Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations On Northern Pond Part 1 complete with pics

A good replica is easier to do but a bad one is not, as you have to make a lot of corrections.

Yes the skin mount is obviously closer to the original but there are still things added that are not orginal.

I believe there is a place for both skin mounts and repros. I distain the purists that pooh pooh skin mounts but can't come up with valid biological reasons why. If a guy catches and releases 2000 fish in a year and 10 percent end up as morts, how is this better than a guy that catches 50 a year for the frying pan or has one mounted?

The true art in fish taxidermy comes into play after the fish is mounted and when the colors are put back on the fish. IMO most fish taxidermists do not have the talent and have not mastered the fine art of recreating the natural recoloration of the live fish. Cecil has a real gift and talent for reproducing the natural looks and recoloration of a mounted fish. As I understand it, it is more of a tinting and staining proceedure rather than painting. I've dabbled in fish taxidermy and really appreciate Cecil's skills of mounting a fish. Cecil does not have prize winning blue ribbons for fish taxidermy on his wall for no reason.

Thank you for the kinds words Bill.

Bill is no slouch. He has a painting of a walleye on his wall that he did himself that blows me away.

Not to toot my own horn but if you recall my artwork has been compared to Da Vinci and Picasso. Of course it was also considered a sign of the apocalypse.

Jeff's Masterpiece "Can You Spot the Bovine."

All kidding aside Cecil you have unreal skills. Combining both the talents of a scuplture and a painter. I can only hope to catch a fish worth of your talents some day.

Largemouth postioned in place.



Close up of largemouth. (Sorry about all the reflection on the glass.)



Yellow perch attached to artificial rock.



Crappie



Black Bullhead



Preserved crayfish painted and ready to add to the diorama.



Dragon fly found dead in one of my ponds by my nephew's little boy. He wanted to give it a proper burial (he's only a few years old), but I said I wanted it for the diorama. Anyway I soaked it in denatured alcohol, dried it and coated it with a sealer. Also repainted the tail stem.



Freeze dried frog painted and attached to a lily pad.



Mixing up sand and Elmers glue to make the base material. I added black Tempera powder to make the area around the lily pads more of a silty muck.



The sign that will be attached to the diorama.



I'd show you the final product but I have been instructed to wait and let it be seen at the convention first.

If I had no other reason to attend, I'd still go to the conference to see that.

Awww-SUM!

Wow, Cecil. Can't wait to see it.

"CECIL BAIRD, Certified Master Fish Taxidermist"

and how!

Let's face it; Cecil is certifiable on several different levels.

Nice, real nice!

I've always thought there was something special about a LMB mount in closed-mouth position. Maybe just because it's different--but I know I really like it.

J U S T - W A I T - TO - Y O U - S E E
T H E - F I N I S H E D - P R O U D C T -- -

How soon with the finished product be posted, for us poor, unfortunate souls that can't make the big gathering in TX?

It's fantastic...I'd love to see it. In person would be better, but it's not to be...unless I go to South Dakota sometime?

Friday am is the most likely time. It will be the first post of Live from the pond cam II .

Yep I'm a certifiable nutcase when it comes to ponds just like the rest of you!

Here are some more pics:

Sand in one bucket and gravel in another. The sand is mixed with Elmer's glue to make the base which will dry rock hard. The gravel, rocks, and snail shells are added while the mixture is still wet.



Here is some sand mixed with Elmer's glue and black tempera pigment to make a more mucky bottom. The idea was to use a more mucky bottom around the cattails and lily pads. I ended up having to moderate it a little as it sharply contrasted with the rest of the base.



A final pic minus the pumpkinseed which will be completed and added soon.

I'm pleased to have seen it in person. It is, indeed, an awesome masterpiece and labor of love. Well done, Cecil....very well done.

Thanks for the kind words Brettski. It was fun talking politics with you too!

ssshhhh....
we might get moderated

I've been known to wear mismatched socks.

Consider it done.

I wear mismatched socks a lot. It's amazing how many socks are in that basket that don't match! I never realized how many variations of blue and black there are.

This could get good...

You mean I'm setting myself up right?

There are times that I mistakenly wear one blue sock and one red sock. I find myself turning left and right all day.

You steer by looking at your socks?