Anglers enjoy bragging about their catches. Some just show you selfies while others pay $20 or more, a inch, to have a fish mounted.
Here’s a great way to do both. Make a Fish Board! When you catch a trophy fish, take as many selfies as you need until you get a winner. This picture will get to be mounted on your board. The Fish Board will be a nicely finished wooden or metal tracing of your fish.
The other day I took my Grandson CC to the Ennis Pond. At 6 years old he is still learning how to fish. His casting skills need improvement, but the boy can manage Big Trout on a light action rod with the best of us. On a 3 lb. tippet, #10 hook and 4 lb. Golden Stren monofilament, he landed 3 Ennis Pigs. Thats a moment that needs to be remembered.
The children’s pond is a great place to learn how to fish. CC finally figured out how to set the hook! His first success was a 28 inch, 6 ½ pound rainbow trout. That’s a fish that needs to be mounted.
Instead of a thousand-dollar expense, I traced this Hawg silhouette onto a piece of cardboard. His other two 22 inchers were also on the cardboard. His dad is a metal worker and will be able to use a plasma cutter to forge a fish. He then adds some patina.
In the past, I just found a nice board and jig sawed the fish tracing. You can smooth out the tracing but generally keep the exact shape of the fish. I drill an eye on the head and add a smooth finish. You can attach the picture to the front or back.
My son Kyle was once the King of the Ennis Pond. He would only keep a trout if it was over 30 inches. He never came home without his limit of 3. I just used plywood to cut fish out and hung them on a stringer. These wooden fish reminded him of things he did right in his life. The dates and other information were added to the boards.
Some of my trophy fish were just displayed on finished wood. One artist friend painted my Big Brook trout to enhance the fish board. It’s your choice.
It’s so much fun to gaze upon these old memories and remember the excitement and moments of your life!
Catch a Biggun!
Montana Grant
