Fish Taxidermy - Zander

How to mount a fish the old traditional way

Category:

Education

Tags:

• taxidermy
• fish
• stuff
• mount

[Scot14222]

Hi Zander , could you tell me how to prevent losing scales when doing a fish, I just did a fish that was frozen before i thawed it out to mount and by the time i finished the mount i lost allot of scales and color on the fish, was it because the fish was frozen ? Also the fins end up in pretty bad shape, did this also have to do with the fish being frozen before hand.Is there something i need to do to keep all this from happening? thanks ...Scot14222

[faith6651]

Errr no Scot my name is not Zander, that's the fish! Fin damage is difficult to stop, keep fins wet & take great care also with the fish skin & scales as you work. Often all are damaged in the freezer

[Scot14222]

@Scot14222 I was thinking on spraying the skin with water while i am working on it, do you think that will help? by the way what is your first name , mine is Scott as you probably have already assumed.

[faith6651]

Yes Scott with 2 Ts :-) No problem - there was not word space to say more or my name - but my details on my page show my website etc. where all is given. I reckon you are correct in saying that spraying or gently sponging both fins and skin will certainly help yes. :-) What fish was it? Strangely I seem to be alllowed more words this time! Best wishes - Peter

[Scot14222]

The video helps some but I think the only way I can fully grasp this is to see it done ,so when you get a rainbow or sea trout could you make a video of painting these. Thanks again

[faith6651]

No problem and agree - mentioned it on video? My pleasure. Only thing is I have to catch said specimen rainbow!?! Plenty of fish to 2 lbs around but I want a 5 lb plus - so may have to wait until the fish in my own pond are big enough LOL :-)

[rafs1011]

NOPE! Chuck Testa

[faith6651]

You are very welcome and glad it helps. I always try to reply quickly to any mail. Prefering the same respect myself :-)

[Scot14222]

@faith6651 HI Peter, the fish I did was a small Rainbow trout, it didn't turn out to bad for my first one but as I mentioned the color was lost so hopefully it will look better after I paint it... Again I really appreciate your help. Scott

[faith6651]

reply 4 - ok I have done a short film for you called choices that may help you a bit with this question, go see and let me know from there? Hope it helps.

[faith6651]

Pt 3 reply. Hi - have been thinking about your problem over night, What may help is if I put together a short film showing how I have made foam artificial sculptures of fish. In those cases I did a sea trout and a brown, where similar colours and methods were used as I describe nelow for a real mount? Should have it done in a day. Bear with me and keep an eye open, I hope this helps you? :-)

[faith6651]

Pt. 2 reply - colours. It would take a film! e.g. see perch painting? For Rainbow work darks gradually over the back and then whites from the belly into cream. You would then do well to use "reactive" colour powders - blue, green, pink, purple mixed with acrylic medium to glaze the luminous colour sheens over in layers. These will give you that changing rainbow of colours. We do not have speckled trout - so have never caught one. Hope this helps a bit? I will do a rainbow when I get a specimen.