How to Preserve a Trophy Fish for Mounting

Finally catching that trophy you've been fishing for all of your life gives you a great feeling. You are sure that you want it mounted, but how can you preserve it long enough to get it into the hands of a taxidermist without compromising the color and characteristics of the fish?

Things You'll Need

  • live well
  • camera
  • towel
  • ice
  • freezer bag and tape
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Instructions

    • 1

      After catching the fish, the first thing you want to do is take pictures of it. Fish can loose their coloring within minutes, so taking detailed pictures of the fish can help the taxidermist when it comes time to mount your trophy.

    • 2

      If possible, keep the fish in a live well until you can get off of the water. Keeping the fish alive and healthy as long as possible makes preserving it later a lot easier.

    • 3

      While searching for a reputable taxidermist, you need to freeze your fish. Get a wet towel and carefully begin wrapping the fish. Lay the fins against the body making sure they are smooth and flat.

    • 4

      Place the wrapped fish in a freezer bag and try to remove all of the air from inside the bag. Seal the bag with freezer tape and place your trophy in the freezer. Your fish should not become freezer burned this way, and it will be ready for the taxidermist.