Please Post Some Pics Of Replica Vs Skin Mounted Bass? 2024
AirbusAngler reply :
As i started a topic earlier many of you chose replica mounts over actual mounts. Can you guys take a few pics and post them of your replicas? I have never seen a Replica fish in real life that I know of unless it was and I thought it was real lol
Gatorbassman reply :
Perhaps the best Replicas I've ever seen.
http://www.2lbgil.com/taxidermy/
North Ga Hillbilly reply :
This was done by Fish Scale Taxidermy, this is one of their "budget" models, which you can see in the mouth mainly, but I was plum tickled with it. Planning to talk to them about finding a way to recreate my first teen fish here soon.
NGaHB
Mattlures reply :
Tony those skin mounts are good examples of how superior a replica is. Firt look how old and faded that bass looks before its restored. Then after its restored the paint looks good but there are several very common mounting flaws on that fish. Notic the transition fwere the top of the head meets the boddy. There was not enough clay put there and now the fish looks like it it has a huge hump. as the skin dries and shrinks this flaw gets exaggerated like you see in the mount. Also notice how the bottom of the jaw is pushed in creating an unnatural pose. The transition where the tail meets the manikin is also too pronounced and not as smooth as it should be. You taxidermist did a good job restoring the mount be he had to work with a flawed skin mount. A replica starts correct in a natural pose.
That mount before restoration is how most older skin mount look. Even the ones that are well kept will show some yellowing and other discoloration. Ones that are exposed to heat or sunlight will show alot more discolorations and cracks and warping etc.
The most important thing is how good your taxidermist is. An average taxidermist can make both replicas and skin mounts look bad.
Here are some more sites with replicas
http://www.fishcreations.com/north.htm
http://www.fishtaxidermytaxidermist.com/LargemouthBassReplicasReproductions.html
http://www.blackwaterfishreplicas.com/site/gallery.html
slonezp reply :
Skin mount
Mattlures reply :
Tony I dont mean to be disrespect you but you are very wrong. Not just a little either 
. First that old skin mount is skinned, fleshed, preserved, and then mounted. Realy old mounts were filled with something like paper mache or even sand. Modern skin mounts are fitted around a foam manaikin.The "clay" is applied in ares that are known to shrink, and its used to make smooth transitions. The areas that I pointed out look verry unnatural and do not represent how an alive fish looks. Most shrinkage areas ocore in the head which is the focal point. This happenes because there are very small pockets of meat that are left in the head that shrink and suck in over time. Trout heads are the worst. No old skin mount has the guts and meat in it, NONE. Also the scales are not too small or too big on a replica. They are exactly correct. They mold a real fish. The fins can be a little thick but on skin mounts they are usualy a little thin. Why because they are dried out. However depending upon the replica you choose you can get fins that are the correct thickness. So you know I used to do taxidermy as a buisiness and I did many replicas. I made my own replicas and I used some commercialy bough replicas.
AirbusAngler reply :
So I guess my next question is....Whats the best way to preserve the fish after you decide to mount it? If you dont have a live well? Ive heard wet towel on ice?
I like some of those replicas they look awesome btw! Makes me realiaze I got a long way to go before mounting one lol
Mattlures reply :
You want to keep the fish from getting damaged. wrap in a wet rag and then news paper and then trash bag and freeze it. Get it to your taxidermist as soon as possible. You do have some time but the longer you have it in your freezer the more chance there is for freezer burn.
Here is one more link to some of the best replicas. Their top of the line replicas dont even have seams. Very nice to work with although they are not cheap.
http://www.lakecountryreplicas.com/products.php?cat=19
Mattlures reply :
Resale value is a non issue as Taxidermy depreciates. Its only worth top dollar to the guy that caught the fish or killed the trophy animal. Unless the mount is extremly rare or a world class trophy the resale value will not be worth what it cost to get the mount done. As far as fish, a replica would be worth a little more because it is at least not decomposing. Yes todays meathods are much better then the past but it is still the skin of a fish. The biggest problem with skin mounts in general is that it takes a world class taxidermist to mount one correctly without any obvious flaws. A replica starts out in the correct state. No shrinkage, no warpage and NO incorrect mounting. As long as the fins are properly mounted and the seams are finished good and the eye is set correctly then the taxidermist starts with a natural correct mount that only needs to be painted correctly. A skin mount has so many areas that can and does start out incorectly and only gets wors with age.
