I have to agree with you on this one Rich G. "Save" that fish if it is a"wild native one", but if it's just a record "hatchery fish", well maybe you will still want to just"take that picture" anyway!

I caught a 4lb state record Brook Trout for that year (to long ago to say exactly when) in California. It took both the "Sports Afield" and the "Field & Streams" State Awards for that year, for its size, and its species. It was caught in "the back county lakes" and I packed it out on my 65 lb "back pack" (that was when I was 35 years younger then).

I paid the going price then to have a "skin mounted" fish and it was very costly! Catching a 4lb "Brook trout" in those days, and those "back lake areas", was like catching a 38 lb steelhead here now! It does NOT happen very often.

At that time, it cost me more money to have a skin mount than I will ever tell (that was wife #1). But I still have that same 4lb Brookie hanging on my wall. And other then a little bit of dust, it still looks just as good as the day that I wrapped it up in put it into my backpack.

Now,unless I catch another record class fish, it's going to be the "good old picture" thing from here on out for me. For me personally, it will be either the real thing, or the "real picture"! That special fish was also mounted on a piece of driftwood that I packed out from the same back country lake.

Pictures are so much, much, much, much, much, more cheaper!!! And besides that, you can always have that "mount" made from that same picture.

Cowlitzfisherman

Is the taste of the bait worth the sting of the hook????