The three images above are of a reproduction or cast of a Common Carp. (Cyprinus carpio)

There are two distinct areas, which apply to Fish Taxidermy. They are the preparation of THE FISH itself and the PRESENTATION of the completed fish.

THE FISH

There are broadly two methods of preparing a fish

Firstly there is the "skin mount". The techniques of skin mounting a fish are as many as they are varied. However, at its most basic, the requirement is that the skin of the fish is completely removed thoroughly cleaned, degreased and preserved and the flesh or body is replaced with a rigid artificial body or "form" around which the preserved and degreased skin of the fish is placed and secured. This is then allowed to dry out for a number of weeks. When a fish skin dries out it loses its entire colour and fades back to a dull grey brown. Once dry it must be completely re-painted and toned to restore all the subtle markings and scale detail. The disadvantage of a skin-mounted fish is that there is always a certain amount of shrinkage when the skin dries out.

Secondly there is the "cast". In this method, again basically, a mould is made over the whole fish usually in silicone rubber. This flexible mould is then covered in a layer of plaster to provide support for the rubber mould and prevent any distortion occurring. Once the mould is "set" the fish is then completely removed from the mould and, having served its purpose, disposed of. The empty mould is then cleaned and polyester resin is poured and painted into it in a number of layers in order to produce a replica or "cast" of the original fish. Once set the polyester resin "cast" is removed from the mould it must then be prepared and completely painted in the same manner described for the skin mounted fish.

In essence then, the difference between a skin mount and a cast is that with a skin mount the aim is to preserve as much of the original fish as possible whilst minimising the shrinkage. Whereas with a cast the aim is to produce an anatomically accurate facsimile of the fish with no regard to preservation at all. In both instances the fish must be totally repainted. A well-produced cast that is skillfully painted to a high standard should look closer to the original fish than the skin mount.

In my own personal experience most of my clients, given an informed choice, opt for a skin mount. To get to the heart of the matter, no matter how well produced and painted a cast may be the fact remains it is still a replica and has nothing of the original fish in it. Consequently clients often comment that they feel that there would be something missing or they simply dismiss it as a "plastic fish" and will not even entertain the notion.

My own opinion is that there is a place for every technique and with some species of fish a cast may be the only option. This is particularly true of many salt-water species. Whereas there are others, particularly fresh water species, which lend themselves very well to be skin mounted: such as Pike, Zander, Perch, Carp and many more. Others may require a combination of the two disciplines to achieve a good result. This is particularly true for the larger Salmon and Trout if a high quality, accurate and lasting mount is to be achieved.

In the case of game fish or salmonids the head may need to be moulded and cast due to the fact that the natural head is very oily. This natural oil is almost impossible to remove. Even in the unlikely event that it is removed (by means of immersing the skinned head in powerful solvents and antioxidants) once dried the resultant head will appear shriveled and grotesque. Requiring massive remodeling over the top of the skin to restore the original shape. The finished head is then effectively a sculpted one with little or nothing of the original head visible. For this reason a high quality cast head is a necessity for the long-term viability and aesthetic of the mount. This is far from the easy option as producing a high definition cast of a fish head and attaching it to the skin mounted body of the fish requires skill and experience if the join is to be invisible on the completed mount.

THE PRESENTATION.

By Presentation I refer to context into which the completed fish is placed in order to show it off to its best advantage, whilst at the same, time ensuring that it is protected from the rigours of its immediate environment. This means placing the fish in a display case. Fish that go uncased will soon become dusty and damaged, as the fins are delicate and easily broken, rendering it a waste of money.

I offer three main presentation options.

I can and do produce cases and presentations custom built to clients own requirements and specification.

This option is by far the most popular. Historically Fish taxidermists in this country mounted fish in bow fronted glass cases, which were decorated inside to replicate an underwater scene and to give the fish context. Gold lettering was put on the glass inside the case giving details of who caught the fish, where, when and what it weighed. This has over the years become the traditional way of presenting a fish. Fish mounted in this manner can be seen on the walls of private houses, Fishing Lodges, Hotels etc throughout the British Isles. The format and basic specification has changed little over the years. It is probably for this reason that the bow fronted case is normally the first choice for clients wishing to have a fish set up.

I build all my bow-fronted cases in my workshop to a very high specification. Each fish case is constructed individually for a particular clients fish. The background of the case is painted in a montage of colours sympathetic to the subtle colouring of the fish. I do not generally over dress my Salmon and Trout cases with dried grasses, moss and reeds because I believe that a well set up fish does not need to be crowded out with unnecessary embellishments which can detract from the fish. Most other bow front cases are finished in black paint and the bowed glass is held in with black tape. Whilst this may be a cheap and quick method of finishing off a fish case, I believe that in the context of modern taxidermy, it looks cheap and quick. My cases are finished in a high gloss or satin varnish and the glass panels are held in with hardwood mouldings giving a far higher  standard of finish. The Bowed Glass is 4mm thick clear float annealed with a gold and black border.

The Picture frame case is so called because it takes its basic design concept from a picture frame with a flat glass front and glass top, bottom and both ends. This design of case costs far less than the bow front but still provides an adequate setting for the fish, protecting it from dust and damage. The details of who caught the fish etc. are put on an inscription inside the case.

This type of case can be viewed from all sides allowing the case to be placed as a centrepiece on a table or pedestal. The fish can be set up in a far more lifelike and natural pose than is possible with the two previous designs.