25 Lb Fish & Replica's

[Micheal Kyle]

Being in the industry I see a lot of fish mounts either be skin or a reproduction, I myself have had several reproductions made from salt water to fresh water. I have seen Don's work up close and personal and I have seen Gary's work up close and personal. I think that they both do an outstanding job and would recommend either one to anyone.

I will say this and most of you may not know this about me but I come from a farming background and showing cattle all over the United States and winning several State Fairs ,the American Royal in Kansas City plus even winning the National Show in Denver. A lot of these so called events where you get judged can be a very political event. Plus it is only one guy or some times two guys opinion, or in the best case scenario it is a committee. They say that they are not but I will stand my ground and say that they are. When we would win one week and then turn around at another show the next week and not even make it into the championship drive.

So I guess my point here is that people should look at the actual mounts and see which one they like the best and not to take away from any awards that both taxidermist have won. But they both have different styles that will make fish and scenes just look different.

As the price goes I do know that Gary charges 13.50/inch and only does reproductions.

Michael

[Dumb to fishing]

Hey Rich..

Ive seen alot of mounts... some good.. some great and some that doesnt even look like the fish.

Yes all fish are different in shape/size/color.

Im a full believer in finding local "guys" to give business too.

you have Brett Rader.. Ive seen some AWESOME mounts come out of his shop.

then the is also Walt Phelps.. http://www.ozarktaxidermy.com/home.html

Probably the best work Ive even seen. Right down to the "purple" mark on a big brown.

I know the are others in the area. But like I said Ive seen some the looks like a piece of glass..

Talk to Michael find out who did Rick's mount (that was an AWESOME mount)..... I think that was the actually fish right?

compare some of the mounts in his shop to each other. I think he knows who done alot of them.

But FORESURE... If your going to have a mount done make sure the guy you are going to deal with knews what he is doing!!

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

find any marks that are unuseally to the fish.

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

a full body shot.

sometimes taken a shot of both side of the fish helps. (to find the best side of the fish

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

ofcourse the lenght and girth

Remember to do this as quickly as possible.. the fish is already stressed out.. keep the fish in the water as much as possibly..

Leonard

Wouldn't that be enough to pretty much kill the fish? Seems like all that would take a lot of time which will harm the fish?

[Micheal Kyle]

Here are a few pics of my last mount that Gary did for me it is 2 Bows one that is 34 inches and one that is 31 inches plus a Grayling. I thought you all might enjoy looking at these. It is a very nice piece. I should have turned my flash off but I think you can see the replicas fine.

Michael

[taxidermist]

Taxidermy competitions are not very political. Matter of fact I too have shown cattle and horse as has my wife, plus many other things. I can tell you and give you a huge list of taxidermist that will back up my statement about taxidermy competitions beling very non political.

Yea like a cattle show or horse show, one judge maybe two. The NTA show had three per catagory and took averages.

I won best of Catagory in Kansas the very first time I attended the Kansas Assoc. of Taxidermist in 1998. it did hurt some feelings but the judge was a well known judge and known for being fair.

Judges that play the politic at taxidermy shows don't get to judge many and last about a year if that long. You dont get to be a taxidermy judge without knowing your specimens, having reference materials to back you up. these are pics, casting from molds and even at some shows a few judges have brought in live animals, deer. bobcats and even well behaved Cougars.

No you dont get to be a taxidermy judge without being HONEST and KNOWING what you are looking at and for.

I have been judging fish for 20 odd years at various state shows. I took in three live wild caught bass at one show and you dont get any better refernce than live fish!

Also won the NTA Award of Excellence for fish, it does not come easy you don't buy your way into it, You have to prove your stuff at the National Level.

Yes I have seen many many of the shows that did not have a fish or other animal that scored a blue ribbon,. So most awards are not just given because of politics..

We want to be judged hard very hard!! We dont want the easy give away, give awy does nothing for us as taxidermist. Do you undertand that? I thought not!!!

What competions do is teach us where to improve our mount, how to do better work. An ethical taxidermist will try to incorperate that new knowledge into their work and develope a better mount for his clients. On the artist end of competing sometimes I have seen grown men hang their head very low leaving a show, getting thei head handed to them if you will. Imagine how this would feel if you will. You do your best work and have someone critique it and they pull out reference materials you never knew existed and they start deducting points. It was you best work, everyone said it was good. Then you walk out without a ribbon scoring say 65 out of 100. then imagine you are really really good and you only score a 88 and there is not any blue ribbon awarded. It happens and assocations that run dishonest shows fail.

The MIssouri Taxidermist assoc. and the Arkansas taxidermist assoc is proof that politics will ruin an association.

Kansas and Oklahoma are growing assoc. Even in the time when other assoc. fail their are growing!!

Nope most taxidermy shows/competitions are not political.

May 09 the World Show will be in St Charles MO. You want tyo see great taxidermy judge totally without politics? take the trip.

