I've completed the female Redear/Shellcracker former world record replica. It's up for auction to raise funds for the Jesse West Endowment Fund, which for those of you that don't know, is a Fisheries and Wildlife scholarship fund at South Dakota State University.

It's 15 1/2 inches in length. Unfortunately the weight of the original fish was not listed.

The fish is mounted in an Amish crafted shadow box minus the glass. I will include in shipment, funds to have glass cut at the auction winner's location, as shipping glass for me from personal experience is a big nightmare. Simple pane glass cut at a hardware store is all that is needed.

To give you an idea of the value I would charge $275.00 for the fish and shadow box if I was to do this for a customer.

Here's a couple of pictures of the completed replica. The dollar bill is shown to give size perspective, not funds for the glass!

Cecil, that's beautiful. Great job!

Beauty and a beast, all rolled into one. Wow! It makes the buck look like Monopoly dough.

VERY nice, Cecil. Darn quick, too, at least compared with what I was expecting from your recent female RES queries.


Okay, so tell us how much the replica weighs.

The hollow replica probably weighs about a pound and a half.

A++++++++++++++++++++++++++

WOW!

Look at the evil eye on that wicked witch. I dont think she's done yet. Great job as usual, Cecil.

She's thinking about biting off my left ... hand.

Great job Cecil!! Thanks for the effort and the pics.

Ditto -- what they all said. You truly are an artist. Amazing job.

I bid $300.00.

Here we go now!

Bravo, what a talent you have.

for the taxidermy or the bid?

Beautiful fish!

"yes"

dang, that's a purty fish. Great job Cecil! You have premission to post pics of the Smallie if you want when it gets to that point.

Cecil you do fantastic work, I would like you to mount my 12" PS when I grow one.

Cecil, Will there be a plaque(sp) listing the credentials of Red EarZilla???

If requested.

Next trophy I catch goes to Cecil. Very generous gift you are offering and it's amazing work IMO. Wow Cecil-you're gifted me amigo!

TJ, I think you forgot to bid.

Sunil

If you would be so kind as to open an Eco Mow franchise in PA, or allow me to build you an ecommerce software platform and perform some web design, or install a US business database I will gladly throw a zero behind your bid!

Sorry, but my 145 donation on the Lusk thing has tapped me out until people start spending money with me again. Sigh.

TJ -- any signs in your business that things have bottomed out??

Cecil, Your artistic talent is amazing!

Do you prefer to do replicas? When you do Darlene for me, I will want a replica so I can let her live until her natural end.

Dave,


I'm back to normal in my business. Backed up a little in fact.

Great to hear, Cecil. Guess this sort of hi-jacked your thread, didn't it? We seem to be pretty good at that.

Eco Mow is strong - I've yet to have a commercial account decline to switch their services to us - 100% biodiesel and electric lawn maintenance. Same cost, superior service [I pay my guys 30% more than competitors] and they can convey the message to their customers they are reducing airborne pollution by 85% using Eco Mow. I just need to open some franchises - and fast.

I also maintain over 1300 properties for HUD - sadly, this business is booming as foreclosures are actually increasing. It's a bittersweet endeavor - I feel like a CC [detritus feeder].

Other businesses are not doing well - operating continually in the red since Q3 08. Businesses are not spending $$ on web design, ecommerce, or data. Same with our JaniKing commericial cleaning franchises - businesses don't care about cleaning their offices when they are bleeding profusely - so that's taken a substantial hit and I'm hoping to see some improvement there. I think they are hiring employees internally who need to supplement their income - who can blame them? I'd do the same thing in their place - take care of your family first.

Ooops - guess this isn't a business therapy session, is it? I see the DR in Dave Willis and I go off - but you're not THAT kind of DR.

Is this a live auction or is this going on at the conference? I only see one bid thus far.

I am under the distinct impression that Cecil will be bringing the RES for the Silent Auction at Big Cedar Lodge, and that a certain Little Brother of mine is trying to scare off other bidders ahead of time.

