For those of you out there that have had fish mounted, what suggestions/recommendations...would you give someone who caught a monster in the middle of the night?

What is the best way to preserve the fish until delivery?

Who do you recommend?

How long is the waiting period? (Normally)

How do they determine the price? (..so much per inch?...)


Thank you -

Well, first I stroll quietly up from behind :rotflmao: ...

Seriously, I think most places are doing fiberglass replica mounts more than the old fashioned mounting of the actual fish. The older method, I'm told, is getting very expensive.

Did you get a nice one Gilly? :wiggle:

Stop and see John's son at Main Bait - he's one of the best in the area.

i had mine skin mounted. came out beautifully. it is expensive ~ 750 or so for a fish running between 45-50 lbs. but u kno wat, its somethin that ull have forever and i had mine mounted on some drift wood and wouldnt have come up with anythin better to spend my money on. well..... maybe if i thought really hard i might of but for the time being it was that fish. the only really down side to having it mounted this way is that u cant use any of the meat and it takes months if not a whole year by the time its done. as soon as i caught it and determined i wanted it mounted, i through it in a cooler and iced it over night and went and saw the guy the next day. he told me not to gut it though some will tell u differently. but man, it sure does look purttyyyyyy when its done.

tough to do if the dorsal fins are erect - they get in the way.

:heybaby:

Coat the fish with borax, wrap in a clean cloth and keep it on or better yet, in ice. Get it to the taxidermist ASAP. If you can't get it there within 24 hours take it out of the ice and freeze it in a natural position, i.e. fully laid out. Don't bend it to make it fit in the freezer.

I went the glass route so here is what i learned. I had one done by the late great Wally Brown in 1990. Cost me 550 plus $ even back then, he charged 10 bucks and inch. Took over a year as he was always busy. Called him at 10 Pm the nite of the catch, I think he was used to late calls. Actually called him the nite before with a 54 inch fish but had sticker shock and canned the idea. Next nite bigger and heavier and thought what the hell this isn't going to happen again. Don't drag it along any jetties or rocks as you will dislodge the scales, like I knew that. At least drag it on one side so the mold will come out nice. Also make sure you have a place to display it as large fish hanging on an 8' wall can put your eye out, and it doesn't go with a lot of the better half's interior design ideas. Years of memories and after you get skunked you can look at it and say at least one nite I knew what the hell I was doing.

Stop and see John's son at Main Bait - he's one of the best in the area.

He is awesome.

Also make sure you have a place to display it as large fish hanging on an 8' wall can put your eye out, and it doesn't go with a lot of the better half's interior design ideas. Years of memories and after you get skunked you can look at it and say at least one nite I knew what the hell I was doing.


If I caught a fish good/big enough to mount I wouldn't worry about room on a wall I'd add a room to have an available wall.:humpty:

Thanks - I didn't know if there was anything special other than keeping the fish straight and iced in order to get a good mount.


Did you get a nice one
No, John....but I'm expecting to - - - as I'm 6 years pregnant so I figure sometime in early October I'm sure to give birth to one,,, you're welcome to cut the cord :spin:


Inkman, thanx for reminding me...I had fawgotten about HAPPY John :D....(did I leave a white hat at your house last time I was there?) :hidin:

..tough to do if the dorsal fins are erect - they get in the way...
Ben,, when I give birth to this fish it BETTER come out HEAD FIRST!!! ...OR I'll never be constipated again!! :bshake: :bc:

...Smelly Jelly has many uses though >>>...