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Posts: 32877
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I got a price from Joe at $875 for the big girl I got on Wabigoon about 9 years ago. That is petty good for a custom replica, and Sue gave me the green light. It comes down between a choice of either that fish replica which I DO want, or a new fireplace insert. What to do? |
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Posts: 1046
| You know us aging people must stay warm! Just seems a little excessive for the fish. I do know it will look awesome though! Good luck with your choice! |
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Posts: 1769
Location: Algonquin, ILL | Steve; I'm a bit confused your wife gave YOU a Fitantte replica for HER Birthday??? How in the HE## did you pull that one off. You will not be disapointed with Joe's work I normally try avoid endorsing any product but Joe's Replica's are the best period.
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Posts: 802
| lee tauchen finally ordered a replica of his beast this weekend, from fittante also. can't wait to see that one as well as steve's pig-o-saurus!
steve
Edited by esox69 1/11/2004 11:52 AM
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Posts: 1430
Location: Eastern Ontario | Steve I am having a custom mount done of my 55 x 26 inch pig from '99 by Douglas taxidermi ( Fins who post here on ocasion ) and the price is going to be around the same or around $15 an inch. You may pay a little more but you do get a one of a kind mount and I can't wait to get mine.  |
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Posts: 544
Location: Alsip, Il | Put on another pair of long underware. I am right now looking at two regular mounts my dad's 32 lber. and my 38 lber., we got in the late eighties I believe the last two fish we kept, Joe's work is excellent and he has my endorsement. Al
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Posts: 1023
Location: Lafayette, IN | One word, Steve.......DUH! |
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Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | Knowing you two newlyweds as I do, there is more than enough warmth to keep the two of you warm through an entire ice age, without the fireplace or a furnace!
Therefore, it is time to call Mr. Fittante!
Edited by Steve Van Lieshout 1/12/2004 7:34 AM
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | After looking at Joee's booth over the weekend I can't believe your even debating. Man he does some awesome work! |
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Posts: 1769
Location: Algonquin, ILL | Steve: And your decision is????
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Posts: 1438
| You can't get anything more out of a fireplace insert that you can't get out of an extra sweatshirt and a fifth of Korbel. But, just think of all the memories that the mount will bring you. EASY decision.
Scott |
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Posts: 743
| $875...?? are you getting a 66 incher done? even minus $50 for driftwood...did you get a 60 plus incher, steve? if so...HOLY COW.
tomcat |
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Posts: 341
| Joe's work is awesome if your willing to pay 30% higher costs then every one else. I just got a 50 done by lax for 650.00 w driftwood...works for me but if I wanted anything more realistic I would have killed the s.o.b.
My Question, why is salt water fish so much cheaper then midwest musky replica's? My 63" tarpon replica was 495.00 and looks stellar??
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Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | Great question Muskycore!
I don't want to say that the muskie was big BUT, the extra cost is probably to get the moose calf mounted that the muskie took as bait!
Edited by Steve Van Lieshout 1/13/2004 5:24 PM
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Posts: 1769
Location: Algonquin, ILL | My Son in law just had a 48 inch Barracuda mounted for under $400.00 when I asked him how he got it so cheap he said that when he went to the Taxidermist that most folks in S. Florida use it was like a taxidermy factory the fish are worked on in an assembly line fashion one line for Cuda's, one line for Snapper's etc. whereas our precious Muskies are worked on one at a time by hand.
Fittante charges $12.50 per inch, I beleive this is the same as Lax but Steve did mention that this would be a "CUSTOM" mount so either his Goon fish is a super pig or the "CUSTOM" mount is just that a mount that is not your standard pose.
So Steve give up the dirt what is it the suspense is killing us
Edited by JohnMD 1/14/2004 7:51 AM
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Posts: 148
Location: DES MOINES, IOWA | Now, that,s funny.I will never be drinking hot coffee again, when I am reading these posts.I spilled where you don,t want to spill hot liquids.Thanks, Steve. |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | Just a question while we are on the topic. If I were to get a replica done, how good are they at estimating the girth on the fish. I have some pretty good pics of a couple that I caught, but I don't have the girth, as it can be tough to get when fishing alone. Would they be able to look at the pic and say, "Hmmm, looks like a 25" girth to me, what do you think Roy?"
