Thanks to Rick Lax!!
VMS
Posted 1/17/2015 5:22 PM (#749051)
Subject: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 3480


Location: Elk River, Minnesota
Hi everyone,

Just wanted to publicly thank Rick Lax for his stellar work!! This fish was caught in July of 2012, measurements of 51 x 21 from lake of the woods. Only took me 33 years to break the 50 mark, but the wait, the work, and the helpful knowledge of many from this board all helped make this day possible!





Edited by VMS 1/17/2015 5:35 PM



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Attachments IMG_0241.jpg (161KB - 1004 downloads)
Attachments IMG_0242.jpg (142KB - 919 downloads)
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Attachments IMG_0244.jpg (156KB - 712 downloads)
fishhawk50
Posted 1/17/2015 5:55 PM (#749054 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!




Posts: 1416


Location: oconomowoc, wi
that is a beautiful fish!
Jeremy
Posted 1/17/2015 5:57 PM (#749055 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: RE: Thanks to Rick Lax!!




Posts: 1144


Location: Minnesota.
Wow Steve, what a cool mount!! Stellar, especially with that "attitude" poise/curve of the fish. I like it.

And more notably, congrats. on such a fine critter. Almost makes all those casts/work/backaches/sighs/cusswords worthwhile "don't it, eh."..........*grins*

Nice going. Hope you have a few more in many less casts now that you've broken the ice.

Jeremy.
dfkiii
Posted 1/17/2015 6:39 PM (#749063 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Location: Sawyer County, WI
Beautiful !
Kirby Budrow
Posted 1/17/2015 6:40 PM (#749064 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 2325


Location: Chisholm, MN
Beautiful replica! I'd be proud of that one!
Lucky Craft Man
Posted 1/17/2015 6:54 PM (#749066 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!




Posts: 242


Great Replica!!

Would you mind posting a picture of the actual fish? I like to see how close these companies are able to match their replicas. Thanks.
VMS
Posted 1/17/2015 7:26 PM (#749067 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 3480


Location: Elk River, Minnesota
Here is the original fish...

I didn't expect the markings to be on, but the size is spot on.

Edited by VMS 1/17/2015 7:31 PM



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Attachments
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Attachments fish 2.jpg (92KB - 446 downloads)
Attachments fish 1.jpg (91KB - 435 downloads)
Attachments release 1.jpg (115KB - 446 downloads)
Attachments release 2.jpg (102KB - 452 downloads)
Attachments release 3.jpg (88KB - 428 downloads)
Cody
Posted 1/17/2015 7:41 PM (#749071 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!




Posts: 358


VMS, Congrats !! Sweet mount, really nice work by Rick Lax. A work of pure art. Thanks for sharing too. Many more for you too.
polarkraftdave
Posted 1/17/2015 8:31 PM (#749078 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!




Posts: 256


Location: Valpo IN
Very nice - great looking fish
Pointerpride102
Posted 1/17/2015 8:34 PM (#749079 - in reply to #749078)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 16632


Location: The desert
Great replica.
MD75
Posted 1/17/2015 8:44 PM (#749084 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 682


Location: Sycamore, IL
Very nice! Love the mount...
lund guy
Posted 1/17/2015 9:04 PM (#749085 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!




Posts: 153


im going to school for taxidermy I have done both fish and game heads and fish by far are my favorite to do im getting into doing it because I hope to one day quit my job and do both guiding and taxidermy full time im going to be starting my business this spring im naming it catching and preserving memories guide service and taxidermy studio I want to specialize in fish I enjoy doing taxidermy because I am preserving someone's memory sometimes even mine beautiful mount I love walking by the lax and fittant booth at the musky show and looking at their beautiful work
Bill Schwartz
Posted 1/18/2015 6:40 AM (#749097 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: RE: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 109


Location: Pewaukee, WI
Great fish and a great looking mount but don't retire the bait! If that was the bait that caught the fish, it will catch others as well (and hopefully big ones!). Buy a new bait for the show case and keep the original one in the water!

