# New in this forum, looking for some pointers



## Horseshoe (Oct 15, 2003)

I just dabble with taxidermy, but here is a fish I just mounted up for a friend of mine. I'm just looking for some honest input from guys who know something about it. I wish I would have opened the mouth a little more possibly. The epoxy work around the eyes I haven't quite figured out yet, but each one seems to get a little better.


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## chris_kreiner (Sep 6, 2006)

Overall I don't think it looks to bad. I am still a rookie when it comes to fish myself. References are important. When it comes to fish and trying to get them perfect it takes a ton of patience and skilled detail.


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## neil duffey (Feb 22, 2004)

welcome aboard! dont be afraid to post often.

i would have to say the two major things i noted when i saw your fish is:

A: your mounts spine is broken... because thats the only physical way a fish could bend like that.

B: your mount ran nose first into a sea wall... the snout is mushed downward... but you noted the mouth any way.


overal thats a darn decent mount that your buddy should be proud to have... iv seen much much worse... and ya didnt paint stripes on the walleye like i see so many people do... good work! iv never caught a walleye w/ stripes... and i catch about 250 or more every spring.:lol:


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## duxdog (Apr 13, 2008)

Yep what neil said. Plus you may want to tip the scales with some golds to make the mount come alive a lot more. It seems dark on the top to me but I know they come in all colors. Reference! Refenence! Reference!


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## unregistered55 (Mar 12, 2000)

PM sent


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## Paul Thompson (Jul 16, 2007)

Neil, I am just guessing, but Reinhardt forms are bent that way. Is that a Dan R. form Horseshoe?

I think Horseshoe would do well to Join the States Taxidermy Association and pick up some pointers. We got some of the best fishheads in the nation, just a hand shake away.


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## neil duffey (Feb 22, 2004)

Paul Thompson said:


> Neil, I am just guessing, but Reinhardt forms are bent that way. Is that a Dan R. form Horseshoe?
> 
> I think Horseshoe would do well to Join the States Taxidermy Association and pick up some pointers. We got some of the best fishheads in the nation, just a hand shake away.


that tool reinhardt, cant do a damn thing right when it comes to fish... or anything really:rant: my point is proven just in his fish eyes alone!


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

chris_kreiner said:


> Overall I don't think it looks to bad. I am still a rookie when it comes to fish myself. References are important. When it comes to fish and trying to get them perfect it takes a ton of patience and skilled detail.





duxdog said:


> Yep what neil said. Plus you may want to tip the scales with some golds to make the mount come alive a lot more. It seems dark on the top to me but I know they come in all colors. Reference! Refenence! Reference!





Paul Thompson said:


> Neil, I am just guessing, but Reinhardt forms are bent that way. Is that a Dan R. form Horseshoe?
> 
> I think Horseshoe would do well to Join the States Taxidermy Association and pick up some pointers. We got some of the best fishheads in the nation, just a hand shake away.


(Neil)...thats a darn decent mount that your buddy should be proud to have... iv seen much much worse

Reference, practice, patience and go to the show! It's almost here. You can pick up a years worth of experience in one weekend. not to mention Breakthrough manuals, supplies that you didn't know you wanted or even knew existed. Like Matt Thompson fish eye scokets...check scrapers, mounting cradle just for fish, why putting something soft like foam padding inside a trash bag and under your fish while skinning is such a great idea. All of the questions that you can ask form Master fish taxidermist...the list goes on and on.

Mitch


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## Paul Thompson (Jul 16, 2007)

Paul Thompson said:


> Neil, I am just guessing, but Reinhardt forms are bent that way. Is that a Dan R. form Horseshoe?
> 
> I think Horseshoe would do well to Join the States Taxidermy Association and pick up some pointers. We got some of the best fishheads in the nation, just a hand shake away.


 
I agree Mitch, the fish isn't to bad, it wouldn't take a whole lot to get it to ribbon in Novice. A few lessons from the right guy.


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## Horseshoe (Oct 15, 2003)

Thanks for all the feedback guys. Sounds like you have more faith in my ability than I do, but I'll take the feedback and try to put it into practice. I only do 2 or 3 fish a year, so I don't expect much. Sounds like proper fin positioning and scale tipping would be next logical improvements. Head position too. I've got another one mounted up already and I'll try the scale tipping. Do you recommend that wax type tipping or just use paint? I did a skamania steelhead for a guy a couple years ago where I tipped the scales with silver. It did look pretty neat. Took a long time though.


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## duxdog (Apr 13, 2008)

Tipping options are endless almost. I use powder pigments, paint sticks, paint pens, and "liquid scales". It does take along time and you have to decide how much time you want to spend on each mount. The more you tip each scale and with different options, the more depth and life you will see in your mounts. Most full time Taxi's will tell you it is not cost effective to spend endless hours on a fish. I am not full time and enjoy my time recreating each piece. Guys like Perca couldn't afford to spend 20-30 hrs tipping the scales of a single steelhead. I don't think they would be in business long. Then again, guys like that have a gift to make them look great without spending a whole week on one fish.But there is a BIG difference between a commercial fish and one that would be put in a competition.


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