Bass-Mounting?

[SteveKickinBass]

I'm wondering how you guys feel about mounting a Bass.  I've always been a fan of catch and release, but  I've also said that I would mount one if I ever caught one that was around 10 lbs, which would be my PB.  Would you or have any of you mounted one and what do you consider when and if you decide to?

[Peter E.]

I tell you what my friend, definately decline on the skin mount and make a photo and get the measurements, then have a graphite mount made. These are in my opinion the best way to go, that skin will eventually rot and look horrible, the graphite mounts are good for a life time. Plus with the picture who could refute it? And my favorite plus you have released that trophy for an other angler to catch. THese are fish of a life time adn it isn't fair to denie another angler the same joy. Oh and if you haven't seen a graphite mount they look almost too real!

[Grey Wolf]

I agree with Peter.

[5bass]

I have talked with people who have had some fiberglass replicas made and from what I hear about them,if you send it to be done by a high volume reproduction company,you will most likely get a generic paint job which looks nothing like the actual fish you caught.Case in point,my uncle who lives in Tampa has had 4 bass fiberglassed by BPS and they all look exactly alike.....of course the sizes are a little varied but the paint jobs are identical on all 4 fish.

Whatever way you choose,do your homework and ask lots of questions.

[Raul]

Mounted my first 10 pounder, had a replica made for my PB; I 'd rather have the replica, at least you can wash the dang thing.

[justfishin]

Take some good digital pictures, good measurments, make sure to get some real clear close ups.

Put the fish back where you caught him. If for no other reason, at least to keep his genetics in the water. He didn't get to be ten by having poor genetics. Look for someone who is reputable and that you can take a look at some of his other work.  Those assembly line places like BPS don't cut it. Its not going to be cheap but it will be well worth the money and trouble. Those grapite mounts will last your life time. Skin mounts are a thing of the past. Plastic reps look so fake. You only get what you pay for. Good luck.

[BassChaser57]

I had a replica mount of my 10 lb bass. They made it look EXACTLY like the photo. My vote is 100% replica as the skin mounts look good about 3 years-replica=forever.

[dodgeguy]

i have a skin mount that is 11 years old and looks as good as the day i got it.mounting an occasional trophy fish is not going to hurt a fishery.constantly harvesting them will.in the years i have been fishing i have mounted 1 bass.it was my pb.the only time i will mount another is if it's a monster smallie.all the rest go back.

[cart7t]

I've only had one fish mounted over the years and it was a skin mount many years ago when the Repro's were extremely high.  While the mount still looks pretty good for being almost 20 years old it is a dust collector which is hard to clean properly because it's delicate.  The Fins have damage to them that wouldn't have happened with a repro, I'd go for a repro today because the prices have pretty much evened out.

[dodgeguy]

used one of those compressed air cleaners they make for computers.

[Turtle.]

[mounting an occasional trophy fish is not going to hurt a fishery]

     If everyone thinks like this,then yes it will

[my favorite plus you have released that trophy for an other angler to catch. THese are fish of a life time adn it isn't fair to denie another angler the same joy]  

                   

         I'd have to say I agree 100% JMO

                                                                 Turtle

[dodgeguy]

so you are going to tell me that the guy who keeps 1 trophy and mounts it but releases all other fish hurts the fishery more than those who keep and eat 5 fish limits.i don't believe it.what about all the delayed mortality from tournaments?you don't think that hurts a fishery more than somebody mounting a trophy?besides that far fewer trophy size fish are caught because most anglers don't have the skill to catch them.we are a minority compared to your average angler.as i've said before,we run the risk of sounding like p.e.t.a. when we say people shouldn't eat fish or mount them.as long as an angler is within the legal limit of the law nobody should say anything.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I'm wondering how you guys feel about mounting a Bass?

I would suggest working the clubs first. If meeting women is tough in high expectation places like the clubs, try the super market. I've found a couple keepers in the frozen foods aisle.  

No Bass should ever have to go through that.

[Turtle.]

I fish a lot of small ponds some I can cast across.I would guess to say that there may be 2 or 3 (trophy)fish or (personal best)fish.If in a three day period,three different anglers catch and keep there trophy/personal best fish.Then this fishery just took a serious hit to its gene pool.

