Bloated Walleye mounts

Have you guys ever noticed how many skin Walleye mounts, look bloated with exaggerated girths. I don't know if people wanted that look but some look like they have bass like bellys. Some were probally post spawn and thought they should be fattened up. I think they look fake like a different specie.

Despite what you think the skin can not be stretched beyond what it naturally was. If you do the scales pop, It also distorts the fins. Same goes with deer mounts. You cant stretch the skin or the hairs wont lay flat.

When I was 16, caught a fat 27” walleye. The Taxidermist used a smaller form, so It doesn’t look as big as it really was. Taxidermist should mount it as caught. 

I like when the mount comes back looking just like it was when you caught it.  Do they sometimes have huge belly's on them? Yes, sometimes they do and other times its later in the summer or fall and they don't carry near the belly on  them.  I don't like it when the fish is caught looking like a football and after it comes back it looks thin and generic.  The same goes for the color and detail.

JamesD. do you know how much PK's mounted walleye weighed ? My guess is 9.5 lbs. since it was post spawn.

Some of the pre spawn females look bloated, some very bloated!  It makes a 30" walleye look a lot shorter!

Now that is a great looking mount.

My fishing friend is the, self proclaimed,: Perch King!...(PK for short). His walter was a sleek, post spawn fish, not a tadpole with teeth. The mount turned out great.

James, who is PK

I think most of that is a result of how good the taxidermist is.  Do they use the correct form, etc.  Some are great at what they do, others are pretty sketchy.  

I personally do not care for the mounts where the fish are all popped out.  I mean with the fins out and gills flared in an unnatural look.  I like the mounts where the fish appear to be swimming.  Everyone is different though.  Many times guys are proud of their mounts and I look at them and think to myself it looks like crap.  Same probably happens with the ones I think look good....maybe lol.

Talking, big green tadpoles with teeth? There was a cool pic of a huge perch, caught and released, in Green Bay this winter that looked like a soccer ball with fins. PK landed a 30 inch fish near Oconto last spring that he had mounted. It was NOT a fish filled with spawn and, spawned out or not, bigger walleyes are something to be proud of. Hundreds of boats spring fishing the Fox in De Pere  with a size limit set at 28 inches are a testament to that.