Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Musky replica I did for Musky guide

A musky guide in the area offers a free musky replica for any of his clients that catch a 50 inch or larger musky. This was his first client with a 50 1/2 inch musky released. I assembled and painted a replica of our state record (which I had a mold made of and also mounted a few years back) which came closest to the 50 1/2 inch fish.

I never went to bed the other night so he could have it for an upcoming sport show.

Here is how the blank came and after I grinded down the flashing, filled in the seams, and added the pectoral fins.I also whited out any filler, added eyes, and did some alterations on the head to body transition.



Here are a couple of pictures of the finished product. Looks like a real fish eh?

The peanuts in the box are how he transported it to the show and how the original blank came.

Beautiful..!

WOW! That is Awesome!

That's the best Musky I've ever seen. Jaw-dropping.

Outstanding, as always, Cecil!

Do I have to catch one to get one?

Perfect Fish, Want One? Call Cecil!!!!!

Incredible job!

Cecil, that is incredible. Once I get my farm house renovated I might want one! Any chance you would post a price or PM me?

Very nice, Cecil. Just like always.

Cecil, even the picture of the fish in white looks a whole lot different than when it arrived to your place. I remember seeing it right after you filled in some of the mold lines.

That looks great!

I'll bet the guy in Wi. would like one too. I'll be meeting wtih him this week for lunch, PM me a price if you want and I'll ask him.

The best Taxi's, like Cecil, are artists.

First of all thanks for the kind words.

Answers to questions:

You don't have to catch one to have one. That goes for any replica of most sizes for just about any species although I'm not crazy about salt water fish as I don't do many. Definitely not set up to do big sailfish, swordfish, marlin etc.

I charge $15.00 per inch for replicas plus shipping and handling. Just the blank shipped to me from Texas costs in the mid 200 range plus $70.00 for shipping.

Shipping is the real deal killer for producing large finished replicas that have to be shipped, but it can be done if you're willing to pay the shipping. UPS has a penchant for destroying replicas and mounted fish regardless of how you pack them, and when you try to collect on the insurance they try everything they can to get out of it. Fed Ex is no different. My brother who has two business degrees says they have an "oligopoly" -- mutual monopoly -- so they don't care.

Cecil, I'm meeting with the guy that has the place in Wi. tomorrow, so I'll ask. I can hand deliver the fish if he wants any, so you don't have to worry about shipping.

What happens if the only evidence a fisherman has is a fairly pad pic? Like i have an older catch that I wanted a replica made of ages ago, but the fish is pretty much covered in mud, obscuring how vibrantly green it actually was in some spots. How much artistic licence do you take?

I can paint a replica anyway you want. I'm familiar with very green largemouths. Was it out of a pond? Typically the pond largemouths are greener than the lake fish. Some of the lake fish are almost silver metallic in color.

Sure. I'd just need a deposit to order the blank. The wife hates it when I use the C.C.

Nah, pretty big lake, an old mississippi oxbow, i think.

It was, in general, more metallic and pale than small pond bass, but had a very dark lateral stripe that isnt seen in the pic, and the area above it (between it and the black dorsal coloring on top) was much more vibrantly green than can be seen in the pic.

Anyhow, I'll PM with a link to the image, maybe you could tell me how much it would be to get the replica done?

Thanks
Mike

skinny:

Cecil is pretty durn good. Here's a pic of the smallie that I caught that he did for me:

Stunning.

skinny, if you talk to Cecil nice, maybe he'd deliver it to the Pond Boss Conference this Fall.....

If not, I could be talked to driving it down for him. It'd save shipping costs on a finished mount.

Or, maybe meet somewhere near St. Louis when I go thru on my way down............

Well, I'm not in the market as of right now, but it would be nice to know how much of my annual-new-lures fund i should be saving if i do want it in the next year or so.

Thanks for the offer to drive it down. And if you do come through st louis, you must take a small detour to Alton, IL to hit Fast Eddies.

You haven't lived until you've chased down a hot chick on a stick, two big elwood on a sticks and a fat eddie burger with beer that is kept a half a degree above its freezing point.

they dont joke when they say it is the best bar in the midwest. According to alton brown on the food network or whatever channel you find him on, hot chick on a stick are the only hot wings in the world that "are worth eating."

Edit:
My new years resolution was diet and exercize. I appologize that every thread i comment on comes back to food. I am desperately hungry. Always.

Those days are long gone I'm afraid...

Sorry couldn't resist. Mods do what you must.

Cecil, my wife was walking by and I told her to look at the musky. I said "I'm going to get one." She said "You're going to put it in your guitar room."

Poor girl.

Very nice work Cecil... Absolutely amazing!

Here is a whole tank full of Cecil’s work. It resides at SDSU’s Fisheries Dept