Fish die quickly once they die; to preserve your catch for long term enjoyment, an expert taxidermist must immediately work on its preservation.

Freezing fish immediately is the most efficient way of stopping its spoilage by bacteria.

If you prefer not having your catch preserved and preserved for display, fiberglass replica mounts offer another solution. Starting out as molds of real fish, they are painted to look exactly like your trophy catch.

Freezing

Fish taxidermy is an artful way to immortalize your catch and create something truly stunning that will remind you of its amazing catch for years. Fish are somewhat delicate animals when it comes to preservation, but with proper preparation you can have an exquisite mount that will always remind you of your exciting catch. The process starts by freezing the fish to preserve it before taxidermists work their magic; this helps prevent scales and gills from decaying before work can commence on it. Once frozen, the fish is then stretched over a mold until finally making sure it resembles its real counterpart – this ensures it looks real.

An increasingly popular alternative to traditional taxidermy of fish involves creating fiberglass reproductions of them instead. This approach avoids killing animals while remaining economical and providing for more realistic looks.

Reproductions can be created either professionally by a taxidermist or at home using a kit. A kit typically contains a body frame, fish skin and adhesive. When selecting high quality skin for reproduction purposes it is vital that a professional taxidermist guide your selection process as well as provide instructions on how to prepare it properly.

If you want to attempt home fish mounting yourself, the fish should first be frozen to preserve its form and weight. Once frozen, wet the towel that won’t offend your wife before wrapping the fish in it carefully without injuring its fins before placing in a plastic bag for transportation. As an extra measure, label the bag with date, fishing license number and information about where you caught it for future reference by conservation officers who may check on you while transporting to a taxidermist.

Once the taxidermist receives your fish, they will begin by applying preservatives such as borax or formaldehyde to its skin and other parts that need to be preserved. Next, its skin is dried before being filled with sawdust for stuffing – then sewn shut and stretched over a mold until reaching your desired pose.

Stuffing

Have you ever noticed the stunning fish mounts at sporting goods stores and fish shops? Unfortunately, most of these incredible replicas of real fish, except their heads with teeth and fins (which include skin), fins and some skin aren’t real; rather they are fiberglass replicas known as “repros”, that look quite real.

Repros provide an attractive alternative to skin mounting your catch, using molds, resin and fiberglass to craft lifelike replicas that look just like your fish catches. They’re often painted by hand to match their colors exactly; making repros an ideal option if time or expense prevent skin mounting, as well as for those wanting their prize preserved without risk of spoilage or shrinkage.

Before beginning to preserve any species of fish, it is wise to quickly photograph it against a neutral background for preservation purposes. This will ensure its original colors remain true while providing more realistic mounts. Furthermore, doing this allows a taxidermist to recreate what the fish looked like when fresh caught.

Once your fish is preserved, it must be stuffed and sewn shut for preservation. Depending on its size and cost, this process can take time and money; be mindful that each taxidermist has his/her own style; make sure you find one you trust when making this important decision for yourself and your prized catch!

Once your fish is stuffed and sewn, it must be posed into its desired pose before being repainted by the taxidermist. At this stage of the process lies its true artistic brilliance: creating an illusion that it was alive is no easy feat! For wall or pedestal mounts only one side will typically be painted with clear coat applied over time to protect its color from fading over time.

Mounting

Before selecting a taxidermist to skin mount your fish, it is crucial that you conduct some thorough research. Be sure to review their portfolio and request samples of their work; an experienced taxidermist should be able to recreate its colors accurately. In addition, taking photographs at the time of capture may aid the taxidermist in accurately recreating your catch.

Preserving and mounting fish requires skill and precision, so you will want to ensure the final result meets with your expectations. While you may be an experienced angler, this task should be left in the hands of professionals for best results.

Fish skin can begin changing color within 90 seconds after being removed from the water, making it essential that you photograph and store your trophy immediately. Select one side as the show side when storing to avoid blemishes or damage in storage; this way a taxidermist will be delighted with a photo of your catch and can reproduce it perfectly.

Traditional skin mounts make use of the head, fins, and skin of fish to create a realistic representation. Preserved with formaldehyde and stretched over a foam mold for preservation purposes, taxidermists recreate color using this guide as their source. Although beautiful mounts may look impressive initially, over time oils from their skins may seep through and cause irreparable damage over time.

Due to these reasons, many people are opting for fiberglass fish mounts instead of skin mounts. Although fiberglass fish mounts don’t offer the realism of skin mounts, they are far cheaper and may be used when traditional mounts prove too strenuous or costly for use. They also allow catch-and-release fisherman to enjoy their trophy without fearing it may return alive to its natural habitat.

Care

Fish should always be stored cleanly and handled as little as necessary to decrease risk of bacteria spoilage and to achieve maximum flavor. Popular methods for preservation are chilling, freezing, curing (drying, salting and smoking), canning and pickling.

All these techniques aim to protect the flesh from putrefying enzymes and bacteria that lead to its rotting, giving each method its own shelf life and texture characteristics.

Finding the appropriate method of preservation for your catch of the day depends on your goals and desires. A general rule is to select one which will yield the most flavorful outcome – usually freezing, stuffing or canning results in delicious products with long shelf lives.

Skin mounts have long been used as the traditional method of fish preservation. This technique involves chemically preservating and drying out the fish in order to preserve its skin, fins, head and any other parts that remain. Unfortunately, however, it cannot be completed without killing your catch; rather, actual fish must be killed for use as skin mounts today often do not include their real heads but instead feature ones made out of plastic, foam or resin instead.

An alternative to skin mounts is creating fiberglass fish reproductions, often called mounted fish. This form of art creates a piece of memento from your catch that helps tell its story of capture and will accurately represent your catch. To ensure an accurate representation, provide your carver with photos as well as length and girth measurements of the fish you plan on having mounted. It is imperative that if this option is chosen that professional taxidermists be used.https://www.youtube.com/embed/tIUeOtQBmL4