Tony I feel your thinking is backwards. Instead of being bothered by replicas you should look at the benefits. First you have the option of releasing the fish. Some guys dont care, some do. I like to release my big bass. I have released MANY bass over 10lbs and I am sure I have caught some of them when they grew bigger as a result of me releasing them before. 2nd a replica mount from a good taxidermist will look better then a skin mount from a good taxidermist and it will still look great 20 years later where a skin mount (even with todays improvements) will show signs of aging.
You seem to be hung up mounting the skin of the actual fish you caught. I cant help you with that. If that makes you feel more like its "your" fish, then so be it. I preffer a mount that looks natural and correct and it will stay that way. I also like knowing that the next time I catch that 15lber I released it might be 20lbs.
I also have many shoulder mounts of animals I have hunted so I aint no tree huggin peta person.
as for not being a real trophy? In this day and age you can buy just about any trophy you want. Be it a big gold trophy to put on your mantle or a giant elk mount or any fish. The trophy is for you to enjoy. If you preffer a skin mount then thats your choice. I have seen 1000s of botched skin mounts that will always look botched. I have seen a ton more aged skin mounts that look aged. If your taxidermist does a bad paint job on your replica you can have it repainted. Your pretty much stuck with all the flaws on a skin mount.
WRB reply :
At the end of the day it's your choice if you want a skin mount or replica. Unless you have the skills to do the work yourself you must purchase the mount. The mount you get back isn't exactly the same as the fish you caught, it's the taxidermist best effort to represent the fish from the known facts about it and your personal preferences.
The other ethical issues of did you catch the fish or not only you can resolve. Both skin mounts and replica mounts are available to purchase from taxidermist that have mounts that have not been paid for or from outlets like Ebay.
Tom
PS; Matt looks like we posted at the same time and I couldn't agree with you more!
Glenn reply :
The mounts behind Keri are replicas from Lake Fork Taxidermy. I've had many a people comment on how authentic they look, and what a fantastic job they did. You just send them in the weight and measurements of the fish along with pics, and they do the rest. I can shoot better pics of the fish if you're interested.
Mattlures reply :
Very nice mounts Glen
Yes Tony, depreciates! Do you know how much those mounts cost to get mounted?
If you look on ebay you will see many deer shouldermounts that are listed at between $200 and $500. That is about the going price for what they sell for. In my area the starting price to have a deer shoulder mount is about $600 and goes up to $1000.
Look at most of the fish mounts for sale on ebay. The ones that actualy sell almost always sell for less the $200. There is no taxidermist in my area who would do a fish for that cheap so YES they depreciate. A Grizzly ?? first off that a rare anaimal and yes it would proabaly sell for more the the price of mounting but not gauranteed. Do you know how much it costs to get one mounted? Like I said earlier most mounts are not worth what they cost to get mounted. The mount or animal has to be exceptional and even then they usualy arent worth that much more. You might see a high price tag but that doesnt mean sombody is actualy goint to pay that much for it. If you go onto most taxidermist shops they will have a mount or 2 that a customer never picked up or paid them for. They will usualy sell them for less then their regular cost of mounting. WHY? because like I said the mount is worth the most to person the caught or killed it.
Tony if you disagree then why dont you go out and start catching and killing trophies and sell the mounts for a proffit. Easy money right?
Yes you can look on ebay and show me a couple mounts that might sell for a little more then the cost to mount them but I can show you the whole taxidermy catagory where 90% of the mounts are going to sell for less then the cost to mount them.
Wayne P. reply :
My take on skin mounts vs. replicas.
I can get a replica of a fish you caught, one that someone else caught, or one that is never caught--just measurements.
No one but me can get a skin mount of a fish I caught. It is real, original, and one of a kind.
Mattlures reply :
I have never heard of an animal going by the inch and I dont believe any taxidermist charge grizzlies by the inch. I suposse its possible but unlikley. Fish go by the inch.
if you fell like your skin mounts are more "real", then more power to you. If your satisfied with the quality of your skin mounts then good. I preffer a higher quality product that will last. If you feel that a replica is fake and doesnt count because anybody can just buy one then thats why we have pictures, videos, and scales. Get a replica and have your framed picture of you holding the fish next to it. Best of both worlds.
Glenn reply :
Hey Tony - you want a skin mount? Then go for it! Just remember it's not everyone's bag of tea, and vice versa.
