2016/7/16 10:58:24
A long time ago, I posted a blog about a brief phase I went through where I decided to take up home taxidermy. Let's just say I thought that phase was long over...until I visited the taxidermy studio of Michael Dinkel in Soldotna, Alaska, last summer. In the back room, Dinkel had about a dozen giant halibut tails drying out, all neatly displayed on pedestal bases. After he explained that no one ever wants a 300-pound halibut mounted in its entirety, the tails made sense. My wheels began to turn, and I vowed on the spot that I was going to try this with the next big striper I caught. Well, here it is.
Replica mounts aren't exactly cheap. Nor are skin mounts, which also require you to kill a fish that you won't even get to taste. If you think about it, you can gauge the size of a fish pretty well just by seeing the tail. I imagine this would work well with salmon, pike, maybe even really large trout if you wanted a trophy and still wanted to eat your catch.
This whole process took about a month. I scooped the meat out of the base of the tail, and rubbed the inside of the hollowed base with Borax laundry powder to preserve it. Then I filled the cavity with Great Stuff plumber's foam, pressed the tail between two pieces of cardboard and let it dry for three weeks. I know my paint job could be better, but hey, at least you know it's supposed to be a striper. The whole thing cost me about $10.
What do you think? Good way to have your cake (fish) and eat it too?
JC
How to Build Your Own Bass Pond
Bob McFarland is an ordinary guy who likes to bass fish. So when he chanced upon some land not far f
Field & Stream Tips: Repair a Cracked Fishing Rod in Three Steps
• Theres noworse sound to an angler than a lead split shot or jig slapping your graphiterod, since i
Angler Sets New Oklahoma Largemouth Bass Record
It looks like Oklahoma has a new state record largemouth bass, and unlike Arkansas recent non-recor
Contact management E-mail : [email protected]
Copyright © 2005-2016 Outdoor sports All Rights Reserved