The New Brown Trout Mount

When I was younger, I competed in a few different sports.  I was on some good teams as well as some bad ones.  I got my rear kicked a few times but also won a few trophies along the way.  I always appreciated trophies because of what they represented.  To me, a trophy represents the results of hard work and dedication.  A trophy also represents a memory from a successful endeavor.  I don't look at trophies as a way to show off or prop up my ego but rather a reminder of an amazing experience.  While my athletic days are over, my appreciation for trophies remains.  

Last weekend, I was fortunate enough to place another trophy on the wall.  I caught this brown trout a week after Wendy and I go married.  To read more about that experience, feel free to click here.  Right after I caught and successfully released this fish, I knew I wanted to get a replica mount made to commemorate the extremely special event.  The fact that I caught the biggest brown trout of my life on our little honeymoon on a rod that Wendy had given me at our reception...well that was pretty special and deserved special treatment.  There was only one person that I trusted with this job and that was Jim Lucas.

In my opinion, Jim is one of the best (if not THE best) trout taxidermist in Missouri.  He mounted a female brown that I caught and released with my dad on the White River in Arkansas.  He did such an amazing job, I knew I wanted to use his services again.  His work speaks for itself but my appreciation for his talents and attention to detail beg to be acknowledged.  To check out more of his work, just click on the link below.  

While this trophy represents a lot of things, it is a piece of artwork as much as it is a memento of an accomplishment.  Nature is beautiful and I love that I get to celebrate its beauty within our home.  Also, I owe Wendy a huge thanks for letting me display all of these memories.  She even let me hang the fish right above our TV.  I put it there so I don't have to move my eyes very far from the TV to be reminded of a memory that will last a lifetime.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/Jimlucastaxidermy/

Funny fact: did you know that the character Star Lord (pictured above) from Guardians of the Galaxy was born in Missouri?  The fact this was on after I hung my mount was fortuitous.