Good job!
Yooper Padre
Posted 1/18/2015 7:03 AM (#749098 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 337


Location: Watersmeet, Michigan
Congratulations on a great catch and a beautiful mount!

Fr. K
ToddM
Posted 1/18/2015 7:43 AM (#749101 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 20219


Location: oswego, il
That is a great looking mount. Agree with what bill said, use the proven bait!

I did not know you have been "relevant" for almost 2.5 years now. Going to have to go back and make sure I have read every one of your posts in that timeframe. You need to let us know this stuff!:-)
VMS
Posted 1/18/2015 7:53 AM (#749103 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 3480


Location: Elk River, Minnesota
The bait will stay retired my friends. That was the plan from day 1...whatever bait caught the first fish over 50", it would be retired at the end of the trip. That bait went back to back on the same structure, just on the opposite side. It put a 50 in the boat the next day as well.

Totally happy with retiring the bait. I'd hate to break or lose the bait someday. A replacement was purchased about 3 days after that trip.

Steve
Clammer
Posted 1/18/2015 9:48 AM (#749120 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!




Posts: 667


Location: Wisconsin
Steve that is awesome. Beautiful replica. I love all the pics from what must have been a spectacular day. The last shot with her in the water, what a sweet shot.
Eaglescout2012
Posted 1/18/2015 9:52 AM (#749125 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: RE: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 369


Now that's a stunning display! Are you using that as a table? Congratulations on your first 50 too!
Tackle Industries
Posted 1/18/2015 10:04 AM (#749128 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 4053


Location: Land of the Musky
Thats a real nice setup. Very good.
muskyrat
Posted 1/18/2015 10:17 AM (#749130 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!




Posts: 455


Good idea getting a replica. Now you will get 54" next year for sure.
mnmusky
Posted 1/18/2015 10:20 AM (#749131 - in reply to #749130)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!




muskyrat - 1/18/2015 10:17 AM

Good idea getting a replica. Now you will get 54" next year for sure.


Yep! maybe that nice case is stackable so you can have floor to ceiling case mounts.
Masqui-ninja
Posted 1/18/2015 10:35 AM (#749134 - in reply to #749131)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 1247


Location: Walker, MN
Very cool!
brianT
Posted 1/18/2015 3:25 PM (#749200 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 427


Location: Planet Meltdown
Awesome replica. I love that coffee table design. Congrats on the fish and the replica!

Did Rick do the display case as well?

Edited by brianT 1/18/2015 3:28 PM
VMS
Posted 1/18/2015 6:30 PM (#749282 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 3480


Location: Elk River, Minnesota
I believe Rick had a different designer build the case. If I had the right tools, the case would not be very hard...

We have yet to put anything on the case but I am sure as time goes on, we will find something to put on there...
achotrod
Posted 1/18/2015 7:07 PM (#749300 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 1283


Thats an awesome fish and mount!
MstrMusky
Posted 1/19/2015 8:39 PM (#749469 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!




Posts: 156


Awesome replica. I had Rick do my 51", and I agree the markings wound up spot on. I'm gonna get one of those dual sided table mounts one of these times. I guess I'm saving it for my 55"...don't I wish.
Grass
Posted 1/21/2015 12:44 PM (#749718 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!




Posts: 620


Location: Seymour, WI
Well deserved!
MuskieMike
Posted 1/24/2015 1:08 PM (#750157 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: RE: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Location: Des Moines IA

The mount looks great. If and when I ever break the 50 mark, I will have pretty much the same thing reproduced by Lax, except I want the "case" to be coffee table sized!

 

Paintguy
Posted 1/24/2015 1:24 PM (#750160 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!





Posts: 14


That looks great! Waiting to get mine back as we speak. Love the whole display.
Jeremy
Posted 1/24/2015 5:10 PM (#750190 - in reply to #749051)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Rick Lax!!




Posts: 1144


Location: Minnesota.
Funny how even a good picture just doesn't seem to do justice to the actual fish isn't it. No matter how good a shot a guy gets, holding a fish like that, the size of the head etc. it just doesn't compare to the actual.

And we all know that but it's all a guy can do. I'd hate to get a real trophy and be solo in my boat...

Jeremy.