C'est la vie!
Tony Monticelli reply :
On 4/3/2012 at 9:48 AM, Glenn said:Hey Tony - you want a skin mount? Then go for it! Just remember it's not everyone's bag of tea, and vice versa.
C'est la vie!
ok I deleted half the mess LOL.. looks better in here..
i vote for Skin and just think replicas are fake and that is all..
mattlure
tried to message you but it says your not accepting messages, if you want to continue talking Im game with it thats fine just it is looking like a mess in here, pm me if you want but it doesn't matter either way..
Mattlures reply :
I dont think it would matter either way. You seem to have made up your mind and I have alot of experiance with both types of mounts so I have made up my mind. Just so you know, I dont dislike skin mounts and If replicas were not an option I am sure I wouldnt have a problem with a skin mount. I just feel that replicas are superior.
As for private message I am not sure why its not accepting?
Glenn reply :
Matt - your PM box is probably full. Clean out your in and out box, and that should help.
Hyrule Bass reply :
On 4/3/2012 at 8:22 AM, Wayne P. said:My take on skin mounts vs. replicas.
I can get a replica of a fish you caught, one that someone else caught, or one that is never caught--just measurements.
No one but me can get a skin mount of a fish I caught. It is real, original, and one of a kind.
i agree with this. falls in line with my thoughts that i can buy a fake fish mount anywhere.
id just rather have the real thing. yeah the replicas look good and all as far as the paint jobs. but they seem a bit "bright" as in the colors are too prominent and not realistic looking at all and thats one reason i wouldnt consider a replica of a fish i can keep. also, its just not the fish i caught which has all its original details still in tact, while a painted replica may be missing a thing or two the person making it didnt spot, overlooked, or ignored....
Gangley reply :
The bellies, to me, are tooooooooooo white and start too high up on the body. Maybe its just me, but I dont recall ever catching a bass that "bright". Otherwise the paint looks great!
shady oaks reply :
If you go to a Bass Pro shop, a high percentage of their mounts are replicas. They do great work, google Bass Pro Shops replica mount for more info.
Basswhippa reply :
I have three skin mounts from the eighties that look the way they did when I got them. They have spent 5 years in a detached garage that is subject to heat. So the newer mounts are fine. They don't age that bad.
People say the replicas stay real looking forever. That may be true. But I like looking at aging mounts and thinking about how cool that fish must have been to someone 20, 30, 40 or even 50 years ago. It gets my imagination going even if the mount is fading. I saw a 12 pound TN bass that must have been from the 70s, if not 60s. It had me so stirred up it wasn't funny. I'm not sure if it would have had it looked like it did 40+ years ago. That said, had it been a replica with a few old pictures, it might have got me going as well.
This is preference. If you catch a 10 pounder out of Okeechobee, you might want a skin mount. It could be eatin by a gator the next day. If you catch a 10 pounder out of your pond, or a local pond where it has a great chance of surviving, and the fish looks textbook, knowing Lake Fork or one of these guys can adequately give you an accurate represenation, by all means, get a replica.
Interesting stuff here.
Mattlures reply :
You guys that say the colors are wrong are not getting it. BOTH REPLICAS AND SKIN MOUNTS ARE PAINTED. The realism of the paint job is determined by the taxidermist, not the type of mount. Realy the only argumant for a skin mount is the "ITS MY FISH" arguement or possibly it may be cheaper to do a skin mount but the cost is usualy about the same. When comparring the actual finished product the replica is superior hands down. Of course the QUALITY of ALL taxidermy is determined by the taxidermist who did the work. When your talking about specific coloring or unusual markings etc, that all comes down to the guy doing the work. Taxidermy is one thing that you realy do get what you pay for. Before you decide on a taxidermist go into his shop and look at his work. Before you decide that the lowest priced taxidermist work looks great, go look at an award winning taxidermist work. Pay close attention and the work you first though looked good wont look so good anymore. I am talking about all types of taxidermy.The best high end replicas make skin mounts look bad and the average guy couldnt tell if it was a replica. On realy good replica mounts one of the ways to tell if it is a replica is that it is soo correct and doent have any mounting flaws.
WRB reply :
Matt it's time to agree to disagree and move on.
