Fish Mounts and Modern Taxidermy

For decades, game fish, sport fish and particularly sailfish have were gafted and boated for photographs and taxidermy purposes. As a result some species became hard to find in local waters

Back in the 1960s, new methods were developed for the mounting of fresh and saltwater fish, that did not require any part of the fish that was caught. But not until the 1980s did these methods become standard practice among taxidermist and fish mounting operations.

USA Taxidermy offers both freshwater and saltwater fish mounts, also referred to as release mounts. These "molds" of various species of fish are of the highest quality materials and expertly painted by our "fish artists". These fish mounts are durable, lightweight and thus easy to mount on various surfaces.

RELEASE MOUNTS
All you need to know before you go out for the big one....

Sport fishermen know that fishing expeditions can be unpredictable, landing that once in a lifetime fish can happen at anytime. To preserve this moment, the angler typically snaps some photos and then releases his catch. A fish mount will "freeze" that moment in time. A life-like replica can be a memory come to life.

Until recently, actual fish parts were commonly used in the mounting of trophy game fish. The skin, fins and jaws would typically be salted for transport to the nearest taxidermist, who would then incorporate those parts into what was referred to as a "Skin Mount". The skin, after being de-greased, would be reformed into its original shape by stuffing the inside with paper, burlap or some other material. An artist would then paint directly over the dried skin to give the mount its colorful appearance.

Skin mounts were gradually phased out during the 1990's and replaced by composite fish mounts, produced from molds. Composite mounts, also called Release Mounts, offer many advantages. Among those include anatomical perfection, reduced cost and fast production time. Release Mounts have proven to be a far superior product. However, the biggest advantage is the angler's ability to release his or her trophy fish alive, yet still have it "mounted".

To order a mount of your trophy fish, you will need to provide information including the species and size. Size can be quantified by length and/or weight. Your captain can assist in determining this information. A photograph, which is optional, can be helpful during the final painting. This allows the artist to reproduce the specific colors and markings of your fish. Or, you can simply advise the geographic location of where the fish was caught.