MOUNT IT...EAT IT..OR RELEASE IT??

[GirlGuide]

Okay let's hear your opinions on this.  If you caught a "fish of a lifetime", let's just say it's a 10 lb walleye or whatever fish you enjoy fishing for the most.  You go out, and you actually catch this monster...what do you do with it?  Would you take a picture of it and let it go (maybe get a replica), would you take it home and eat it or would you have it mounted?

I would most definately have mine mounted.  Not a replica either, I would want the real thing hanging on my wall.  What would you do?

gg

[Spinach]

I'd just release a 10 pound Walleye. take a pic and put it back in the water quickly.

[Don Stenseth]

I believe I would take lots of pics and then have it mounted.

[Lee Borgersen]

If you catch a fish of a lifetime do what you personally feel is what you want to do with it.  For myself, I don't like replicas so an actual mount would be my choice.  My fish mounting days are a thing of the past since I've got enough trophies mounted.

The only fish I'd mount anymore would have to be a state record. I'd like to see everyone have nice mount to hang on your wall if you can afford it. My Guide service business is all catch and release on game fish unless it's a trophy that the client wants mounted.

There are a lot of creative things you can have done with a beautiful photo. Just make sure it's a good shot before the release. Any time my people get a Kodak moment fish great care is taken before the actual shot. The fish is kept in the water until the cameras are out of the case. I also insist on a practice pose without the fish so we get the best shot. This prevents a lot of fidgeting and insures a prompt release.

[Tami]

Takes pics and release it.... Maybe hope to catch it on  another day, or have another have the joy of catching it too..

[GirlGuide]

    

[Cody Gruchow]

a 10 lb walleye would go back in the water. now i dont like replicas, but it has to be a real trophy im sure ill never beat before i get it mounted otherwise i C and R everything i catch.

[Grute Man]

I could go with a replica.  I'd like knowing that the big one is out there making more little ones that will hopefully turn out big like mine.  If its THAT big, its probably not a good eater so I would probably pass on eating it.

Im not saying Im dead set on that but I'd feel like I did a good thing AND got a cool trophy to boot.

Grute 

[Auggie]

 To big to eat. LET IT GO! Take lots of pictures and get the replica made. For those of you replica doubters blanks are available that you would have a hard time telling them from the real thing. In fact I have had people guess wrong many times as to what is replica or skin. It is all in the artist who paints it and the quality of blank. A replica will last forever and ever amen, can be washed in the shower with out damage(at least mine can be), AND will look as realistic or more than the real deal when properly done. The other thing to remember is QUALITY comes with a price tag. Check around and ask what blanks your taxidermist is using. If it is truly once in a lifetime go with the best, you will not regret it in the end.

[gds]

I would most likely get a replica. I have a 9lber on the wall and that was a hard decision but i had it mounted.

[dakids]

I have released a 50 inch muskie, and 40 inch northern. 8X10 pictures of each on the wall. I still have the measurements of each and might get replicas made if my wife (the boss) lets me.

 But I have also mounted the 2.25 and 2.75 pound crappies that my 2 oldest kids have caught.  They caught them 2 years apart, on the same day in the exact same spot. My little honey hole.  Next year I will be trying to get the twins a big one also.

I guess that I am more likely to get my kids fish mounted than my own.

[LLtaxidermy]

I mounted my first 10lb walleye, still working on it actually. It's going with to Lubbock in a couple months!!!!

[tripnchip]

I would either release or eat, what would happen at the time would depend on how hungry I was.

[kenhuntin]

Replicas look unrealistic with their fat fins and gills no matter how good the paint job is. I am still fishing for my 31 inch or 11 lbs.walleye to taxidermy.

[LLtaxidermy]

Sorry Ken but I have to disagree about the replicas. There are some replica companies that do a phenomenal job and most never know the difference. To be perfectly honest most of the skin mounts I see are worse looking. Guys trim off the edge of fins, flag the fins, no fin pockets, incorrect anatomy, just sloppy work. Some fins do look fat on some replicas but not all. The biggest thing is as Auggie said the paint. A badly painted fish will ruin any mount.

[Super Star!]

HMM thats a bad picture in my head Auggie showering with his fish LOL


I would agree with Augs and LL on this one... I am a firm belever in you pay for what you get. the guys that want the cheapest get junk in return. If its a once in a lifetime deal why not spend the xtra money and have it done right? 

[Auggie]

Replicas look unrealistic with their fat fins and gills no matter how good the paint job is. I am still fishing for my 31 inch or 11 lbs.walleye to taxidermy.

   The fat fins and gills are a thing of the past if your taxidermist has moved along with the times. The fins of new replicas are thin and translucent like the real deal. The cast gills out do any skin mount for the "real look" also. But with quality comes a price. You can still get the old thick finned, pipe cleaner gills, and poorly detailed mouth blanks. They are 1/2 the price of a quality blank and take numerous hours to try and make them remotely presentable. But in the end they are still a turd with a Cadillac paint job.
   The new blanks are so detailed that I would bet if painted properly 90% of the population could not tell the difference. Ken you should take that 11 lb 31 inch Eye (when you catch it) to a skilled taxidermist and have him do a blank and the skin mount side by side in the same pose. I bet you will have a hard time picking the two apart when you pick them up.

[kenhuntin]

thanks for the new info Auggie. I will keep an eye out for the new ones. Sounds like a possibility now.

[wildlifeminnesota]

I would most definately have mine mounted.