Painting a preserved skin with scales wrapped around a manikin that somehow represents a bass someone caught and believes it to be their bass is beyond comprehension. Painting the exact impression of a real bass the exact same size as the bass you gave a taxidermist to paint with more detail on fiberglass that will never crack, that is far more like a real bass, is the best way to go. Skin mounts are and should be antiques of the past.
The bottom line is you must kill the trophy to make a skin mount, what a waste of a rare bass, when it isn't necessary.
Tom
Mattlures reply :
You are correct sir.
Hyrule Bass reply :
i can certainly tell the difference between a skin mount and replica. i'd go for the skin mount every time. Wont be the first bass to die and wont be the last, wont destroy an entire fishery, or none of that baloney...
Ima Bass Ninja reply :
On 4/4/2012 at 12:30 PM, WRB said:The bottom line is you must kill the trophy to make a skin mount, what a waste of a rare bass, when it isn't necessary.
Tom
Best quote of the thread 
fishmounter57 reply :
Replica...
QUAKEnSHAKE reply :
On 4/3/2012 at 6:52 AM, Mattlures said:You want to keep the fish from getting damaged. wrap in a wet rag and then news paper and then trash bag and freeze it. Get it to your taxidermist as soon as possible. You do have some time but the longer you have it in your freezer the more chance there is for freezer burn.
Here is one more link to some of the best replicas. Their top of the line replicas dont even have seams. Very nice to work with although they are not cheap.
http://www.lakecount...ucts.php?cat=19
That might depend on location. I looked at some in my area and $500-575 for skin, $480 for rep at a couple places. The link listed premier $380 so those seem like good prices.
North Ga Hillbilly reply :
On 8/24/2012 at 7:12 AM, fishmounter57 said:Replica...
I'm glad you posted, I was about to link to one of yours!
NGaHB
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 4/3/2012 at 8:22 AM, Wayne P. said:My take on skin mounts vs. replicas.
I can get a replica of a fish you caught, one that someone else caught, or one that is never caught--just measurements.
No one but me can get a skin mount of a fish I caught. It is real, original, and one of a kind.
Couldn't someone just as easily buy someone else's mount and make up a story of how they fooled the monster? If someone has the money and want to get a replica made with measurements they just thought up then more power to them. To me it's all about the story behind the fish. I love my sport and I appreciate and respect the fish I'm chasing. A truly large fish has beat all the odds to grow to its size. For me to kill it just to put it on my wall so I can beat my chest and yell that I caught it when I could get a replica made and give myself or someone else a chance to catch it again seems a little selfish to me, just my .02.
Hyrule Bass reply :
On 8/24/2012 at 7:12 AM, fishmounter57 said:Replica...
see, no offense, while it looks nice, it also looks fake as hell and theres no way id want to hang that on my wall. i could go buy any old replica at walmart or somewhere for a fraction of the price if i wanted that.
On 8/24/2012 at 7:36 PM, Bluebasser86 said:Couldn't someone just as easily buy someone else's mount and make up a story of how they fooled the monster? If someone has the money and want to get a replica made with measurements they just thought up then more power to them. To me it's all about the story behind the fish. I love my sport and I appreciate and respect the fish I'm chasing. A truly large fish has beat all the odds to grow to its size. For me to kill it just to put it on my wall so I can beat my chest and yell that I caught it when I could get a replica made and give myself or someone else a chance to catch it again seems a little selfish to me, just my .02.
its not about chest thumping at all. it is more about looks, for me anyways. and i, myself, prefer the skin mount look to someones model kit. the fact you want someone to put a fish back so you can catch it later is also selfish. There are plenty of fish out there, and big ones too, no need to put up a fuss because someone hangs one on their wall
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 8/25/2012 at 12:07 AM, Red Earth said:see, no offense, while it looks nice, it also looks fake as hell and theres no way id want to hang that on my wall. i could go buy any old replica at walmart or somewhere for a fraction of the price if i wanted that.
its not about chest thumping at all. it is more about looks, for me anyways. and i, myself, prefer the skin mount look to someones model kit. the fact you want someone to put a fish back so you can catch it later is also selfish. There are plenty of fish out there, and big ones too, no need to put up a fuss because someone hangs one on their wall
Not around here there isn't. A fish over 7 pounds is a rare fish here. I've been fishing my entire life, most of it in the area I live now and I'm a decent fisherman I think. In all the thousands of hours of fishing I've done, I've caught 4 fish over 7lbs in my home state. All of those fish were in lakes I fish often and catch good numbers of 4-6 pound fish and release. It's possible I'd have never caught a fish over 7 in Kansas if myself and others didn't turn those fish loose. There's a powerplant lake south of me about an hour that used to produce lots of big fish every winter until the "trophy fishermen" showed up. Every big fish that was caught went home to go on someone's wall. Now if you get a few fish over 6lbs a year from there you did really well.