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Posts: 1769
Location: Algonquin, ILL | Hi Joel, Both Lax and Fittante see so many fish they are able to get real close to girth just by looking at a pic. I guess it's just one of those things that if you do it every day you just know
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | Joel,
I was talking to Joe on just that subject this weekend. He was quite confident that a length measurement and a good pic or two was all he needed to get the job done. |
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Posts: 202
Location: Angola, IN | The reality is, a replica is just a replica. These guys, like Joe F. or R. Lax, are there to make money. If you catch a 51 X 20 musky and tell Joe that it measured 54" and that you want a 24" girth on it, then he'll make you one that big....no questions asked. That's why replica's are so subjective. They want happy clients...so they'll make your fish as big as you want it. Joe and I laughed at the number of world class fish that people has for replica's. Yes, some of them are for tavern owners who want to put a huge fish over their bar, but a majority of them are guy who catch a 25-28 pound fish, who want it to be a 40 pounder....or even bigger. |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | Hmmm, so the 48 I got, I estimated the weight at about 52 pounds.  Just kidding. I wouldn't even be able to look at the fish and beilieve I caught one like that. The reason I was wondering, is that I was looking at some of the mounts, and they looked really nice. I got 2 this year that would look pretty nice on the wall for starter collection fish.
Thanks for the input guys!!! |
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Posts: 1430
Location: Eastern Ontario | Here is my answer at to the why a custom mount. If you need a 48 to 52 inch muskie with a 20-24 inch girth I am sure most taxidermist have the molds in stock and already paid for. But if you are looking at getting a super fish done like Steve's or mine the taxidermist will have to go out and find a mold big enough as well as maybe having to ad an inch here or there. There just isn't that many 50+ pounders caught period ( you need a real fish to make the molds in the first place ). As well this is going to be a one of a kind fish, I am sure guys busy like Lax put out a few dozen 50 x 20 every single year. I don't know why anyone would want to get a mount of a fish he never caught, he's just cheeting himself. No way anyone should kill a fish just so that everyone will believe him LOL thats as bad as getting a bigger replica. |
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Posts: 4266
| Since you live in northern Wisconsin, I would put more value on heat then on wall decorations. Get a huge reprint of the picture on your business card and get it framed. It's amazing what they can do with photos nowdays. A picture still tells the story, but a fireplace keeps you alive.
I'd go with the new insert and throw another log on the fire. How many months out of the year do you use your fireplace? 9 or 10 I bet.
Go with the fireplace, then build a fire and you and I can sit in front of it and you can tell me the story about how you caught that pig again.
Beav |
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Posts: 32877
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Beav, you make extremely good sense. Fireplace insert it is, at least this year. I have the pictures, and will get the replica this fall or early winter, I suppose! |
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| Steve: Post a pic so we can see the beast |
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Posts: 202
Location: Angola, IN | Sworrall, That's a good sized fish. How big did you get the mount made??
Edited by Phishin 1/15/2004 2:20 PM
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Posts: 2089
| If I remember right, the fish was 56". I would imagine that the mount(replica) would be 56" also. Steve |
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Posts: 7037
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Actually I think the fish was 57.5". I might not have put the right fish pic up there. Steve is attending to some business today and not online, I dont believe, I'm sure he'll clear this up later. |
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Posts: 4266
| You're right Slamr. It's either 57 or 57 1/2.
Just ask him for a business card and you get a picture to keep.
Beav |
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| Duh_____________maybe the same size of the fish??? |
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Posts: 938
Location: NeverNever Lake | Wow, now that sir is a dandy fish for sure. |
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Posts: 32877
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Phishin, Read my post again, I opted for the fireplace this year. Next fall, maybe. Here is a clearer picture of the fish. By the way, I really don't much care what you think of the fish. I didn't release a thing about the fish for a couple years because I didn't really care what anyone else thought, and was pretty sure I didn't need the inevitable grief from people like you. I was fishing with my son, Keith, who measured the fish with the straight line 60" stick you can see in the picture best as he could without laying the fish on the floor. He cut line for three girth measurements, and helped me release the fish. We caught and released a 49 the same day. By the way, I also had a well respected Graphics and Photo lab confirm the fish is exactly what Keith was sure he measured. Here is a link to a fish my friend, Jack, Keith, and I got the following year on the Goon. She was shorter than mine, but a pig none the less.The perspective of the photo is everything! http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=38¤tpos=3 The last photo is a fish from 2003 that was about 5" shorter. If Keith had had the same camera in 1995, that Goon fish picture would have been alot more impressive, as if that matters. I have some great photos and even greater memories of this fish and the experience with my son. Someday, I will have a replica, too. Thanks for all the kind words; they will be remembered.
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Posts: 429
| Here's my favorite shot of it, look at the girth through the tail...
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| Steve,
Great fish and take your time to get a great looking replica. Be sure to get the girth right from head to tail because it was such a girthy fish. I have driven by the Goon many years on my way to Lac Seul, and now I really need to start fishing it!
Steve |
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Posts: 32877
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | A friend of mine, Tim McCormick, does just that. He fishes the Goon Muskies for a few days and then heads for Lac Seul, moslty for the 'eyes. He seems to really like both bodies of water. |
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Posts: 2091
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Steve,
I think you made a good choice on the replica next year, you have to keep the Mrs. warm first. |
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