[taxidermist]

I have known Don Frank at Smithville for a long time we have competed is some shows at the same time. Do you know Don is one of the best fish carvers in the world.

The guy at Lake Fork is not the leader on Peacocks. Never was Ron Kelly is. Rons son does a kncok out Peacock too.

I started doing taxidermy in 1977 31 years ago. I have met alot of people in the taxidermy industry over this time.

There are some people that only do a few fish per year and do knock out fish.

Dale Cornett of Michigan is possible the best I have ever seen. He don't use an airbrush either!!! Dales getting up in years.

Bill messege me I would like to know who is doing the 25lb brown, thank you.

[Don]

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.)

Terry,

Now i understand.

That explains while I am king of Chute 2, or otherwise, while I'm thrashing up and down Taney, people stare me down and I keep hearing the word LAME. Those guys must think you showed me your secret fly

Don't worry, I won't tell anybody what LAME stands for.....Don

[Micheal Kyle]

I will assure you that there are a lot of great Taxidermist out there that do an awesome job, but most of them out there that are doing competitions will work for months on the one piece for the competition. Will they do that for the piece that is going to hang on the wall in your house. I feel that there are only a few that will and two of those that come to mind are Gary and Don, John I have never seen any of your work but next time I am down I will stop in and check out your studio. John you seem to be very Passionate about this subject so just as me with fly fishing I'm sure it shows in your work.

To say that the shows are not political is an understatement because they all are no matter what you are doing, everything in life is about who you know not what you know. I can assure you if I were to enter the piece that I showed here it would win a blue ribbon and quite possibly the best of show. In fact I have had several people try and buy the piece from me for their office and or their house and I wont sale it because it means too much to me.

I have been judged by committees be for at huge national shows and yes they are not supposed to be political but when you score high one day with a committee make the cut. Then you turn around the next day with a another committee and don't make the cut I have to say they are. Plus they know who you are and your work you do so when they get to you or your piece they can score it different than others to help you out or to break you. I have seen it done just not in cattle shows. Duck calling, Turkey calling, cattle shows, art work shows, Movie awards, it happens. and I'm not saying it is a bad thing just don't judge some one with how many awards they have won. Like you said in the previuos post those are the judges that don't stay around for a long time just a year or so: so they must be in some way! People need to take the time to review their work and see which one you like the best and go with that person.

I know for a fact the first time Gary entered a competition they won a blue ribbon and best of show, and that is the type of work that will come out of his studio everyday.

I am not trying to defend him but you should go and pay him a visit up in Bolivar he does some fine work. In fact you can drive up here to Springfield either my shop or Bass Pro a lot of the fish mounts in the dead animal museum are from him, that should say a lot right there. You can step into his studio and see many mounts being done and they will range everyday from saltwater to fresh water. Plus they are for people all over the world, I just saw a fish he was doing for gentlemen over in Ireland.

So to sum this up for everyone don't judge the book by it's cover look into it a little deeper.

Michael

[Terry Beeson]

I don't care who did it or if he won any competitions or not... But I will say that if you have not been to Backcountry Outfitters and seen that mount in person, it is well worth it to stop by and see it. That is a BEAUTIFUL mount....

[Bill Babler]

Taxi, I for the life of me can't remember the young mans name. Give the girls at Lilleys' a shout, they will have his card and know, is name and number.

[taxidermist]

I have known Don since way back when he worked out of his basement in Raytown. Yea Don does mounts just for show as do many taxidermist. You want to see the best of small mammals? Drop by OzarkWoods in Harrison AR. Belive me Brian is the topdog in small mammals!!

I have dropped in at Gary's once but he had left.

Wehn I take something to a show its normally something that is a clients. I have been told by many of the world top taxidermist to do some special mounts, but to me to not use a clients mount is not taking care of that clients work right. My best work should be on the customers walls!!! not my or in my showroom.

Michael and anyone else on the forums;

My doors is always open when I am in the studio. So anyone who wants just drop in. MOn, Tue, Thrus, Fris 10:30am to 6:00pm. Having been in this business 30 years even did a lot of fish and other mounts while stationed in Germany. Yep I have a passion for doing my best on each and every piece. In case you wonder about the odd hours. I run the business, I dont allow the business to run me. Wed I try to fish as well as one day on the weekend. If you catch me there on Wed. its cause I had to get something done!!

I don't have coffee on but at lest I have a/c now.

Got a passion for fishing too., for me its been slow this year just to much on the old plate.

Anyway feel free to stop in, personalities are tuff when typing.

I am sure you can find the Wal MArt in Flippin. we are right across the street in the old rock gas station another fellow Cobb sold Rebel items there for years. Sadly he passed away a couple years back, lung cancer.

If you are cdropping by on a Wed and its where I can let me know and we will hit the river, I dont fly fish but I do spin fish and will go at the drop of the hat.