Getting fish mounted, how big?

[fish_4_all]

I see a lot of members talk about getting fish mounted and I am a little confused. 3#ers mounted, 2.5#ers mounted, which all seem like smaller fish compared to 3.5-4+ pounders. I have caught a lot of big fish. Only one I have ever considered mounting was a 57#12oz. Chinook salmon and only because it missed the state record by 5# 4 ounces.

I couldn't imagine getting every Coho I catch that is over 20# mounted even though they are about 1/25 fish or so. Chinook, no one even considers mounting one until they get over 50# range even though a 40+# fish is about 1/500.

So it is really that rare to catch a crappie over 2.5-3 pounds or is just a personal preference to get the fish mounted to show them off? For me I don't think I would do it unless I got one close to the state record.

[stinkies daddy]

i would mount a 3 pounder

[Festus_Haggen]

Stinkies dad beat me to my point, I was getting ready to say 3 lbs. 2-1/2 pounders are very common in my neck of the woods and I've already caught one that big this year and one slightly smaller.

[Eager Beaver]

Trophys are a personal preference to each person. I have seen guys mount a 6 inch Crappie and a 5 inch Bluegill because it was their kids first fish. It really doesn't matter the size but the experience with the catch. EB

[fish_4_all]

Well I guess this begs the question, how rare is a 3# crappie?

And I have 3 fish I will have mounted, they are 3 trout under 12 inches long because they the first fish each one of them caught.

I guess I am really looking for what is considered a "trophy" catch when it comes to crappie and blue gill. I know, it will be different up here because the fish are smaller and will be different in different states but I am just really curious.

[bc1448]

It all depends on the person and the location. In VA a 2 lb crappie is considered a trophy by the state. There are 3 and 4 pounders caught but they are few and far between. I got my first 2 lber mounted but since then I have filleted fish that were bigger than that one!!! :D:D:D
Blake

[abarkley]

i'd put a 3 pounder on the wall.

[kycreek]

Here where I fish a 3 lb crappie would for sure go on the wall. I keep saying if I ever catch a 16 incher it is getting mounted. I have caught several 15 or 15.5 inchers (usually 1 or 2 per season )but never the elusive 16. I'll keep trying for sure.

[Fatman]

Up here in the North a 2 1/2 lb.er would in all likelyhood get mounted. But I think I'd want to go south and catch at least a 3.

Fatman

[thankfull]

I understand what you are saying I think, you have provided your ans. in most nothern states the crappie don't grow as big as in the deep south and what would be considered a trophy there wouldn't here. So unless it is the biggest that you expect to catch I think that I would use a scale as you refferenced close to state record for the species.