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Does anyone know how long you can keep a fish in the freezer before having it mounted? I've got three crappie that I froze about three years ago, and never took the darn things to the taxidermist. They were all wrapped individually in wet towels and placed in trash bags. I'm really hoping I didn't wait too long. Any info would be much appreciated.
I was told a year and a half max. Also, that if you place a fish in the freezer, wrap it only in the trash bag and no papertowels. You could always tell the taxidermists the measurements and maybe a picture of the fish and they can mold one for you.
I've mounted fish that were frozen for several years, wrapped in plastic bags, and they turned out fine. I've seen crappie less than a year old wrapped in newspaper or towels that were freezer burned till they were garbage. Take them to your taxidermist and let him make the call. If they can't be mounted, he could probably order a fiberglass reproduction that would work fine. There are some good ones on the market now. To custom mold a fiberglass blank off your fish is going to be expensive.
Take them to a taxidermist that does replicas and the skin won't matter as long as it is not deformed. He will make a cast of the fish and make a fake. Replicas are better anyways.
Example. http://www.artisticanglers.com/Pan%20Fish.htm
Actually a skin mount is roughly $10.00/ inch one side and $20.00/inch both sides and a custom cast replica is about $12.00-$16.00/inch....so no it is not that much more expensive(if at all) and as far as recommendations on how to prepare fish for future taxi work....you did the right thing...wet towels, fins down, in a bag in the freezer.Quote:
Originally Posted by mrdux
I don't see you being a taxidermist in your profile. You set your prices, terms and recommendations as you wish but don't make somebody think mine are wrong. Mine are what I advise my clients and they seem to like the way I do things. Have you ever done custom moldings? If so, the next time I need some done I may send mine to you for those prices. My prices are much higher.Quote:
Originally Posted by whackmaster
(though it may have been made a tad bit more defensive than it needed to be ;) )
Whackmaster may be quoting prices from Indiana :confused:
But ... here in Lexington, KY ... this place is our "premier" taxidermy outfit:
Gunner's Taxidermy
(and here's their skin mount price list) -
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FISH:
Largemouth / Smallmouth Bass $14.00 per in
Stripers/ Hybrid Stripers $15.00 per in
Musky/ Northern $15.00 per in
Walleye $14.00 per in
Sauger $14.00 per in
Trout- All Varieties $16.00 per in
Salmon- All Varieties $18.00 per in
Trophy Bluegill $175.00 each
Crappie $200.00 each
Reproductions are available and price per request.
Driftwood or Panels are in addition to prices listed.
**************
I have two fish that were mounted by Gunner's ... LMB 1991 - Muskie 1985
Both are skin mounts, and look as good today as they did on day one. I did the wet towel/plastic wrap method ... but the fish were frozen for less than 1 month before going to Gunner's.
IMHO -
Your best bet would probably be to take them to a taxidermist & let them decide if the fish are still in good enough shape to mount (or if you'd be better off having replicas made).
... cp :cool:
There seems to be a misconception here about "custom molding" a fish vs going to a catalog and buying a replica. The link the Grizz showed is a company that does really nice REPLICAS. I will guarantee you that 98% of the time somebody got a "custom molded" fish back from a taxidermist, it was a REPLICA that was of similar length, girth and pose that the customer requested that was bought from such a company. I learned how to do "CUSTOM MOLDINGS" from Gary Bruch in PA who has won several world championships for reproduction fish mounts. Yes, his process involves taking a near perfect specimen, making a custom mold off of it, and producing a fiberglass replica or "reproduction". Most of the time that mold is then used to sell commercial reproductions.The only times that process is used in commercial taxidermy is when a taxidermist has a very special fish, record book size, very distinctive characteristics, or he wants to sell "reproductions" to other taxidermists or the public. The process of making a "custom" molding off a commercial fish is much too time consuming and in the end too expensive for commercial taxidermy.That process has to be used for a taxidermist to compete in the upper levels of taxidermy competitions. Most clients would faint at the prices needed to do "custom" molding on every "reproduction" fish. Next time ask your taxidermist if your "custom molded" fish mount is going to be bought from somebody else. If he is honest with you, it probably will be. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that if he is up front about it. There are also some companies selling junk reproductions for much less money. If you are paying a premium price, you should be getting a premium reproduction with very detailed mouth and gill areas,transparent fins, and good structure detail. Most low-ball prices will not.