Official NDA Guide to Mountable Fish Lengths

[guywhofishes]

I know there are fish that represent memorable moments... junior, mom or grandpa caught a "big one" that day, blah, blah , blah. Neat neat moments and all BUT...

What size fish do you consider wall worthy - as serious anglers? I have been close to many of these but it's hard to pull the trigger on a "big but not exceptionally big" fish.

LM Bass: 22"?

SM Bass: ?

Walleye: 30"?

Perch: 15"?

Crappie: 15"?

Bluegill: 13"?

Northern:?

It would be neat if we can get everyone to post - then take all the serious posts and calculate the average and thus arrive at an official NDA consensus so we can "make the call" on whether to kill the thing or set it free to frolic happily (or more likely roll over and sink to its death 5 minutes after release).

And no - the proper length is NOT up to me! Mounting fish is all about ego and gaining acceptance/admiration/praise/jealousy from fellow anglers. Ha ha. Actually I love fish mounts because they remind me of fishing in general and how super neat fish simply are as critters.

Thanks.

 

[Tikka280ai]

For me a walleye has to be over 8 pounds 11 ounces and 29 inches long all others haven't gotten much thought. I would really have to catch a 20 pound or bigger slough shark before considering putting on the wall

 

[guywhofishes]

For me a walleye has to be over 8 pounds 11 ounces and 29 inches long all others haven't gotten much thought. I would really have to catch a 20 pound or bigger slough shark before considering putting on the wall

what length northern is that generally?

 

[RustyTackleBox]

Walleye - 32"
Perch - I don't know I always catch ones that my bait is bigger than (would be a northern or walleye lunch mount anyway)
Northern - 48"
Crappie - threw a 16" back last year (don't fish for them often so I didn't know it was special)
Bluegill - only if i have a good walleye or northern to mount so it looks like they are lunch
LM or SM Bass - people keep these?

 

[SupressYourself]

Here's one of many charts:



For me:
Walleye: 31"
Northern: I personally wouldn't mount one. Too expensive, but anything over 45" is respectable.
Largemouth Bass: Length alone is tough to go by. I've caught ones roughly the same length and one is about a pound heavier, but it would have to be over 7 pounds.
Smallmouth: Meh. I love catching smallies, but their mounts don't impress me. Same goes for any panfish.

 

[guywhofishes]

Crappie - threw a 16" back last year (don't fish for them often so I didn't know it was special)

gaaaaa!!!!!!

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I just think it would be neat to have one fine specimen of each species. A collection of sorts.

 

[Captain Ahab]

For me to do a pike, I would have to say 44-45" with a good amount of girth. I wouldn't want a snaky looking one on the wall. LM bass, I would have to go for a 6lb+ whatever the inches come out to(21-22"). Probably a ~5lb smallmouth(20+"). Walleye, 30" ~10lb is a good place to start(I've done two 30.5-31 inch and two 30" so it will have to be 33" or in the teens for weight going forward for me). Perch, ~15" 2lb area. Crappie, 2lb is my bogey 15.5" area. Bluegill, I would consider a 11.5".

 

[Fishmission]

I have a 42 inch rocket mounted that went 22 lbs from way back in 91
full of eggs or it may have not went even 20. 42 inches minimum sounds about right to me
SM bass 19" is a good minimum. It's attainable but not easy.
13" gill would be a monster? My biggest is 11 and went 1.5

 

[Account Deleted]

13" bluegill seems pretty far out there. I've probably gotten pretty close to that crappie threshold. I'm sure I ate it.

 

[johnr]

I have a 32 eye on the wall, and a 41 inch snot rocket

 

[RustyTackleBox]

last year in the spring I was itching to get the boat wet and went to nelson lake and we hammered crappies all day long... slow death and a berkley 1/2 crawler... i must have caught 30 fish... most of the ones i caught were 13+... I won't eat anything from that lake (I know some people do)... I also only fish it maybe once or twice in the spring time... just in case you are hunting for big crappie

 

[martinslanding]

I think weight/length have to both carry a value, also who/how it was caught…many mounted fish are more for the story than the fish it’s self…

 

[Up Y'oars]

Walleye: Keep for food up to 23", back to the water 24" and greater. Wall mount= 29" / >9#
Pike: Winter & Spring keep some smaller 5#-6# ones for food, everything else goes back. Mounting? A humongous beast
SMB/LMB: Don't consider weight/length. All of them go back to the water
Perch: I'd have to measure and then look it up and be in shock, first. Otherwise, back to the water or filet and frying pan.

 

[MSA]

90% of the walleye ive mounted have been under 30"

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My first walleye mount was 27" at 10.5 lbs

 

[Bfishn]

To me length doesn't matter I care about weight.

LM Bass: Have a 22.5" 6.5# from Nelson Lake mounted (my only mounted fish)

SM Bass: released countless between 18-20", but i want one over 5#. None of those were.

Walleye: 10# for North Dakota, 12# for Canada, have released walleye up to 9#

Perch: Would have to be 2#, I've released a couple 15" that didn't make it. My buddy caught a 2# this year right next to me, bastard!

Crappie: Not sure about crappie but i have released quite a few 14-15 inchers in the last couple years ice fishing.

Bluegill: Would have to be state record.

Pike: I released a 24# pike several years ago. Not a big fan of pike mounts, so would probably have to be a true giant, 30# before i would mount.

 

[guywhofishes]

Re: weight vs length

It's harder, IMO, to properly weigh fish in the field. Maybe I need a dedicated bag to wet, then hang the fish in? On second thought - Like I'll have that with all the time in different boats, shorefishing, etc.

If I'm going to mount a fish I want to know ASAP so I can immobilize that fish to prevent raggy fins, holes in lips from hanging on a scale, scales missing from the fish flopping off the scale hook, yadda. I really like mounts with all perfect fishy parts.

Everyone's got a tape measure it seems - so that's why I like length as quickest/easiest field guide.

 

[KDM]

Bullhead: 15 inches
Redhorse Sucker: 20 inches
Common Carp: 36 inches
White Sucker: 24 inches
Buffalo Carp: 36 inches
Mud Cat: 10 inches
Goldeye: 21 inches
Drum: 25 inches
Ellpout: 37 inches
Bowfin/Dogfish: 37 inches

That about rounds out my list.

 

[guywhofishes]

and yes - my 13" was a mistake for gills - 12" seems more suited.

This was caught by a young man in my boat last year.

 

[Bed Wetter]

Bullhead: 15 inches
Redhorse Sucker: 20 inches
Common Carp: 36 inches
White Sucker: 24 inches
Buffalo Carp: 36 inches
Mud Cat: 10 inches
Goldeye: 21 inches
Drum: 25 inches
Ellpout: 37 inches
Bowfin/Dogfish: 37 inches

That about rounds out my list.

Well if we're going that route, let's not forget red-eared sliders, Snapping turtles, salamanders, and mud puppies.

 

[wildeyes]

for me walleye over 32", Northern 46" . largemouth 23" Smallmouth 22" Crappie 16" Perch 15" Salmon would have to be over 15lbs Trout over 7lbs. to tell you the truth a picture and let them go. Been doing that for so long already that works for me. Now if state record hell yea on the wall.