First Aid to Trophies of the Rod 
How to Care for Fish That They May Be in 
Good Condition for Subsequent Mounting 

ANAL OPENING 
Fig. 1 
HAT a beauty! He’ll go five 
pounds if an ounce, and he 
surely was a scrapper. Hold 
on there, don’t go at him like that with 
your knife. You’ll ruin him. That fish 
is worth mounting, and if you cut it 
open in the usual way it will not be 
so easy for the taxidermist to make a 
perfect specimen of it. 
Let’s look him over first, to see 
which side is the best, paying special 
attention to scars, split fins, etc., then 
laying him on the good side proceed 
to make an opening cut, from 
the gill to a point even with the 
anal opening well up on the 
side (figure 1), in fact about 
half way from belly to back, 
and remove entrails and blood 
and wash thoroughly so as to 
take away all slime from the 
head and gills. 
Next wrap a damp cloth 
around the fish to keep it ‘from 
drying out and also to retain 
as much color as possible, not 
that the taxidermist can pre- 
serve that color, but rather to 
help him when he does the re- 
coloring which is always necessary in 
mounting fish. 
Now forget the rest of the day’s fish- 
ing if possible, especially if the weather 
is warm, and devote your energies to 
getting your prize to the taxidermist, 
because if you don’t you will surely re- 
gret it. 
[* isn’t every day that you can land 
a five pound bass, or trout, or even 
one of two, three, or four pounds, and 
such events are always milestones in 
your angling career. If possible, take 
your fish to the taxidermist personally 
and you can then explain just how you 
want it mounted. 
If it is necessary to ship your trophy, 
and it will not be on the road more 
than twenty-four to thirty-six hours, 
By HARRY A. MOORMAN 
be certain that you take such necessary 
precautions as will insure its safe ar- 
rival. To pack it securely make a 
wooden box large enough to accommo- 
date the length of your fish and large 
enough around to take a considerable 
amount of damp sawdust and cracked 
ice, about twice as much ice as the 
weight of your fish; next line your box 
with several sheets of paper, news- 
paper will do, then a layer of sawdust, 
then cracked ice and sawdust mixed till 
the box is about a third full, then take 
FULT 
Many fine trophies are ruined by faulty 
methods of preparation in the field, im- 
proper packing and delay in transit. 
Moorman is unusually successful with fish 
mounting and the information contained in 
his article will prove useful to those who 
contemplate saving their large specimens. 
TIT ALA 
your fish which is still wrapped in the 
damp cloth and which should have been 
thoroughly chilled on ice during the 
making ready of the box, and wrap in 
several thicknesses of paper and place 
in the box; now fill the box with the 
cracked ice and sawdust, cover with 
more paper and nail on the cover. Ad- 
dress plainly, mark “Rush Perishable” 
and turn over to the-express company 
to forward prepaid to a reliable tax- 
idermist. By reliable I mean one 
whom you know does good work on fish. 
You see we are not all blessed with 
the same facilities and one taxidermist 
makes a specialty of fish, while an- 
other’s forte -is head mounting, and 
only once in a while do you find one 
who does equally well in all branches 
of the art. Of course the larger estab- 
Mr. 

lishments usually employ experts for 
each line of work. In addressing the 
box it is a good idea to use an envelope 
of durable material, into which you can 
put a sheet of paper upon which you 
have written your mounting instruc- 
tions, and tack this onto the box. 
But do not let that suffice; immedi- 
ately send off a letter of instruc- 
tions also so in case those on the box 
are lost, the taxidermist will- have 
something to go by, otherwise he must 
use his own judgment. Fish 
must be taken care of as ‘soon 
as possible after the taxidermist 
receives them, and his mounting 
process may depend upon the 
knowledge of the manner in 
which you wish them mounted. 
You see, in most cases he will 
make a plaster mould of your 
fish before it is skinned. 
Perhaps you are thinking of 
how fine that fish would taste 
and that you guess you will do 
the skinning yourself, enjoy the 
feast and trust the taxidermist 
to reproduce your specimen as it 
was in life. Just forego that pleasure 
and remember that if your fish is 
properly mounted it will be “a thing 
of beauty and a joy forever,” but if 
eaten it soon is but a memory. 
But, you say, such instructions are 
all right where one is near enough to 
centers of civilization so that he can 
find first class shipping facilities and 
the taxidermist is not far away. 
5 UPPOSING one desires to leave 
civilization behind and fish those 
famous waters of the out of the way 
places, a thousand or more miles from 
that one taxidermist whom you know 
does just the right kind of fish work 
to suit you? Well, in that case include 
in your camping supplies a_ sufficient 
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