                                                 

[dodgeguy]

my post was considering major bodies of water.of course small ponds and bodies need to be managed differently.

[5bass]

I'm wondering how you guys feel about mounting a Bass?

I would suggest working the clubs first. If meeting women is tough in high expectation places like the clubs, try the super market. I've found a couple keepers in the frozen foods aisle.

No Bass should ever have to go through that.

.......are you bored LBH?

[rocknfish9001]

in my opinion, most skin mounts look much better, more realistic, and are always cheaper. If you go to the wrong place, you could end up with a fiberglass mount that could be shaped weird, and an odd paint job. I prefer the looks of a good skin mount. It looks just like a fish, even the best fiberglass mounts look fake to me. And by the way, a skin mount will not rot if it is taken care of. My neighbor's is 10 years old, looks brand new, still shiny and everything. You just have to wipe them down with a towel to keep the dust off, and keep them fairly dry.

[Peter E.]

I think he is.... Oh well it is better than reading those two agruing. Oh well Idated three chicks that worked at the grocery store whan I was younger, worked good in high school, they always had cuties running the cash registers.

[RoLo]

It is true that some fisheries have been severely degraded by over-harvest, but in most cases

this was due to commercial netting rather than recreational fishing. Paradoxically, many fisheries have been degraded

by insufficient harvest, rather than over-harvest. In Canada, lodge owners at are odds with provincial conservationists

who oppose no-kill waters. While lodge owners envision trophy fish everywhere and better business, conservation officers

have a better understanding of population dynamics. In spite of all we hear about the biggest bass being the best breeders,

such is not the case.

A large old cow lays about the same number of eggs as a young cow, but her eggs will be larger, though not necessarily superior.

Bass are no different than deer, dogs, humans or any other living thing. Once an animal or plant has passed its prime of life

everything begins to decline with advancing age. It has been stated and is probably true, that over 90% of the largest fish

we release are dead within a year. To be sure, releasing a large fish induces an overwhelming feeling of self-gratification,

and I'd be the last to discourage that practice. I'm merely stating that we shouldn't let that feeling carry us into fantasy land.

Roger

[Hawg_Hunter]

I think the skin mounts look more realistic. Do any of you have some good close up pics of your replicas to put up on here?

They make replicas out of graphite??

Darrin

[justfishin]

I am tired of being serious, but seriously, how come when I approach a girl in the frozen food section they run away screaming and the cops come?LOL

[justfishin]

But seriously, how come when I approach a lady in the frozen food isle they run away screaming and call the cops? Skin mount, graphit mount,replica, do what you want. Its whatever makes you happy. Although I like to keep those big fish genes in the water I don't think that if you want a skin mount that the world is going to end because of it.

[RoLo]

The early reproductions lacked scale-definition and were very easy to identify as hoaxes, but today's repros are superb imposters.

I've seen fiberglass replicas that were virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.

After all is said and done, a replica could never substitute for the real McCoy, and here are two reasons why:

1. A replica is NOT you're fish, but a prototype reproduction of someone else's fish (a cast made from an actual fish).

It will not be the identical Length, Girth and Shape of your fish, but identical to the fish prototype you choose.

In other words, "your" fish will be identical to hundreds of others hanging on other walls across America,

maybe your neighbor's wall, across the street.

2. This one disturbs me most of all. You will not be able to dictate the position and posture of your fish.

With a skin mount, you supply the taxidermist with several hand sketches and photos of exactly how you want the fish to look.

With a repro you're forced to settle for someone else's pose. After looking at practically every pike pose available in the US,

I've yet to see a pose that doesn't make the pike look like a "fish-out-of-water", usually with some unnatural banana-bend.

At least with a replica you'll never be alone, and might see that same silly pose on your neighbor's mount, across the street

Roger

[Guest the_muddy_man]

I really wanna say something smart here but the smarter thing is to let this opportunjity pass by these guys say it all

[Captain Cali]

I have never considered it. Maybe a replica but never a mount. Unless of course the fish doesn't make it. I would not take a bass just to mount it.