When you have that trophy, soak an old tee-shirt -- not a towel -- and wrap your fish in it completely, soaking wet, inside a plastic bag and freeze it with the fins compressed, making sure they are not in a position that will break them.

Using a towel with its large loop stitching will break a fin if it is caught in it during the freezing process.

Take it to the taxidermist as soon as possible. $7.50 an inch is average price right now. Personally I like my fish to curve out toward the viewer with the mouth open, hand painted and not airbrushed (especially black crappie).

No recommendation for a LR taxidermist. I'm in Hot Springs and just don't know any.

aj