# Replica or Skin Mount?????



## Pasquale06 (Apr 19, 2009)

Well I had a great weekend of fishing with the family and happened to catch a stud of a fish. I caught a 42" Redfish and I want to put this one on the wall. I talked to a taxidermist and he says that he wont do a skin mount with that big of a fish, but he would suggest a replica. My thing with a replica is this company had a fiberglass mold of an average size fish that they are going to use (in other words it will look nothing like my fish), and it was either 40" or 45". It wasent 42" like the one I caught. I here that skin mounts will fade over time too. So with that being said my question to yall is what would you suggest and what are your experiences with mounting a fish of that size? If you can will you post up some pics of your mount so I can get an idea of what I want. Thanks in advance for your advise,


----------



## SpeckReds (Sep 10, 2005)

Replica will look better and last longer. They are several people around that can do it. Look around until you find the one you like. Good Luck.


----------



## WildThings (Jan 2, 2007)

Pasquale06
The trouble with the big redfishes are that their heads are full of oil and grease that will bleed out over time. No matter how well you degrease them and seal them it envariable will bleed. What I usually do with the big reds if someone wants a skin mount is use the real skin on the body and a replica head which stops the problem I speak of.

Oh and skin mounts will not fade over time any more than a replica. It's all in the paint that is used and how it's sealed. The paints that are used today are formulated to take the beatings from fluorescent and incadesent lights.

I hoped this answered a few of your questions. Need more answers pm me

WTT


----------



## RedFly (Mar 22, 2010)

Find a good taxidermist that will mount your actual fish. Sounds to me like you've still got it and you want it on the wall. There's absolutely nothing wrong with mounting your fish and plenty of good taxidermists will do it. In my opinion a good taxidermist can make the real thing look more detailed than a fiberglass replica, especially if your taxidermist is trying to get you to accept a poor replica... don't hire him!

That said I have lots of respect for people who take a few good pics and measurements of their trophy, release it alive, and find a good taxidermist who will work hard to make a beautiful replica that will actually look like your fish. I've heard http://www.kingsailfishmounts.com/saltwater-fish-mounts-redfish-c-1_65.html does a good job but they're not local.

Do some shopping around and you'll have a piece of art you'll be proud of.


----------



## Down South Lures (Feb 21, 2010)

Somebody on here recommended New Wave Taxidermy out of Stuart Florida to me. They fixed me up with a nice replica of a snook. Man! I was impressed. They can paint any fish imaginable. They have a nice website where you can check out their work.

If you don't mind not using a local guy, use them. They have won a lot of competitions from what I hear. www.newwavetaxidermy.com


----------



## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

WildThings said:


> Pasquale06
> The trouble with the big redfishes are that their heads are full of oil and grease that will bleed out over time. No matter how well you degrease them and seal them it envariable will bleed. What I usually do with the big reds if someone wants a skin mount is use the real skin on the body and a replica head which stops the problem I speak of.
> 
> Oh and skin mounts will not fade over time any more than a replica. It's all in the paint that is used and how it's sealed. The paints that are used today are formulated to take the beatings from fluorescent and incadesent lights.
> ...


Correctamundo...WW


----------



## cobrayakker (Mar 23, 2006)

Any company that makes the replica blanks will make mold off of your fish if they do not have a match for it. You just have to send them your fish. I don't have the number handy, but I would suggest Star Fish Replicas. When I did fish taxidermy they were the only blanks I would use. Their detail can't be beat.
I also would not do a skin mount of a red that big unless it is done with a cast head.
What they do in that case is make a fiberglass or resin head and use the skin from the body.

Here are some mounts I did close to 10 years ago.


----------



## greenhornet (Apr 21, 2010)

Hmmm yeah I guess the replicas get the nod on durability but definitely not in the realistic department.


----------



## a couple more (Mar 19, 2009)

Give Rudy Fondon a call 281 342 3699 or go to http://fondonstaxidermy.com/index.html

I've never used him for a fish, but he has some beautiful work in his studio.


----------



## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

Down South Lures said:


> Somebody on here recommended New Wave Taxidermy out of Stuart Florida to me. They fixed me up with a nice replica of a snook. Man! I was impressed. They can paint any fish imaginable. They have a nice website where you can check out their work.
> 
> If you don't mind not using a local guy, use them. They have won a lot of competitions from what I hear. www.newwavetaxidermy.com


Hey, that was me probably! Very cool ... they did a big trout for me a couple of years ago that looks like she's still swimming. Very glad to hear you also had a good experience.

I gotta see some photos of your snook. They do a solid job replica.

P ... check out their redfish gallery. Pretty impressive stuff. The bronzing, and iridescence are tough to see in this photo (and the picture isn't taken level) but it'll give you an idea of what they do. The fins are transparent as well.


----------



## aggiemulletboy (May 31, 2006)

greenhornet said:


> Hmmm yeah I guess the replicas get the nod on durability but definitely not in the realistic department.


That depends on the artist. My friend painted replicas that turned out every bit as good as the fish themselves. Put two peacock bass side by side and you couldn't tell which was the replica he did. Same for his trout and reds.


----------



## greenhornet (Apr 21, 2010)

Was mainly basing that off of the replicas in this thread, really haven't seen too many in person.


----------



## baffinbeaver (Jun 24, 2009)

who mounted this fish? pm with a number. i have 5 fish i want to make replica's of but have been looking for a good taxedermist. i really like this guys work. thanks.


----------



## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

Baffin ... which fish?

Hornet ... I assure you, despite the glare that trout looks like it came out of the water and went straight on the wall.


