Release or mount: When do you say,ok,I should release this fish but I should mount it for my wall. Is there a weight that would sway you?

Mister twister Loc: Foxworth,Ms.

When do you say,ok,I should release this fish but I should mount it for my wall. Is there a weight that would sway you?

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Mister twister wrote:

When do you say,ok,I should release this fish but I should mount it for my wall. Is there a weight that would sway you?

Sorry, not the mount kinda guy. I've just now started takin photos of my fish for y'all. I would think it would haft to be a PB for it to be considered. Can't you take measurements and pics. of it and get a mount that way? IDK, like I said I'm not that guy.

Mister twister Loc: Foxworth,Ms.

Like you say they can make a fake fish for your wall and give you the meat back to eat. I don’t have a problem with that. Thing is , when do you say, I’m gonna display this one. What weight would it take?

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Mister twister wrote:

Like you say they can make a fake fish for your wall and give you the meat back to eat. I don’t have a problem with that. Thing is , when do you say, I’m gonna display this one. What weight would it take?

For LB bass it would be a double digit fish for sure.

Mister twister Loc: Foxworth,Ms.

I agree 100% I would have to think really hard on a 13 to 16 pound release. That problem hasn’t arisen yet. 14# would be my keeper I think.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Mister twister wrote:

I agree 100% I would have to think really hard on a 13 to 16 pound release. That problem hasn’t arisen yet. 14# would be my keeper I think.

For those that wanted a mount, that would be a good one for sure.

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

I'm not that guy either. Take as good a photo as possible, mount that on the wall. I've always heard the bigger fish are the breeders. Let em make some more fish. If I need a few to eat, harvest the smaller ones. That's just me. I don't begrudge anyone their fish, long as it's legal.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Spiritof27 wrote:

I'm not that guy either. Take as good a photo as possible, mount that on the wall. I've always heard the bigger fish are the breeders. Let em make some more fish. If I need a few to eat, harvest the smaller ones. That's just me. I don't begrudge anyone their fish, long as it's legal.

I'm with ya Spirit.

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

I have a 31" walleye mounted in a case in the family room downstairs under the wall-mounted TV. It had to be over 30" in my book to be a mount. When I brought it home, I said to the Queen, "I have a fish for the wall" and she said, "Not my wall you don't", so, the case. It cost the same to mount the fish as it did to build the case in which to put it in, A $1000.00, not counting the trip to Canada to catch it. It's well worth it though.

Spirit, I have heard the very mature walleyes do not produce as many eggs as the smaller 20" walleye do. Thus, the reason for the slot limit. The slot limit varies a great deal from body of water to body of water. In some bodies of water, you have to be a lawyer to figure out what fish you may or may not keep.

Doug Lemmon Loc: Rochester Mills, PA

Spiritof27 wrote:

I'm not that guy either. Take as good a photo as possible, mount that on the wall. I've always heard the bigger fish are the breeders. Let em make some more fish. If I need a few to eat, harvest the smaller ones. That's just me. I don't begrudge anyone their fish, long as it's legal.

That thought .... that the bigger females are the best breeders (at least in the Walleye world) has been proven incorrect. At this years Charter Boat Assn seminar, a biologist with the PFBC compared the older female fish with older human females. Even though they may be full of eggs, most are not viable for reproduction. Hence the younger females are more successful reproducing. With that said, If you want to keep that big ole fish for the wall, its your choice. Doesn't hurt the fisheries at all.

Billy Bob Loc: Terre Haute,IN

Get some good photos. Take measurements. (Width and girth) release and get a fiberglass replica. I have one and you can't tell from real mount and this old girl is still swimming as far as I know.

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

Wouldn't matter to me how big it was, the only wall it would hang on on my wife's house would be the doghouse.😊😊

Billy Bob Loc: Terre Haute,IN

LOL Hey Flytier don't you help with house payments. Surly some of those walls would be yours as well. Now mind you not trying to start any trouble with you and the misses.

MuskyHunter Loc: Torrington, CT

flyguy wrote:

I have a 31" walleye mounted in a case in the... (show quote)

You’re a little wrong here. The bigger the fish, the greater the number of eggs. A 20 inch walleye produces about 50,000 eggs. A 24 inch walleye close to 500,000. I know multiple fisheries biologists. One, from Michigan, manages spawn collections the spring and he told me the biggest, oldest fish produce the best eggs for survival of the young as they have larger yolks. In addition they have proven genetics to grow large, hence these fish are best to release (for the health of the fishery). Fish are not like people. They do not lose their fertility as they age.

I talked to a professor at the University of Minnesota and he told me essentially the same thing. Slot limits are for social reasons and political reasons. Nobody wants to say you can’t keep a trophy. The same fisheries biologists would like to see an end to the ‘one over’ regulations.

Joe Beaderman Loc: Adams Nebraska

If you quickly take accurate measurements then a good taxidermist can replicate your catch and you can release the fish, also a couple of pictures always helps. Gives some one else a chance to catch a large fish. Only way I'd keep and mount a large fish is if I knew it wouldn't survive after catching it.