Is that correct, Cecil?

If I jumped the gun, let me know. I thought the auction started now.

Like I've never hijacked a thread here?

No problem here Dave as long as we raise some funds for the JWEF and a lucky bidder gets to enjoy this fish.

Live auction. Yes only one bid so far.




No it was set up to be a live auction here. I will ship the fish to the highest bidder. Highest bidder will send payment to Dr. Willis and the JWEF. I will be bringing a green sunfish replica to the convention for the silent auction.



No you didn't Sunil. You did exactly as directed.

Then I restate my bid as $300.00.

I am finding Sunil to be very prompt and well organized when it comes time to spend money.

I believe that the auction rules require you to submit your bid in pig latin.

Please post a photo of it so I can property grieve over what I'm missing.

I'm certain that Sunil will gladly be your pro-tem bidder

I prefer that any "spreading the wealth" of my own wealth is done at my discretion.

He isn't our official PB Conference Social Chairman for nothing!

You could always bid via the pod cast at the convention and send in payment later?

Hmmmm, I may have to do that Cecil, I don't even want to imagine the unspeakable things that would happen should Rainman or Yolk get their hands on a GSF replica.

I say we give this auction one more week. If no higher bids Sunil is da man! Highest and only bid so far is $300.00.

Or in other words, in case someone missed this thread I've discretely bumped it up.

Make sure you set a specific ending time. I can feel the snipers out there.

Cecil:
You're already in the best category for visibility IMO.

Let's bump this a couple of times a day or so.

Sunil:
I won't outbid you, but I am loading the magazine.

Sunil,

How about next Thursday at 8 P.M.?

Theo,

Bumping it every fews days is O.K. with me but isn't that against the rules to just blatantly bump a thread?

Oh wait, if you enforce the rules you can do anything you want can't you?

The date & time sound fine to me.

I hope I don't get shot just trying to buy a nice mounted fish.

What I meant by "snipers" is those who throw bids in with just seconds left to go in an auction.

Now I gotta watch my back for marksmen.

Cecil:

It's for the (20-something Grad Student) kids!

So you're one of those "the ends justify the means" kind of guys when it comes to rules?

Of course I'm just kidding you Theo.

The auction is over. Sunil was highest bidder (only bidder too).

Sunil let me know when to ship. You can work out the rest with Dr. Willis.

OK then, so I just send a check to Doc Willis?

Then I send my shipping address to you, Cecil?

Only need one bid when it's that good!!!

Great job to both Sunil and Cecil!



TJ, bring a bio-diesel mower to the Conference. After Jhap makes the winning bid on the GSF, we can "AIR" mail it to him immediately!

Congratulation Sunil, that is going to look great hanging on a wall.

Special Notice:
Due to all the threats against my person I shall be packing heat at the conference. That's right people, I shall be carrying an extra large tube of Bengay. It might not kill any would be attackers but it really stings it you get it in your eyes. You have been warned.

Yes I believe so. PM your mailing address to me and I'll get it right out.

Now he needs another 40 or so world record fish, to balance out the guitars.

OK, Cecil, I'll PM you my address. I just put the check in the mail for Doc Willis.

Cecil -- post the picture of that fish here on the end of the thread, too??

The mount is here!

The thing is huge!

This is one big sunfish!

Did the dollar come with the mount?

Once a beancounter, always a beancounter.

Nope I had to borrow the dollar from the wife for the picture.

I did send him a check for $10.00 to cover the cost of getting a piece of glass cut.


Man I'm sure glad that thing got there in one piece! UPS can be brutal!

I used to load package cars for UPS when I was in college. I can attest, that things do get tossed around without much care for the fragile stickers that may be on the box.

I was told that the fragile stickered boxed sometimes got treated more roughly just for kicks! Not sure if that is true, but I do know they walk on boxes at the nearest UPS hub around Christmas time. An employee like yourself told me this.