Can We Get the Fish Taxidermist to Check In?

I bought this log house as it was my Taxidermy Studio 30+ years ago. I since moved on from mounting fish & birds.....did just a few deer heads, not my favorite mount. I like birds, especially smaller ones. Anyway if you haven't seen the Crappie I caught in the "Testing the Transducer" thread I'm putting it on the wall. Having grown up with a airbrush in my hand I think painting is not a issue but it would be great to know who has fish mounting & painting experience in our community, especially Crappie mounting experience. Please chime in so I know who can help.............Regards Rojo

I've saw pictures of MRDUX's mounts that were beautiful. I'm not sure if he still does them but he'll probably see this on here and chime in.

I have done some and focus on deer shoulder mounts now.

MrDux had a taxidermy shop until it burned last year. Not sure if he still does anymore but he certainly has the knowledge.

I'm not sure of any others here, but do believe, MR Dux is who you need to have a chat with...

From one airbrusher to another: Why not get a replica blank and position it, paint, and accessorize it any way you want to?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Special K

From one airbrusher to another: Why not get a replica blank and position it, paint, and accessorize it any way you want to?

---

I have to have a skin mount, I'm so sorry to say this be a replica fish is the same level as silicone added body parts. I can't help that I am that way. Real has to be Real. Terrible I know. That 5+ foot Paddle fish I caught last year on my crappie jig, I was going to have a replica made but just couldn't stand that it was a fake fish. The 56in Redfish on my Fireplace is a skin mount. Also I would miss out on all the fun of mounting this fish. No fish forms here, old school wet sawdust stuffed is the only way I did it back in the day and how I plan on doing this fish. Just a little fish filler in the throat area. Mainly checking to see what paints active Taxidermist like for fish today. I have every HOK Paint made in my shop, the plant was less than 20 minutes from my house but those urethanes don't work well on skin mounts.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rojo

I have to have a skin mount, I'm so sorry to say this be a replica fish is the same level as silicone added body parts. I can't help that I am that way. Real has to be Real. Terrible I know. That 5+ foot Paddle fish I caught last year on my crappie jig, I was going to have a replica made but just couldn't stand that it was a fake fish. The 56in Redfish on my Fireplace is a skin mount. Also I would miss out on all the fun of mounting this fish. No fish forms here, old school wet sawdust stuffed is the only way I did it back in the day and how I plan on doing this fish. Just a little fish filler in the throat area. Mainly checking to see what paints active Taxidermist like for fish today. I have every HOK Paint made in my shop, the plant was less than 20 minutes from my house but those urethanes don't work well on skin mounts.

---

Congrats on the catch by the way. I totally get it... and understand that basing the mount on the actual skin of the fish caught certainly has some meaning to many folks.

I can’t help at all, it appears they are some talent with this group but sadly I am not one of them. Just wanted to comment on old school. If it ain’t real why even have it. That’s part of the storytelling behind my mounts. It just ain’t the same being a replica, Or not for me anyway. I just about a year ago passed on a 9 pound bass that I had mounted to my grandson that wanted it for his wall. Now his goal is to top my catch. It’s a tradition around my family for mounts. My son just topped my grandfather’s mount. Unfortunately my grandfather wasn’t here to see it beat. So again Real has to be Real. Besides that’s an awesome fish.


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

What I’m working on now, finishing up one of my own harvests. Skin mounts are tough and time consuming but are well worth the effort.

Attachment 496315

Super great specimen for sure...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie

What I’m working on now, finishing up one of my own harvests. Skin mounts are tough and time consuming but are well worth the effort.

Attachment 496315

---

If I harvested such a fine Buck I would have to mount it too. I really like your background work, like SpecialK wrote, accessorizing a mount makes a difference.

at a mere 1,000 or more for a skin mount buck these days , we opt for euro skulls almost exclusively , lots less wall space and quick and easy, I have an entire wall in my garage devoted to skin mount bucks , back when , some of my friends did them for me .....
some have endured well and some not as much , but fish are a different story ....
fish tend to age much less gracefully and tend to be extremely fragile , find a form and do a replica , much faster and your great great grandchildren will still enjoy it , down the road .....just saying bro :highfive

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ketchn

at a mere 1,000 or more for a skin mount buck these days , we opt for euro skulls almost exclusively , lots less wall space and quick and easy, I have an entire wall in my garage devoted to skin mount bucks , back when , some of my friends did them for me .....
some have endured well and some not as much , but fish are a different story ....
fish tend to age much less gracefully and tend to be extremely fragile , find a form and do a replica , much faster and your great great grandchildren will still enjoy it , down the road .....just saying bro :highfive

---

I dunno, Ketchn .... I've got a Tiger Muskie from 1985 & a Largemouth from 1991 that are both skin mounts and still look just fine. I had them both done at Gunners Taxidermy, back when they were located here in Lexington.

some of mine are still ok , the big stripers from the early 80 years when we chased them are so so ....
a bit discolored here and there and getting kinda yellow in some areas ....
my bass are not so bad either , fins sort of tattered a bit ,,,,BUT ,,,,
the big ole 18 inch crappie we did back then looks 100 plus years old , it was mounted about 35 years ago and looks like it came over on the mayflower :Rofl just saying

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie

What I’m working on now, finishing up one of my own harvests. Skin mounts are tough and time consuming but are well worth the effort.

Attachment 496315

---

btw , what did that buck score , sure is a super fine specimen ...facts

I’ve done a bunch of skin mounts and won State and National awards but if you insist on stuffing it with sawdust, I’m not going to be any help.

All my fish were done with Polytranspar and Lifetone lacquer paints.


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

Lifetone lacquers is one of the paints you preferred, that's help in itself. Buying all the paint I will need is a upfront cost to be sure so getting a direction on brand really helps. Polytranspar is not one I'm familiar with. I always got a good shape with sawdust doing skin mounts on Bass & Redfish without later shrinkage. I mounted several 2+LB Crappie all with a very good final shape just 30 years ago. Joe Coombs mounted a Largemouth Bass for me from the early 80's that still looks great. He didn't paint the entire fish white either on mine. If I remember correctly he won a really big Championship in fish about that time. I liked the lacquer paints better myself, easier to clean out the airbrushes out. I will read up on Polytranspar paints to be through. Thanks

Polytranspar paints were a product of Wasco Supply before they were bought out by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply. Available from McKenzie.


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by M R Dux

Polytranspar paints were a product of Wasco Supply before they were bought out by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply. Available from McKenzie.

---

Thank you M R Dux, I am on it. Sending all my airbrushes out to Coast Airbrush for a through tune up. I have all Iwata's and if any residue is inside it is House of Kolor Urethanes, I think Lacquer will react with them.

I lost all 10 of my airbrushes in my shop fire in March. Losing 3 Iwata Custom Microns hurt big time. Lost a couple hundred bottles and cans of paint.

I recently replaced one of my Badger Renegade Velocity airbrushes so I can continue painting test pattern cranks for Pico Lures.

I’m done with taxidermy.


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

I certainly understand, I never leave the breaker on anymore to my air compressor after your loss. I have not mounted anything for 30 years. The last thing I mounted was a Hooded Merganser. This is an instance for me, not going to go into the business. If I catch a 3 pounder and this current fish comes out nice I will continue to mount my own trophy Crappie.

I mounted this Merganser in 1994

Attachment 496395

This is the most recent addition to our mounts, this Fox was trying to eat my Wife's Feral Kitten She tamed. It was inside our wood fence just a few feet from our back porch.

Attachment 496396

I didn't mount the Fox, paid a local Taxidermist to mount for us.