Hi everyone

[Eddie uk]

Hi im a uk taxidermist (amature) and having done a fair few mammals grey squirrels, mink, and a guine pig im intrested in getting involved in fish taxidermy

and the fact that i have this year just started a foundation degree in fisheries management.

anyho i have looked through a couple of books (nothing upto date) and there really arnt that many books on fish taxidermy in the uk which are under 20 years old

anyho later this month i shall be going electro fishing to take out the pike and jack pike (not sure if ammericans call young pike jacks) from a chalk stream. and i would be intrested in mounting a couple myself. (good practice otherwise they'l just be used for fertalizer, if the polish guy dosnt try and eat them)

anyho i reckon methods must of moved on 10 fold or even 20 fold since the 80's

do fish taxidermist still use formaldehyde for fish?

anyho I would like to do skin mounts



it states i clean the mucus off the fish before hand (take reference pics 1st)

make a wooden box (no lid) and fill it with plaster of paris (again not sure if americans call it that ethier but its the stuff they use if you break your arm)

anyho you place the fish in the mixture show side down or up (havnt got the book with me) let it semi harden

then skin out the fish making sure the fish has no meat remaining in it

then once the mold has dried you place the fish show side down in the mold and then paint a coat of formaldehyde on the skin then pour in plaster inside the fish (as the formalidyde fixes the skin)

ah i cant remember exactly

anyho any tips would be greatly apreciated.

ps i didnt post in the begginer section cos its mainly all mammals in there

[Lone Wolf Taxidermy]

Eddie you can go to the the home page of this site and click on the WASCO tab on the left side of the page. Then under Information click on Taxidermy Manuals. The Breakthrough Fish Mounting Manual will be of great help to you and the Tom Sexton Fish Finishing Manual also will help with painting and mounting. It will cost you a bit to get them shipped across the pond but will be worth it if you are serious about fish taxidermy.

Good luck

[Buck,Black Forest Eyes]

Eddie, you might want to click on Rick Krane's...page, and Hope to see you on the "Beginner's Airbrush" page.
Buck.....

[wesley K.]

I'm not trying to steer you away or anything but a pike is one of the more difficult fish to mount and I would not reccomend it to be anyones first fish. If you could I would try to get my hands on a bass . there just kind of an easier fish to start with. only my opinion think about a practice fish.

[Wayne S.]

Hey buck black forest what is Ricks web site address?

[Fish Whisperer]

I do not think anyone uses formaldehyde anymore. I use borax and water.There are other fish perserves on the market from WASCO, Van Dykes, ETC.And yes like Lone Wolf said get those 2 books they are what helped me get started.

[John W.]

A good reciepe  is a handful of borax and a handful of baking soda per gallon of water and when mounting place some of the dry mixture of borax and baking soda in the throat ,head area-the baking soda really helps to knock out any fish smell,this is Dan Rineharts reciepe.