How big to mount?

[Alex Hamm]

So I recently caught a 10 1/2" gill and am having it mounted.... not really sure if this is a big enough fish to mount or not? What are everyones feelings and what would you consider a trophy or mount worthy? P.S. I live in Wisconsin so I dont believe we grow them as big as down south hah

[Bruce Condello]

I have a pair of mounted 10.5 inchers that I get lots of compliments on. In my opinion, this is plenty good to mount, especially for a northern fish. Have you already chosen a taxidermist?

[Alex Hamm]

I havent choosen a taxidermist yet... kind of looking around and pricing today... not sure what I should expect to pay for a single bluegill mount?

[robsabloke]

Hi Alex...

I've heard there are professional taxidermists that can make a replica of a fish just by looking at photographs I would assume you might need several shots to show the colour distinctions... measurements and such. Some people have no problem having a Big Gill mounted... in fact I have a friend who has a wall full of 2 lb plus gills and redears (I think the minimum weight requirement for his wall display is around 2 Lb 8 ozs ).

Me... I like to put the big ones back if I can. (Once in a while they'll swallow a hook). I feel it's better for the fishery to release the Big Bull Gills... and who knows you may be putting a future 4 pounder back into the lake. I'll keep anything hand size for eating... take home a dozen or so for the skillet. (I'm getting hungry... may have to go fishing)

Not many people worry about the bluegill not surviving. I read somewhere once that a 3- 4 inch female can lay over 100,000 eggs and sometimes many more... and can spawn 3 or 4 times a year. If those figures are correct then I feel the Bluegill are here to stay... (if we try and take care of our environment)

I guess the bottom line is how you feel personally and whereabouts in the country you fish. A ten inch Gill is a beautiful fish anywhere, but in the Midwest that would surely be a trophy fish of a lifetime. Here in Southern California a ten inch Bluegill is still a beautiful fish... but probably would not be considered a fish of a lifetime.

If you catch a Bluegill and when you see it in your hands for the first time or lay it down on your stripping apron and the first thing out of your mouth is W O W... you should probably get it mounted. If you can't get your hands around it to remove the hook... or the first thing it does when you get it to the boat is Slap you in the face with his tail and the pee on you... you should also probably get it mounted.

Tight Lines Mate

Rob

[Eric White]

I also live in wisconsin. 10 1/2 inches is a nice gill, in an average year i may catch one gill close to or over 10 1/2 inches and i fish 3 days a week. I typically find most of the nicer gills i catch just squeeking over the 10 inch mark.

[Randy Budzynski]

Hi Alex, Congrats on the big Bluegill. I have been a taxidermist for over 25 years doing only fish. I have mounted sereal hundred Bluegills and in those years and would say 90% were smaller than 10 1/2". Out of all those Bluegills I mounted for customers I can count the honest to God 12" Gills on one hand and 3 of those were from the south. Check with your local taxidermist and get in their shops and look at the work and ask questions. You can also go to taxidermy.net and it has links to taxidermists in all states. Good fishing Alex and again congratulations on the nice Gill. Randy Budzynski

PS. There are some wonderful fish taxidermist in WI

[Alex Hamm]

awesome deal... now you've made me feel even better about my gill:) What should I expect to pay for a mount of this fish? I was hoping to get it on a piece of drift wood perhaps?

[Jeff Soto]

Hi Alex, Like Randy I also do fish taxidermy (actually reproductions/replicas only) and have done this since 1972. Most taxidermists charge by the inch and have a minimum price for certain sizes, mine is a 15 inch minimum, where for any fish under 15 inches long, you will pay the 15 inch price. There is just about as much work doing a highly colored, hand detailed (each scale is hand painted one at a time) 11 inch Redear as there is doing a 5 pound Largemouth Bass. Also, most taxidermists don't want to get stuck doing a bunch of small fish. The going rate can be anywhere from $10 an inch on up to $20. I charge close to the top end. Many taxidermists will include a piece of driftwood in their price, some charge $15 to $30 extra, depending on the size of the wood. By the way, a 10 inch 'Gill is a beautiful fish and makes a very nice trophy mount!

[Jim Gronaw]

Alex. know this, anywhere in the country a 10 1/2 inch gill is a high-end fish. And coming from Wisconsin, I'd say that it would be a truely exceptional fish. By all means, put it on the wall and then relaease all the bigguns until you reach the 11 inch or 12 inch benchmark. And like Jeff said, there are benefits to having a replica done instead of a traditional skin mount. My wife has a replica of a 11 in., 1 1/2 lb gill and it looks way better than my son's 10 inch skin-mount, which has shrunk and suffered from fin deterioration. Congrats on the trophy!