25 Lb Fish & Replica's

[flyfshn]

Nice fish Terry!

[Micheal Kyle]

Terry,

Looks a little disorientated but other than that it looks great.

[taxidermist]

http://www.4greatfish.com/gf/index768.shtml

Garys website. I have never met Gary we have emailed a few times.

Copied from above

As for as a replica you will need quite a few shots (about 10-15 photos).

find any marks that are unusual to the fish.

head shot (a nice close up)... with the eyes, mouth, and possible a front face shot.

a full body shot.

(I divide the fish into three or four sections for photos. Then I print larger sized photos, works better for me. I use the pics as I paint and sometimes the photos don't make it through the painting i.e. lacquer thinner etc.) I am sure it would help other Taxidermist too.

sometimes taken a shot of both side of the fish helps. (to find the best side of the fish ( This helps if there are specific markings.

a shot of the tail (for a nice detailed mount)

of course the length and girth

Shots of the fins if there are specific markings.

If possible good sunlight and on a towel or rag to protect the fish from rocks and even grass, grass can cut the fish, sticks, stones etc. Plus the towel gives you an idea how badly off the color the photos are! Serves like a gray scale of sorts.

There are several companies taxidermist can order replicas from, some are better than others and those cost a good bit more than the average replica. they tend to have a lot better detail, thats scale detail and other things, semi clear fins, quality of the eyes too. Many taxis' use a standard fish eye, specific to the species. Other paint many of theirs, I paint many of my fish eyes.

Something can be said for taxidermist that enter competitions, they tend to do better work. The reason being they have competed and had their mounts judged, the judging is done on anatomy, painting etc. Not in just one competition but many, really the more the taxi. enters the better they are to a point...... Sad fact is many don't do the same quality work for clients that they do for the competitions.... If you really want the best the taxidermist can do ask for the competition mount or show quality mount, expect to pay a bit more. It will be worth the extra.

We know not everyone is going to go for the replica, even if you decide on the skin mount i.e. real fish. You want it to last, on trout the head should be molded from your fish and cast by the taxidermist, this will eliminate oils bleeding in the years to come, that along with molding the fishes fins and making them in fiberglass again its for the quality!!

The fish body should be carved for an exact fit for that specific skin. This along with the individually cast head and fins will give you a better mount that will last your lifetime.

Paints; broad subject. Many prefer lacquers others praise waterbased. Back in the 1980's I helped field water based paint. Chemicals have changed and waterbased are not nearly what they were back then...... I use lacquers desgined specifically for taxidermy. Then the clear coat has UVB & UVA filters so the colors will never fade.

You don't get details with cheap air brushes either. I always felt I did pretty darn good detail with a Pashee' VL-1 double action. Until another taxidermist convinced me that a Iwata Micron was the way to go. I broke down and bought one $500.00 with hose and I can say the detail I am able to get now is so much better!! It is not as fast as the cheap airbrush but fast and good just don't work together!! Do they?

Possibly the last things to ask every taxidermist is turn around time. How long have they been in business what awards have they won? Are they at lest CERTIFIED BY THEIR STATE?????

There are great taxidermist that only do a few specimens per year and some do a lot. While there are full time taxidermist that just do good on everything and some cannot do anything well.

Will you be happy is with the quality of the work? You get what you pay for!!! Do you want a Cadillac or a Yugo?

http://ozarkanglers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11992

If you have any more questions I will do my best to answer them honestly and open!

Creager's Artistic Wildlife

Flippin AR

Across from Wal Mart in Flippin. Feel free to drop in Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri 10:30 am to 6:00pm

[Don]

What did you catch that one on Terry?

You know, if you didn't have such a big old head that fish would look much larger

Don

[Terry Beeson]

Don... I took that beauty while snaggi... uh... I mean fishing at Outlet 2 on a 2/0 Lucky Antron Midge Emerger (LAME for short.)

[Guest kevinkirk]

I need to get a camera and tape as I dont want to keep any big fish ever again. Its funny how you reach an age or maybe a place where you have caught so many fish and it becomes so easy to do so that you just dont want to mess with them any more. I do use my cell phone camera but I think I will get me a good camera and a tape measure in my vest and boat. My son got a 70 pound flathead and turned it loose. Was proud of him for that. Think of the eggs that ole girl will lay this year alone. I dont condemn anyone for keeping fish, I just prefer not too.

Its like deer hunting to me, the fun is in the hunt. Once you arrow one or shoot one, the fun is over. I like the chase and challenge etc. Again, have got so many its just the chase that gets my blood going. Thanks for the blog as it made me realize I need to get some gear and take memories ..

[bclift65706]

looks like you know your stuff taxidermist I cought a 8 lb large Mmouth few years ago and took it to a guy and the fish form was good but needed to learn how to paint it went from green strait to white with flat colors. My brother and I use a guy in Stoutland Mo. now he does a super awsome job and uses them UV paints and my fish looks like you just pulled it out of the water. I took him a bigger one in May of this year and my brother has had a couple of crappie done every fish I seen him do look like real fish and not some decoration you bought from Wal Mart and I bet with all the detail you discribed in your post yours look great to.

[Bman]

Has anyone seen any mounts or heard about Bobs Taxidermy (Bob Sebby) in Bull Shoals, Ark ???

[Bill Babler]

4 great fish, very good. The rest maybe fine, but not on the same page.

Now, the Best. Don Frank, www.donstaxidermy.com Smithville Missouri. Not only a State or National Champion, but a World Champion. Probably one of the 5 best in the World, right here in Missouri.

Don does fish and only fish, you can read a news paper thru the fins of his replicas they are perfect.

I have spoken to Taxidermist from Florida to Texas to Montana to Alaska and all if they know their stuff will tell you if they had to bet their life on winning a competition, whould they do it or let Don. All will answer the same.

Had a Guy at Lake Fork Taxidermy the leader in Peacock Bass Replicas tell me, Yea, we do the most and the best when it comes to Peacocks, one of the hardest fish to paint. I said yes they are as I looked at dozens of mounted fish on the wall. I said I have only seen their equal in one place. He said where are you from. I said Missouri. He got quiet and said, I will bet you have not seen their equal, you have seen the best in the World. You have been to see Don Frank.

Had a Montana Taxidermist tell me That the Lord Made the Brown Trout, and Don Frank showed him the colors and where the spots should go.

The taxidermist that is doing the 25 pounder was bringing a mount into lilleys' office to display, and I introduced myself to him, he said he really would like to do my clients or my work, who did I use. I said Don Frank. He said Nevermind, I'm not ready to be compaired to him.

www.donstaxidermy.com Ask your taxidermist about him. If he dosent know him, he dosent know fish.

[denjac]

Nobody has mentioned costs. I was going to have a redfish done and it was $10 an inch x 44 inches = Yikes! And that has been 8 years ago. Replicas were the same price as a real one too. Dont know what prices are now but would be curious to know. Somthing to consider when debating to keep one to get mounted, can I afford it?