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Frequently Asked Questions

Proper preparation before bringing your fish to a taxidermist is crucial for achieving the best possible results. Follow these steps to ensure your catch is preserved correctly to prevent any freezer burn and so you don’t damage any fins.

  1. Handle with Care
    • From the moment you catch your fish, handle it as little and as gently as possible to avoid damaging the skin, fins, and scales.
    • It’s going to be a very exciting moment so take a measurement of the
      length and weight of the fish, grab a quick picture, and then get it in your live well or lay it flat in a cooler.
  2. Rinsing the Fish Off
    • Use a garden hose or sink to gently rinse off the majority of slime and dirt on the fish. Pay special attention to the mouth and gills, where dirt and slime tend to accumulate.
    • Note: If using a hose, never use a high powered jet nozzle. The shower mode on most standard hose nozzles works just fine.
  3. Drying the Fish Off
    • Carefully dry the fish off using paper towels or soft rags. Always wipe in the direction of the scales (from head to tail) to avoid lifting or damaging them. Be extra cautious around all fins to prevent any damaging or ripping them.
  4. Wrapping the Fish
    1. Step 1 – Lay a dry towel on a flat surface. Use one big enough that it will cover the entire length of the fish and be able to wrap around it.
    2. Step 2 – Take a plastic wrap (ex. Saran wrap) and cut a length that is
      slightly longer than the fish. Lay that piece down on top of the towel.
    3. Step 3 – Now lay your fish on the Saran wrap. Take the plastic and wrap the fish completely. Be sure there are no openings or gaps. You may have to use multiple pieces of Saran wrap to completely cover the fish. Be sure that none of the fins are bent.
    4. Step 4 – Now wrap the towel around the fish. Again, making sure that no fins are being bent in the process. These layers help prevent any freezer burn while being stored.
    5. Step 5 – Place the wrapped fish on a flat surface in your freezer. If you know the show-side of your mount, leave that side facing up to help maintain the fish’s natural shape while freezing.

We offer traditional skin mounts and replica mounts. A traditional skin mount preserves the skin and fins of the fish. We will need the actual fish you caught for this type of mount. A replica mount is a cast of the fish and will be painted to match the exact colors and markings of the fish you caught. We do not need the fish to make a replica mount.

On all skin mounts, we currently only offer a 3/4 finished mount. This means that every part of the fish you see will be fully painted and detailed. However, where we make the incision on the back of the fish will not be detail painted. The cut line on the back will be sewed, filled with an epoxy glue, and then painted with a base coat to match but will not have the detail like the show side of the fish.

With a replica mount, we offer a 3/4 finished mount which is standard or you can get a full display mount where both sides are fully painted and detailed.

The cost of the mount will vary depending on the species of fish, total length, type of mount, and the mounting style. Contact us for a quote. Any driftwood, plaques, custom habitat displays are sold separately. You are more than welcome to bring your own piece of driftwood if you would like.

You are more than welcome to supply your own driftwood or display piece. If you don’t have one, we offer a wide range of driftwood, plaques, and other custom built habitats that you can purchase additionally. Tell us about your vision and we will make it happen! All wall mounts will have a hanger system installed on the back.

Whether its hung on the wall or sitting on a table display, your mount is going to collect dust over time. We recommend cleaning your mount by taking a soft rag or wash clothe and spraying it with Pledge Dust & Allergen Multisurface Cleaner and then wiping the fish down. All of our mounts are coated with an automotive sealer and gloss and you can directly wipe the fish down, just be cautious around the fins and don’t press down on them.

We can work with you regardless of your location. You can ship us your fish and we will take care of the rest.

With the trend rising in fish conservation, here are the steps to take before releasing the fish –

  1. Measure the Total Length of the fish (inches)
  2. Measure the Total Girth of the fish (inches)
  3. Measure the weight of the fish if possible
  4. Take lots of reference photos of the fish!