I guess I don't understand how it would be selfish of me if I turn a fish lose and ask others to turn a big fish loose so everyone has a chance to catch her again but someone else catching it and killing it just so they can put it on their wall isn't.
NoBassPro reply :
To me the mount isn't so much the fish itself, but the story behind. I kind of prefer skin mounts just as a nostalgia thing. I spent most of my summers when I was younger in various camps in northern MI mainly, and there were always old faded mounts of something. They didn't look perfect, or always even good, but those were good times. And even though some of those old timers I fished with had some crazy ways of fishing and some strong opinions on some of the stuff we use now, they did teach me alot about fishing.
SirSnookalot reply :
I'm not critical of what anyone does with a legal fish, for me a photo is good enough and many of my really great fish don't even have pics, but I remember them all.
K_Mac reply :
On 8/25/2012 at 3:17 PM, SirSnookalot said:I'm not critical of what anyone does with a legal fish, for me a photo is good enough and many of my really great fish don't even have pics, but I remember them all.
Well said SirSnook. Same for me.
tomustang reply :
On 8/24/2012 at 7:36 PM, Bluebasser86 said:Couldn't someone just as easily buy someone else's mount and make up a story of how they fooled the monster?
funny stuff, I think about that every time I'm at a flea market and see an old mount
tomustang reply :
On 8/25/2012 at 3:17 PM, SirSnookalot said:I'm not critical of what anyone does with a legal fish, for me a photo is good enough and many of my really great fish don't even have pics, but I remember them all.
I'm the same way, but for me it's usually the passion at the time that makes me forget about photographing.
desertwitch reply :
A guy on my local forum caught a beautiful 16-lber back in January. It went in to our state's Share-A-Lunker program and the angler was given a replica mount by Tx Parks & Wildlife. Here are photos of the original fish as well as the mount. You can see the two don't look much alike. The girth on the mount is nowhere near the girth on the actual fish. The mount's head is too big and it's body too small. Coloring and details are also very different. But maybe TPW uses an inferior taxidermist...
shimmy reply :
On 8/25/2012 at 10:49 PM, desertwitch said:A guy on my local forum caught a beautiful 16-lber back in January. It went in to our state's Share-A-Lunker program and the angler was given a replica mount by Tx Parks & Wildlife. Here are photos of the original fish as well as the mount. You can see the two don't look much alike.
This is why i am still on the fence. It is just a shame. You get a mount so you can look at that fish of a lifetime and then you get this. I'm sorry, this looks terrible This is not what that man caught and has no resemblance except for length. Just buy a cardboard box and some crayons and make your own replica if this is your thing.Plain and simple and most replica mounts you see look like this with the exception of a few of the bass on the links i saw posted earlier. What i also notice is many people who are against skin mounts also have one already and are now advocating for the other. Hindsight is always 20/20, just remember that you probably cherished that mount for a long time. I think others who want skin mounts should have that same privilege. I think for me, it will depend on where i catch the fish and the particular measurements when i consider a mount. If i catch a giant that has the length and girth that looks like it may be a common size of fish in Texas, California, or Florida than i may consider an uglier replica and do a massive search for a great artist. But i catch an absolute giant that is really short, i just think the replicas will be less likely to have measurements similar to my fish so a skin mount may be a preferable option.
retiredbosn reply :
Skin mounts are just as prone to a bad paint job as replicas, ever see a fish skin before mounting, it's really bleached you can barely see the patterns that were there before. The skin gets painted if the taxidermist is good it will look like the fish you caught. I have a buddy who has a few rainbows that he has mounted, one of them is painted like a salmon, solid red looks awful and it is a skin mount.
retiredbosn reply :
On 8/26/2012 at 12:42 AM, shimmy said:But i catch an absolute giant that is really short, i just think the replicas will be less likely to have measurements similar to my fish so a skin mount may be a preferable option.
