What are the advantages and disadvantages of having my trophy fish mounted by a taxidermist?
If a reputable licensed professional taxidermist mounts your fish for you it would look nice and could last for many years. However, if done improperly by omitting steps during the process or by not using the best procedures or materials it may not last long at all or even worse, become insect infested and quickly decompose. Unfortunately, a trophy specimen had to be destroyed to get less than acceptable results. Basically, a skin mount is a chemically tanned fish skin stretched over a fish manikin. It is set out to dry for a few months. Then repairs are made and fillers are applied to restore the many shrunken areas. It is then painted to resemble the colors and pattern of that species. Many taxidermists wait until they receive several fish in their shop before they begin to work on them in a production mode. In most cases it could take up to a year if not longer before you get your fish back.