----------



## greenhornet (Apr 21, 2010)

Spec-Rig.006 said:


> Baffin ... which fish?
> 
> Hornet ... I assure you, despite the glare that trout looks like it came out of the water and went straight on the wall.


the last trout on the first page does look pretty good, I have only mounted one redfish (skin mount) and it looked very lifelike.


----------



## capt. david (Dec 29, 2004)

big red 45 inches skin mount


----------



## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

Spec-Rig.006 said:


> Hey, that was me probably! Very cool ... they did a big trout for me a couple of years ago that looks like she's still swimming. Very glad to hear you also had a good experience.
> 
> I gotta see some photos of your snook. They do a solid job replica.
> 
> P ... check out their redfish gallery. Pretty impressive stuff. The bronzing, and iridescence are tough to see in this photo (and the picture isn't taken level) but it'll give you an idea of what they do. The fins are transparent as well.


I am really not a fan of replicas, mainly because 99% of the time, they dont portray what the fish really looks like, but Spec, that is a NICE replica....


----------



## Brian Castille (May 27, 2004)

If you have the fish, go for the skin mount - contact Bobby Peterson http://www.alieftxtaxidermy.com/. It would be a bummer to kill a big fish like that and not use it as a skin mount. Bobby just finished this bass for me last week - replica, but you can't tell! He has also done two skin mounts of trout for me too. No matter if you go for skin mount or replica, the finished product all depends on how good of an artist the taxidermist is in painting natural colors on the fish. I have seen many replicas that look WAY better than skin mounts and vice versa.


----------



## capt. david (Dec 29, 2004)

brian that is the best looking replica i have seen. alief has done all my work.


----------



## cjrsktr (Jun 18, 2009)

I know it's not a redfish or trout but a 10.1 caught at Conroe July 13th, 1985. It's 26 years old and has not faded or degraded one bit and it was a skin mount. Done by Alief Taxidermist. Forgive the picture quality since it was taken with a cellphone.


----------



## WildThings (Jan 2, 2007)

Skin mount or Replica??


----------



## RobRed (Jan 9, 2011)

*going with*

Skin Mount


----------



## Boboe (Feb 11, 2009)

RedFly said:


> I've heard http://www.kingsailfishmounts.com/saltwater-fish-mounts-redfish-c-1_65.html does a good job but they're not local.
> 
> Do some shopping around and you'll have a piece of art you'll be proud of.


You heard correctly. I've seen several of their pelagic mounts, and they're beautiful. I've never seen a redfish of theirs however.


----------



## SpoonFedRed (Mar 30, 2010)

Replica or skin mount?


----------



## WildThings (Jan 2, 2007)

They're both skin mounts - the second one may be a replica but I'll go with skin mounts


----------



## igo320 (May 17, 2005)

*Replica or Skin*

My eyes are getting poor but I sure like this one.


----------



## aggiemulletboy (May 31, 2006)

igo320 said:


> My eyes are getting poor but I sure like this one.


Blue trout make great decor for same sex homes. That thread should be made a sticky


----------



## SpoonFedRed (Mar 30, 2010)

WildThings said:


> They're both skin mounts - the second one may be a replica but I'll go with skin mounts


Both skin mounts....B&S Taxidermy Eagle Lake....


----------



## WildThings (Jan 2, 2007)

SpoonFedRed said:


> Both skin mounts....B&S Taxidermy Eagle Lake....


very nicely done! The one I posted is a replica done by myself


----------



## Pasquale06 (Apr 19, 2009)

*Skin Mount!!!*

I would like to say thanks to all of you for your advise. I am going to go with a skin mount. John Glenn out of Corpus Christi is going to do it, the only down side is it will be 2yrs. before I see my fish again. But I here it is worth the wait. Thanks again for your help,


----------



## Third Wave (May 24, 2004)

*Skin mount fins*

Where I see the biggest flaw in replicas is in the fins. Look at the skin mounted trout above and their dorsal fins. So much more realistic than the plastic wafer that the replicas have.

I've got a big redfish skin mount that's about 15 years old and it still looks as good as the day I brought it home.

Joy Roman in San Antonio did it, but now they only do replicas.


----------



## sanleonjohn (Mar 16, 2009)

aggiemulletboy said:


> Blue trout make great decor for same sex homes. That thread should be made a sticky


All time classic!


----------



## Finfisher (Jul 20, 2008)

Nice fish
Will be a great "skin mount"
My .02 cents


----------



## MartyMar (Mar 25, 2007)

Fondon's has done work for me, did a Redfish with 100 spots on it. There was detail in the spots as well as in the scales would recomend him highly, great guy too!!!!!
Thanks, MartyMar


----------



## Pasquale06 (Apr 19, 2009)

*Finally Got My Fish Back!!*

After a long wait I finally got it back. All I can say is this thing looks awsome. Well worth the wait!


----------



## Pasquale06 (Apr 19, 2009)

*Here are the originals*

Original Pics.


----------



## texag87 (Aug 13, 2006)

nice mount....congrats
john glenn did a 30+" trout for me in the mid 90's....still looks great


----------



## Smackdaddy53 (Nov 4, 2011)

Pasquale06 said:


> After a long wait I finally got it back. All I can say is this thing looks awsome. Well worth the wait!


Very nice!

http://www.fishingscout.com/scouts/SmackDaddy


----------



## Swampus (Sep 1, 2005)

Really nice!!

I want to do that for my son Keith--he is a real drum catcher!

How much ball park would a 43" Drum run??

just c'in U there with ur boy was a cool pic! need more reel dads!


----------



## Cmac4075 (Dec 3, 2012)

New wave taxidermy is the way to go. Very impressed with their work. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## johndoughy (Sep 8, 2013)

Wow! What a commitment! Nice fish.


----------

