Too light to mount?

[joef16fxr]

In my first year in Bass Fishing and landed a 22in 6lb 1 oz Bass this weekend.  Wondering if this is too small to consider for a mount.  It's my PB, but like I said, only have about a year on the water.  Opinions???

IMG_1268.pdf

[Choporoz]

Very personal decision.  Only you can weigh cost, pride, decor, etc....decisions.  Nothing says you can't put that one on a wall....and then next to it each succeeding bigger one.

[jr231]

Did you keep it ? Lol. You can always have a replica mount made . If you get someone who knows what they are doing, they can really look killer. 

Sounds like a nice bass no doubt.. I personally wouldn't get it mounted. And I'm up north. A 6lber is much more rare here in ohio than it is in Louisiana. I'd say keep at it. You'll beat that in your future for sure. 

If it truly meant something to you, and you already have it in your freezer.. then the damage is already done and if you have the money then you might as well. 

I caught one this year that was 24 inches.. out of my neighbors pond. It had the head of a ten pounder. But my scale read 8.23. only had a 15.5 inch girth. I had it in my hands with my rod and my backpack (with the same intentions you have right now) and it gave me a hard shake.. I decided I didn't need it that bad. And put her back. 

IMO the joy comes from the fight. Take a picture and let her go. Take her length and girth , and a picture . That's all you need for a replica ! Keep those genes in your favorite fishing spot !!

[J Francho]

I didn't keep my 7-2 or 7-1 from NY.  I wouldn't bother with a 6-1 from LA.  You got a great pic of it - that's more than I have of my 7-2.  Been trying to break it for almost 20 years.

Here's my 7-1:

[joef16fxr]

Didn't keep it, threw it back.  Took plenty of photos though.

[jr231]

 @J Francho looks like you need to take a trip somewhere else lol. All these people you know on here and not one has tried to put you on a DD? I don't think I'll ever break the DD bass here in ohio. The one I caught (in my profile pic) is probably the biggest that I'll find. And with money tight i doubt I'll be able to vacation and get a good shot at one. 

I actually get to go to Michigan this weekend to let my mother see her granddaughter for the second time. But the chances in Michigan producing a DD is even more slim. 

Ohio's record is 13 some lbs. Not sure about the length. What's NY 's?

[J Francho]

I have a DD, and many over 8 from FL, using live bait and a guide.  I only count my home state fish I catch myself.

[jr231]

Well that's pretty modest . Good luck  

[soflabasser]

27 minutes ago, joef16fxr said:

In my first year in Bass Fishing and landed a 22in 6lb 1 oz Bass this weekend.  Wondering if this is too small to consider for a mount.  It's my PB, but like I said, only have about a year on the water.  Opinions???

IMG_1268.pdf

Congratulations on catching a +6 pound bass in your first year of bass fishing.It took me years before I was catching bass the size you caught your first year.You should get a replica of this bass if the memory means a lot to you.

 

[J Francho]

4 minutes ago, Yeajray231 said:

Well that's pretty modest . Good luck  

I'm most interested in beating an ex-girfriend's smallmouth from 1993.  She boated a 6-4, smashing my PB of 5-2.  A few years back, I got a 5-12 in Erie, but Noel "No" Good boated a 6 pounder around 27 seconds after mine.  Took the wind outta my sails, lol.

[Darren.]

Welcome to the forums!

I'd agree it is entirely up to you. Congrats on the
catch, as well.

My PB of 7.5# did not get a mount. I did think about
it, though, prefer to catch a DD and get a mount of 
that instead, but that's just me. If I catch anything
between my PB and a DD, I'd probably consider it
strongly just on adrenaline of the catch alone!!

[jr231]

I have a similar experience when I took mine crappie fishing. I took us to the spot. Baited the poles. Cast them out. But she reeled in the biggest one that day. 2 years later and I still hear about it . 

[burrows]

Anything over 5 pounds is mount worthy in my opinion but it's up to you how your going to do it. Personally i would take a photo measurements and get a replica.

[jr231]

The fiberglass skin mount is the way to go. It never deteriorates and doesn't have any shrinking like you can get with a bad mount. 

[GORDO]

As said, you can always get a replica mount made! Just take a lot of measurements and some good *quality* pictures. Those guys/gals who make those are artists with an airbrush if you go to the right place. 

[J Francho]

I'd get that pic framed, and just keep replacing it with a pic each time you beat it. Then you can go back and see all the old pics as you progress.

[geo g]

If it makes you happy do it!

[Fisher-O-men]

2 hours ago, Yeajray231 said:

The fiberglass skin mount is the way to go. It never deteriorates and doesn't have any shrinking like you can get with a bad mount. 

I believe a fiberglass replica and a skin mount are two different things.  One needs the skin.

[jr231]

@FisherO'men you are probably (very likely ) correct. I know someone that has a mount. And it is a replica. And that is what he told me it was. It looked killer ! Apparently he doesn't know what it is. And either do i. Lol . I'm going to go with the fiberglass. Because it didn't look like skin . He said it had a lifetime warranty and that it would never deteriorate. (Maybe that's not not accurate as well then ?) But I thought it was cool because he got to release his fish ! And still look at very much the same thing 

[Jonister]

If you have never ever seen a replica, you probably have. A lot of those DD bass, or paddlefish, or sturgeon, etc in bass pro or cabelas are replicas. You can look at those and get an idea of quality/realism. 

[burrows]

My pb is 5.4 and I wish I could have had it replicated how much would i have to spend to get a replica of my next pb if it was maybe 6 pounds? Has anyone done it?

[Fisher-O-men]

1 hour ago, Yeajray231 said:

@FisherO'men you are probably (very likely ) correct. I know someone that has a mount. And it is a replica. And that is what he told me it was. It looked killer ! Apparently he doesn't know what it is. And either do i. Lol . I'm going to go with the fiberglass. Because it didn't look like skin . He said it had a lifetime warranty and that it would never deteriorate. (Maybe that's not not accurate as well then ?) But I thought it was cool because he got to release his fish ! And still look at very much the same thing 

He has a replica.  He just didn't know what it was called.  Skin mounts require a dead fish and a very talented taxidermist.  Also a bunch of cash!

[Bankbeater]

I took a bunch of pics of my PB.   They are a lot easier to carry around on my phone.

[joef16fxr]

Thanks for all the feedback.  Going to see if I can land something in between a DD and my PB.  I'll make a decision then, but will get a replica based on feedback.  Plus I will always throw back a big fish to give someone else a shot!

[Turkey sandwich]

I've had two over 6 here in PA.  As a kid, mounting them was never really an option since I was pretty broke, and at this point I'm glad.  For a largemouth over 7 or a smallmouth in the 5.5 range, I would consider a replica, but I'm not really pushing to mount something on the wall.