Over the years I have had three bass mounted.  I got a mount of my first 8 pounder, a fish I caught in a tournament and tried to let go.  When it turned belly up I brought it home and sent it to the taxidermists.  That was back in the late 1970s and live wells were not as good back then.  

In 1988 I caught two big bass in a two day tournament and they also died before I could let them go. I have the 8 pound 11 ounce bass I caught on Saturday and the 9 pound, 5 ounce bass I caught on Sunday mounted facing each other. They make pretty mounts but I wish they had lived. I am not sure why these fish died, I had a good live well and did what I could to protect them.

In the mid 1990s I landed a 9 pound 7 ounce bass, my biggest ever.  It was in a club tournament and I was able to let this one go. I did not get a picture or measurement of it, just its weight, since I was trying to get her back into the water.

I have often regretted not taking a picture of that fish so I could have a replica made. When I check on replicas they were too expensive for my budget, so I never did anything about it.

When I noticed the ad here for "Great Fish Reproduction Studio-Fish Replicas" I called and they were very helpful.  We came up with a length and girth for the fish based on my memories of it, and also the colors it should be.  If you catch a fish you want to let go but also want something to remember it by, be sure to measure it both length and girth and get a picture. 

The replica I ordered is costing me less than $300, not much more than a mount. I think it is the way to go, especially with fish like bass. Consider it.