vi Preface 



Part of my life's work at the Bingham Oceanographic 

 Laboratory and Peabody Museum at Yale University takes in 

 the planning of exhibits for a fish hall, including field collecting 

 and laboratory preparation. Therefore, I am in a position to 

 witness the great interest shown in fish taxidermy and col- 

 lecting by anglers of all types and ages— boy scouts, camp 

 counselors, students, teachers, commercial taxidermists, and 

 museum workers from around the United States and different 

 parts of the world. During the course of a year, I receive manv 

 enthusiastic inquiries in person, bv mail, or by phone. 



A single attitude is common to all— the prevailing thought 

 that preserving and mounting fish is very difficult. It is not. 

 That is why I have been induced to write this book. Any 

 angler who has the ability to cast a line or wind a reel can pre- 

 serve his prize catch— easily and at negligible cost. No out- 

 standing scientific or artistic ability is required to produce a 

 pleasing, decorative trophy by one of the many methods de- 

 scribed on the following pages— information that is not easily 

 obtainable elsewhere. The fisherman who is miles away from 

 home will find that he can care for his prize fish bv employing 

 a method that requires little time and onlv a small space in his 

 car, with no ice or refrigeration needed! If the angler's wife 

 disapproves of monstrosities on the home walls, her attitude 

 toward fish trophies can be changed dramatically by simply 

 introducing her to a clean-cut plastic mount, without the ugly 

 backboard present on most commercially mounted fish— a 

 trophy with little weight that can be hung easily anywhere to 

 fit in with the house plan or decorations. For those who want 

 even simpler methods, I suggest an outline of the prize catch in 

 wood or mounted on art board. Or the head, tail, or bill of the 

 fish can be dried and preserved. And finally there is always 

 the photograph, where a few practical hints can make all the 

 difference between a stiff, unnatural picture and a pleasing 

 record of a memorable event. 



Boys who have an interest in the out-of-doors are always 

 attempting to form collections, and most of them try a hand at 

 some sort of taxidermy. Parents whose children indicate such 



