Question for any taxidermy experts

[FishFinder97]

Around 6 or 7 years ago I caught a nice 20 inch smallmouth that I had planned to have mounted. Immedietly after catching it I took it to the house and wrapped it in a wet towel, then covered it with foil and froze it. The life happened and I didn’t have the money for it. Question is, it is still in the freezer, never thawed or moved, what are the chances it is still able to be stuffed?

 

[guywhofishes]

Around 6 or 7 years ago I caught a nice 20 inch smallmouth that I had planned to have mounted. Immedietly after catching it I took it to the house and wrapped it in a wet towel, then covered it with foil and froze it. The life happened and I didn’t have the money for it. Question is, it is still in the freezer, never thawed or moved, what are the chances it is still able to be stuffed?

MSA told me frozen fish last almost indefinitely

for taxidermy - not the table - ha ha

 

[FishFinder97]

Well maybe there is hope for it after all. Yeah Guy, don’t think I’d thaw it out and fillet it haha

 

[nxtgeneration]

Wayne Zespy told me that he had forgotten to get a mount ready for a show one year so he dug out a walleye that had been in the bottom of his freezer for 8-10 years. He won the walleye category that year with it so I'd assume another 10 years couldn't hurt to bad

 

[shorthairman]

I dabble in fish taxidermy, and while I have never personally attempted to mount a fish that was that old, I have heard of guys mounting fish that were 15-20 years old. Take it to your taxidermist (I would go with and experienced taxidermist) and tell him the deal, you are out nothing if he calls and says it freezer dried too much and he can't do anything with it. As it is it is in a towel in your freezer...

 

[MSA]

It's fine, I'd worry about a trout or crappie maybe, but not a bass. Walleyes, perch, pike, n bass all do fine if freezer burnt. Only trouble I had was on a really freezer burnt perch that lost some scales, but not sure if that was from freezer burn or if the fish got a bit funky before freezing.

 

[Bowhunter_24]

Wayne Zespy told me that he had forgotten to get a mount ready for a show one year so he dug out a walleye that had been in the bottom of his freezer for 8-10 years. He won the walleye category that year with it so I'd assume another 10 years couldn't hurt to bad

Thats just normal turn around time for him...

 

[FishFinder97]

Thanks guys, I’ll see what the taxidermist says