I'm a catch and release guy. I always have been and always will be. If you're not, that's fine and I'm not about to try and sway you. Keep on keepin' on buddy. Folks gotta eat. I do to, I just don't want to eat fish.
I wish I enjoyed eating fish, but I just don't. If fish tasted like red meat, or even pork for Pete's sake, I would be keeping more fish. Don't get me wrong, I'll keep stockers and overstocked farm pond fish for friends and family, but I would much rather watch a fish swim away than put it in a basket or on a stringer and then cut it up. I'll do it, but I would rather not. I also sure as HECK don't want to kill a fish for the sole purpose hanging it's skin on my wall. (If you do, that's your call and I am the last person to judge anyone!)
When it comes to trophy fish (of which I have not caught very many) I prefer to celebrate the fish and the memory with a replica mount. Sure, they are a little pricey but a replica mount is a trophy to me. Growing up, I didn't win many trophies. I played basketball and the teams I played on just didn't win a lot of hardware. After my athletic career ended, my fishing career began. A replica mount is a way to celebrate the fish, the excitement, and the memory. And if I am being completely honest, it makes me feel like I accomplished something as an angler.
So when it came time to pick someone to recreate my fish, I only contacted one person and that was Jim Lucas. In my opinion, Jim is the best trout taxidermist in the state of Missouri. You might think otherwise but he is my guy. Between the female brown that he made a replica of for me and his work that you can find on his Facebook page, I just didn't want to put this job in anyone else's hands. Jim is also an outstanding trout fisherman. He's caught more big trout than I ever will so he knows the details and nuances of big Missouri fish. I use the term "Missouri fish" because Missouri trout are different than trout out west. Missouri trout are more like footballs and western trout seem to be a little longer and sleeker. I guess some of that comes from most Missouri trout being raised on a high protein diet from a young age.
If you are in the market for a replica or just want to see some cool taxidermy, check out Jim's Facebook page. It has prices, his phone number, and all kinds of other stuff that might be useful to you. He's even got an otter holding a bullhead catfish mount!
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