I started my first fish mount today and have already run into a problem. Its a Large mouth Bass about 6-7 lbs and its been frozen in solid ice for about 5 years. Today I started skinning it out and on the inside of the skin on the show side was a spot about the size of a nickle that was either freezer burned or maybe an ulcer.. either way I didnt see it and I guess I scraped it too hard and the skin sort of tore a little bit and the scales popped in that area. I can see right thru the skin in about 4-5 spots where scales were.. kins like a net mesh. Its a learning project for me and I tottaly expected a problem or two with a first attempt on a 5 year old fish but with it being my first ever I wasnt prepared for a repair like this. Is there any thing I should do from the inside before mounting it or should I just mount it and and repair later? Should I pin the skin in place while drying? I know the ORANGE button has many many answers and Ive used it a ton but now Im at home and this comoputer is very very slow.. I could easily spend hours trying to sort thru all the info there. I have the skin in a Borax/water/lysol solution soaking for overnight and wanted to mount it tomorrow morning so I kind of needed a quick answer or advise. With the exception of that one bad spot I think it went pretty good.. I really spent a lot of time trying to get all the meat and tissue out and although I did have a scale or two other than the bad spot pop on me it was a great time and I really had a blast learning. I also just got my first air brush (Pasche H kit) yesterday and I got my paint (polytransper lacquer) order in last week so after I mount the Bass tomorrow I get to play with a air brush for the first time. I have ZERO air brush experience.. not even watching some one else use one. I ordered some of the scheldules from WASCO but I can see Ill need a lot more info than is on them. They did help me with colors of paint to order tho. Any advise on air brush use and painting Large Mouth Bass would be very helpful also. Once again.. I have and will use that orange button but every once in a while its nice to be able to post, talk and discuss things with Yall instead of just the archives.
Thanks to any who help...... Sam
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Sam, a little preservative sprinkled on the fin roots and inside the head (rubbed in well) wont hurt a bit.As for the tears/ missing scales,.....If the bad spots are on the back side , and you're putting it on a plaque/drift wood ,you can pin it while it dries, after which you could use a something like magic smooth to smooth the void and either hand detail or use a mac-Z scaler to reproduce the missing scales.Both prosses's can be used on the front as well....just much harder to make look right.Tom Sexon did a vidio called air brush techniques: Bass, its a two part vidio,available from WASCO. It would be worth your while to invest in it and save your self alot of grief. ( Just my opinion) Good luck Ed.
Thanks for responding Ed and the others who emailed me. The tear is on the show side naturally...lol I read my responces Sunday morning and decided I would go ahead and mount it and try to repair later after dried. I went to mount the fish and it just wouldnt fit the form right. It was a fairly long Large Mouth Bass but was very skinny. The form was too big in the girth. I froze the fish skin for now until I can get the right form.
Thanks for the replys guys... its nice to hear from someone every once in awhile instaed of that ORANGE button all the time...lol
Thanks again... sam