If you catch a really short fat fish or any fish of any size and get a skin mount it will be put on a replica "frame", there is noway to preserve the tissues, organs etc. All fish wether skin mount or replica start with a fiberglass or resin form. The difference is in the paintjob, either the taxidermist can do it or they can't that simple. Personally I don't see the need to remove the mountable size fish from the ecosystem. Why take the best genetics and put them on the wall? I don't have any mounts, I do have a couple of fish that I have recorded the measurements that will be preserved as a replica, but I will spend the money and get a good one. BTW during the preservation process the skin shrinks so even skin mounted fish don't have the exact measurements of the original
VolFan reply :
I'm with SirSnook: it's not about the trophy; it's about playing the game.
That said, I almost never keep fish any more, but if I did want something for the wall (which I don't), it would be a skin mount...which I'm not doing. So...there's that.
desertwitch reply :
I'll stick with photos. IMO, it beats killing a big trophy bass or having an unrealistic replica made. Of course I'll be taking those photos with a good camera at 4800dpi so I can get an actual life-sized print made up!
WRB reply :
This Is an older thread and MattLures tried to explain basic taxidermy. The replica mount is a fiberglass mold of an actual bass that had measurements a close as possible to the bass you want a replica mount to represent.
A good taxidermist receives hundreds of frozen bass from anglers who want a mount, very few bass are so unique that the taxidermist needs to make a new mold, most of the frozen bass end up in a dumpster. A new mold or modified mold to have the exact same physical characteristics as your fish. The fiberglass replica therefore has the same shape as your original live bass. The taxidermist adds glass eyes, artifical gills, inside mouth parts, etc, to both skin mounts and fiberglass mounts.
The fiberglass molded replica has no color, usually white and must be painted, this is the difference between a good mount and a poor mount; how good is the artist who paints the mount.
The skin mount has several issues to resolve; removing all the soft tissues that will degrade in time, the skin and fins are removed and pickled to preserve. The fish head must be hollowed out and all tsoft tissues removed, including the gills, eyes, then the skull is preserved and some shrinkage will occure. A manican is selected that has similar measurements of the fish you sent and various padding is added to fill out the shape. The skull is attached to the skin is stretch around the manikin and sewn together, the mount is now similar to the fiberglass mold fish, except not nearly as close to the original fish due to all the steps required to make the body shape.
The fins are flattens out nd dried into shape and the mounts now needs to dry out before it can be painted.
The skin has little color, mostly gray. Just like the replica the skin mount needs glass eyes nd mouth parts, gills etc. The finished mount now relies on the skill of the artist to paint it.
The difference between. Skin mount and a replica is this; replica's are fiberglass and last forever, skin mounts deteriorate, how long they last depends on the skill of the taxidermist.
I have 1 replica bass mount that represents my giant bass; 19.3 lbs, (1994). 3 skin mounts; 10.2 lbs native rainbow trout (1959), 12.2 lbs northern strain LMB (1971) and a 37 lb musky (1976). All 3 skin mounts are in some degree of degradation. The replica bass looks like it did the day I picked it up...perfect!
The key to a good mount is the taxidermist you select and the skill of the artist who paints it.
Tom
AK-Jax86 reply :
after looking at all the pics I would have to say a replica mount is not the way to go, they look too fake. Fishing has been around for centuries and it is a way of survival... food. I understand people's views about killing a trophy bass but regardless of your views fishing is a way to eat first THEN a sport/hobby second(even though I fish for sport not food I don't like eating fish). But that one fact can not be argued.
So it is not selfish or wrong to kill a trophy fish that you caught. If it was a family in another country, or a family in the US that could not afford to buy food so they fish, it would not be wrong to kill that 10 pounder so they can eat. SO if that is acceptable then why not get the fish mounted? At least the mount will last you years when someone eats a fish they catch they digest it and thats it, gone forever.
fishmounter57 reply :
On 8/26/2012 at 5:19 AM, WRB said:This Is an older thread and MattLures tried to explain basic taxidermy. The replica mount is a fiberglass mold of an actual bass that had measurements a close as possible to the bass you want a replica mount to represent.
A good taxidermist receives hundreds of frozen bass from anglers who want a mount, very few bass are so unique that the taxidermist needs to make a new mold, most of the frozen bass end up in a dumpster. A new mold or modified mold to have the exact same physical characteristics as your fish. The fiberglass replica therefore has the same shape as your original live bass. The taxidermist adds glass eyes, artifical gills, inside mouth parts, etc, to both skin mounts and fiberglass mounts.
