working within this specialty.

Good luck and post us a pic when you get it done, would like to see the two pics (fish and mount/replica) for comparison.