Naturally, most hunters and fishermen enjoy displaying their catches and kills after a day of enjoying their sport. However, are the fish mounts you see actually real fish? Let’s find out.
Many fish mounts are indeed made from real fish, but they only usually contain the teeth, skin, fins, and head of the fish. The actual body portion of the mount is most often made with foam or plaster on which the other parts are mounted. You will also find mounts that are fake fiberglass replicas.
Fish mounts can be both partially real or completely fake. They’re pretty much never 100% genuine though because fish bodies don’t preserve as well as land animals. Read on to learn how they’re made and the pros and cons of having a fake mount or a taxidermied mount. Hopefully, it will help you to decide which one is right for you!
Fish Mounts: How They Are Made
When mounting a fish, you can decide to either have your catch taxidermied, or simply to have it replicated with fiberglass, foam, or plaster. If you have ever wondered how fish mounts are made, look no further!
Real Fish Mounts
There are still people out there who would prefer to stick to the traditional way of things, but mounting actual fish is slowly becoming a rarity. This is primarily because it is much more of a process to stuff a fish than to simply replicate one. To mount a fish means you have to carefully dismantle the whole thing and essentially put them back together with a few extra steps.
When mounting an actual fish, a taxidermist will remove all of the innards including the eyes, and thoroughly clean the skin. This way, the fish will maintain its shape, but it will not continue to smell bad. The head, fins, and tail will remain intact throughout the process. The fins are often removed and dried out, a process that is undertaken with extreme care. This is done to keep them from cracking and shriveling over time. Once the skin is completely cleaned out and dried, it is treated with a preservative that will keep it from decaying.
Once the skin has been completely dried out and treated, the fish is stuffed with a material such as sawdust. Foam is sometimes added to give the fish skin added structure and stability. After stuffing and reassembling the fish, the taxidermist will add in glass eyes and then paint the skin to make it look as new and realistic as possible.
Fish Replica Mounts
Fiberglass fish mounts have grown steadily more popular. This method of mounting your trophies is much less hassle than a traditional taxidermy job and therefore a much-desired alternative. However, if you do not hire a professional taxidermist to do the job, chances are you will not be happy with the job they do. Professional taxidermists will take the right information from anglers that they will need to get the job done right. This usually includes the girth, weight, and length of the fish. With this information, they will be able to create a realistic replica of your catch that you can proudly display in your home.
Fiberglass replicas are usually made from a mold taken from the actual fish. The molding method means that all the details are present, adding to the lifelike effect of the replica. If you choose a good taxidermist, you should not be able to tell the difference between an actual fish and a replica. Once the mold is completed, the taxidermist will work carefully with a picture of the fish to paint the skin mold.
Pros and Cons of Taxidermied Mounts
The most obvious perk to having an actual taxidermied mount is having an actual representation of your catch. Most people definitely prefer having an authentic trophy to bring home from a fun day of fishing. If done correctly, it will most likely last you a good number of years.
Unfortunately, that’s really the only upside to having a taxidermied mount. To mount an actual fish, you will need dead fish. While you can keep the majority of your catch most of the time, it is illegal to keep some fish. This means you may not actually be able to bring something home for your taxidermist to work on. With a fiberglass mount, you literally only need a picture to get it right (and possibly some details on your fish’s size).
Additionally, the fish will have to be extremely well preserved before being mounted. If you neglect the fish and leave it in a place where it will start to decay, mounting it will turn into a disaster and you may end up just having to throw it out. That would be a great waste of both fish and time.
Plus, mounting a traditional fish is a lot messier and a lot more work. It requires a bunch of time to get the drying and preservation all finished, and after that, you have to put it all back together. Granted, if you have a taxidermist doing it, that’s fine, but it will probably take a while to finish it.
Pros and Cons of Fake/Fiberglass Mounts
Fiberglass replicas are extremely popular, mostly because you can get a realistic-looking trophy without having to deal with actual fish. With a fiberglass mount, you don’t ever have to worry about decay, shrinking skin, or any other issues a real fish would pose. Plus, fiberglass doesn’t smell bad or deteriorate, unlike real fish.
In addition, you can also mount fish that might otherwise be difficult to do that with such as salmon and trout. Replicas are also ideal for fisherman that would prefer to eat or release the fish they catch. Fiberglass will last a long time and it won’t give you any issues.
The only con to having a fiberglass replica is really the authenticity. Most people would prefer to have a real-life representation of their fishing trip. Fiberglass can be made to look the same, but if you are a dedicated fisherman or hunter, it might not sit well with you to have a fake.