The fiberglass molded replica has no color, usually white and must be painted, this is the difference between a good mount and a poor mount; how good is the artist who paints the mount.
The skin mount has several issues to resolve; removing all the soft tissues that will degrade in time, the skin and fins are removed and pickled to preserve. The fish head must be hollowed out and all tsoft tissues removed, including the gills, eyes, then the skull is preserved and some shrinkage will occure. A manican is selected that has similar measurements of the fish you sent and various padding is added to fill out the shape. The skull is attached to the skin is stretch around the manikin and sewn together, the mount is now similar to the fiberglass mold fish, except not nearly as close to the original fish due to all the steps required to make the body shape.
The fins are flattens out nd dried into shape and the mounts now needs to dry out before it can be painted.
The skin has little color, mostly gray. Just like the replica the skin mount needs glass eyes nd mouth parts, gills etc. The finished mount now relies on the skill of the artist to paint it.
The difference between. Skin mount and a replica is this; replica's are fiberglass and last forever, skin mounts deteriorate, how long they last depends on the skill of the taxidermist.
I have 1 replica bass mount that represents my giant bass; 19.3 lbs, (1994). 3 skin mounts; 10.2 lbs native rainbow trout (1959), 12.2 lbs northern strain LMB (1971) and a 37 lb musky (1976). All 3 skin mounts are in some degree of degradation. The replica bass looks like it did the day I picked it up...perfect!
The key to a good mount is the taxidermist you select and the skill of the artist who paints it.
Tom
Well said!
I have been doing "fish mounts for 35 years(both skin & replicas). MY fish will be custom cast and reproduced, period. They stay better looking forever(as long as done correctly to begin with)
I have a 21.5 lb. steelhead I caught and molded over 10 years ago. I have had many offers from folks wanting to buy it, and will not sell it! I do have the mold, BUT I kept the origional cast for myself. I have used the mold Dozens of times since I Made it. This has allowed dozens of people the opportunity to release thier fish. They did this of thier own free will. I AM NOT a catch and release guy by any means, BUT, I think replicas are a prudent way of perpetuating a trophy AND a live fish.
I have been a fishing guide for over 15 years, so I have some perspective that most anglers do not. I believe this..... We all have the right validated by the purchase of a state fishing licence to harvest any fish we chose....
This being said, I have released fish that I have a pre-existing mold for to fight another day........... I have had fish in the net that I agonized over releasing and let them go because the resource was more valuable to be since I did not need the fish for an accurate mount.
Just my 2 cents.
Fish Chris reply :
Well, ya' know, I have an old sub-ten lb'er skin mount on my wall behind me, which was done by BPS way back in 89'. They did a good job on it..... but instead of thinking, "Wow ! That's the actual fish ! How cool !..... Instead I think > Live and learn. That was certainly the way it was in the old days.
Now, I look at replicas as pieces of (in some cases) fine art. Will the shape or the color match the fish I caught exactly ? Eh... probably not, but if it's a nice looking mount, that's close enough for me. Heck, I ALWAYS get some good photos of all of my trophy catches anyway... mount, or no mount.
In any case, I've had one mount done by Lake Fork Taxidermy, and they did a fine job, albeit, the fish shape was off for the 16.5 it was supposed to replicate. Since it looked a LOT more like my 15.8, that's what I call it
Then I had a really cool closed mouth replica made by Roberts Taxidermy from So Cal. He had a WAY bigger selection of blanks, for giant bass, because he lives in So Cal, and has been collecting them for like 20+ years ! Still, the closed mouth replica was a full 1 1/2 inches shorter than my 18.4 lb'er.... and it was supposedly molded from a 19 1/4 lb'er ?
Hmmmm.
I still really like this replica too though.
If I had money, I'd have replica mounts all over the place. Heck, I love artwork of nearly every kind... especially wildlife and nature artwork
Peace,
Fish
SirSnookalot reply :
@ Shimmy...........your profile
Location
Great Falls, VA
PB largemouth 26 lbs 2 oz,.......
.Typo?
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 8/26/2012 at 1:38 PM, SirSnookalot said:@ Shimmy...........your profile
Location
Great Falls, VA
PB largemouth 26 lbs 2 oz,.......
.Typo?
If I remember right he was poking fun of how some people way overestimate the weight of the fish they catch.
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