My stepson really loves to fish. I'd like to get something mounted for him this summer. Should I go with the actual mount or the fiberflass replicas? I've looked at a few of the fiberglass ones and some look really good and some look like a plastic toy. Don't know yet what exactly I'll have done. Waiting to see what he catches and waiting for one that he really enjoys. I'll give it to him for his birthday in Nov, or Christmas maybe.
-Jake

If I were to spend the money on a fish mount I would go with a replica, rather than the actual fish. Replicas do not deteriorate like the real thing does, they are easier to keep clean and you can either eat the fish or release it. Check our several taxidermists that do replicas before you have the fish in hand and check out their work. You will have to take accurate measurements of the fish both length and girth and take a lot of pictures of the fish so the taxidermist can do a proper paint job.

My only concern with the replica is it's not "the actual" fish. But, he likes to eat fish too. So it will be good to eat and still have the replica mount done.
-Jake

You do not have to take the fish to the taxidermist, only the photos and the measurements. Select the taxidermist you want before you catch the fish, ask him exactly what you need to bring to the shop to have the replica made. I know it is important to take photos immediately after the fish is caught so you can capture the true colors of the fish. No the replica is not the actual fish, but it should look good forever, the skin will not crack, and the fins will not deteriorate. Replicas allow you to have your fish and eat it too. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Check out a few shops that do replicas, ask questions look at the fish, if you don't like them, nothing lost but a little time.

I haven't looked into it for years, but I'd have a hard time using the real fish... especially a large musky or pike... I'd rather put it back and let it continue to grow.

replicas in the past I thought looked bad but I'm sure things have improved as well as the artist doing the work could only help...


Personally I might want a replica, but simply a good picture of my catch I'd prefer for the wall, maybe an 8x10...

Are we talking fresh or saltwater? For fresh, definitely a skin mount. For saltwater species, skin mounts don't last on the larger fish so you may have to go with a replica.

I think most replicas look like a plastic toy. Some species look more fake than others.

Freshwater. I've talked to a few local taxidermists and looked at some mounts... The replicas I can tell are fake looking up close, but on the wall they look really good. Probably largely depends on who's doing them how they come out
-Jake

Hkashish69 would probably go with the fake mounts.

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.

As a primarily trout fisherman, my 18 pound Canadian Northern Pike looked huge to me and I wanted to mount it.


I talked to my taxidermist before I went on the trip, and he told me to scribe the outline of the fish on some butcher paper, measure its length and girth, and to take several pictures of it. I was also confident enough to skin the fish in camp (cutting along the lateral line of the back side), then freeze the head and skin in a zip lock bag.


I was then able to eat the fish too.


My taxidermist's work with fake fish is also good enough that several years ago he did a fake mount of a 20 some pound trout for a client in Europe. When he sent the mount to the client, the USFWS officers intercepted the shipment claiming that the proper export documents weren't with the mount. Those officers would not believe that the mount was fake, with absolutely no actual fish parts.


Most saltwater fish and greasy freshwater fish like Paddlefish are best done as replicas as the grease will eventually bleed out of the natural skin.