Since its for my son

[JA1234]

I think it should be OK to post this!!! and since a sponsor took use on a little trip...

On April 22 2007 My son Blake and I woke and met rsimms for a little cat action for his 13th birthday...well Richard, of http://www.ScenicCityFishing.com , posted the photos and story back when it happened so I wont go into that other then saying it was right at 50 pounds( 49 I think)....

but I will give the rest of the story ....as soon as I got home I ordered the closest replica of my sons catch I could...His was 44L x32 Girth <<I think>> The one I ordered was 44x34... at any rate, it was close enough for us... as some of you know I run about a six- eight month turn around....well its been almost 15 months and I decided it was time to quit putting customer work ahead of my sons...

He has been gone for three weeks taking some marine biology classes at Duke and this is his welcome home present from me....

Joey

Before

after..

 

[bowriter]

Just outstanding. Good for you.

But I have a question. That kid in the picture is taking marine bio classes at Duke?

 

[JA1234]

Yeah, but its just a summer camp kinda school( he wont receive credit, just experience)...not to take away from his accomplishments or anything...He took part in the Duke TIP program; due to high TCAP scores... he averages 95%, in the seventh grade was allowed to take the ACT and scored a 22 over all and a 25 I think in science...so he qualified to take science or math classes at duke for the summer...he can go next year too as a ninth grader,,, I think .. I am a proud papa for sure regardless

 

[bowriter]

Good deal.

 

[rsimms]

Yeah, but its just a summer camp kinda school( he wont receive credit, just experience)...not to take away from his accomplishments or anything...He took part in the Duke TIP program; due to high TCAP scores... he averages 95%, in the seventh grade was allowed to take the ACT and scored a 22 over all and a 25 I think in science...so he qualified to take science or math classes at duke for the summer...he can go next year too as a ninth grader,,, I think .. I am a proud papa for sure regardless

He must take after his Mom! :grin: :grin:

Thanks for the plug! That was the fish of a lifetime... but Blake's got lots of time to find a bigger one.

 

[JA1234]

He does>>>LOL she scored a 32 on her ACT and went to a private college on a free ride.... I just wish either of them had a lick of common sense

 

[gil1]

I never saw that cat pic. Lord, I would've remembered it if I had. Just plain phenomenal! I like the mount, too.

 

[baldntatted]

awesome

 

[JA1234]

The mount looks good!Who done it and how much? if you don't mind me asking.

I did it...
PM sent

 

[buckmoss1]

That is a great fish Joey.
I am sure he will be excited to see the mount.

 

[Southpaw]

Great fish and mount. Congrats to the youngster.

 

[Crosshairy]

ballpark figure on what a replica mount of a 68-lb blue, 51 inches long, would cost?

I don't have the girth measurement handy, but since you just brought it up I wanted to ask before I forgot

 

[CopperHead77]

Wow,Awesome fish and mount!

 

[Bertman]

cool

 

[JA1234]

ballpark for a 51 inch fish would be 700.00 plus or minus...some replica companies were charging "trophy fees" for anything over 50 inches...Most stopped but depending on the crate size as to what UPS or FedEx charges...but probably in reality any taxidermist could do it for around 600..maybe less ,,,depending on the quality you want......it would depend on the blank and what it cost too...I know how much time it takes for whisker, fin, eye, seam, and paint work... so to get a real estimate I would just have to shop for a blank....I like to start with good ones so they are costly...but the detail in the blank is worth the cost...trust me...

 

[bowriter]

Hookedup-Do you specialize in replica fish? Maybe give me a call or send me an email. I'm thinking I might want to do a little story with full color pics before Gil or Simms does.

I'm thinking for a cover picture, a photo of an extremely well endowed woman, lady person with a big fish and the Title: Real of Repilca? You can't tell until you squeeze.

Seriously, I smell a story. Get back to me.

 

[bowriter]

And boy! I just saw the perfect model for the photo. Soon as I find who she is, I'll ask her about it. We are talking a minimum of 10-grand per side for those.

 

[LA man]

the mount looks great, congrats to your son on a great big cat

 

[JA1234]

LOL. I wanna see the model first...I specialize in fish period and recommend a replica to everyone that will buy it...It is a hard sell sometimes.... once they realize that it wont look fake once done, they are ok with it....

but I can give you .02 cents worth about replicas...if your serious..I never can tell with you...LOL... email at [email protected] if you want.

Joey

 

[gil1]

Hookedup-Do you specialize in replica fish? Maybe give me a call or send me an email. I'm thinking I might want to do a little story with full color pics before Gil or Simms does.

I'm thinking for a cover picture, a photo of an extremely well endowed woman, lady person with a big fish and the Title: Real of Repilca? You can't tell until you squeeze.

Seriously, I smell a story. Get back to me.

Trying to promote catch and release as always, I researched a story a few years ago on replicas for Trout Unlimited. I knew the saltwater guys and most of the salmonid taxidermists out west hadn't been using the actual fish for years, but I was surprised that that is also becoming the case with the other species. In my research, I found that most taxidermists (or at least 5 of the 6 I interviewed) wouldn't even work with the real fish anymore. They took pics. and measurements of your trophy and then disposed of the fish (one guy said the coons behind his house loved him because of all the trophy fish he had tossed in his ditch).

The only guy that used the actual fish was some largemouth specialist I interviewed in Georgia, and he was trying to convince his unwilling customers to get over it so he could do replicas like everybody else. These days, it costs less (because it is less labor intensive), it lasts much longer, and it looks much better to do a replica.

I posted that information here, and just like the GA customers, there were several on tndeer that weren't too keen on the new wave of taxidermy. They would have rather killed the fish and paid more for a mount that looks worse, doesn't last as long, and costs more. My take - If you are hell bent on killing the fish, take pics. for a replica and then eat the fish. At least you'll know it won't end up in a ditch.