Fish Mounts: Skin Mounts and Reproductions
Walleye, bass, salmon, perch, muskie. Skin mounts of your actual fish, or a painted reproduction from a photo and measurements.
Southeast Wisconsin and northern Illinois are fish country. Lake Michigan salmon and trout, Geneva Lake walleye, Chain O'Lakes muskie, and ice-fishing perch and walleye all come through the shop. Craig mounts each one with paint work matched to a photo of the fish the day you caught it.
A skin mount uses the real fish. The skin is preserved, fitted to a form, and painted to bring the color back. A reproduction is a cast of a fish the same size and species, painted to match yours. Reproductions let you release the fish and still have the mount, and they hold their color longer.
Bases range from a simple driftwood mount to a full habitat scene or an ice-fishing diorama with rod and hole. Multi-fish stringers and trios work well for perch and bluegill.
When This Is the Right Mount
- A Lake Michigan king, coho, steelhead, or lake trout from a Kenosha or Racine charter.
- A walleye, bass, or pike from Geneva Lake, the Chain O'Lakes, or an inland lake.
- A fish you released: bring the length, girth, and a good photo for a reproduction.
- A trophy perch or bluegill catch you want as a multi-mount display.
How It Works
- 1
Freeze it right
Wrap the fish in a wet towel, lay it flat in a plastic bag, and freeze it. Do not gut it. Keep the fins flat against the body so they do not break.
- 2
Bring a photo
Take a color photo of the fish as soon as it comes out of the water. Colors fade fast. That photo is what Craig paints from.
- 3
Skin mount or reproduction
At drop-off we go over which option fits the fish and the display, then choose a base: driftwood, habitat, diorama, or wall plaque.
- 4
Mount, paint, pickup
Forming, fin work, and layered paint to match your photo. Craig calls when the fish is ready.
Field Care Before Drop-Off
- Photograph the fish right away, both sides, in natural light.
- Do not gut or fillet it. Keep the fish whole.
- Wet towel, flat in a bag, freezer. Avoid freezer burn by getting the air out.
- For a reproduction, measure length and girth before you release it.
Questions from the field? Call 262.818.9491 before you cut.
Pricing and Turnaround
Every animal is different, so Craig quotes each mount after inspecting it at drop-off. Hide condition, size, pose, and base all change the work. Call the shop for a quote or bring the animal in.
A 50% deposit holds your place in the queue. Cash or check only. The shop works first-in, first-out and does not offer rush service. You get a specific completion month before you leave, and a call when the mount is ready.
Full policies are on the pricing and policies section of the homepage.
Fish Mounts From the Shop
Real mounts by Craig Reindl, photographed in the Kenosha shop.
Bring It to the Bench
Call the shop to talk through the animal, the pose, and a completion month. Craig answers the phone himself.
Call 262.818.94911422 72nd Street, Kenosha, WI 53143. Weekdays 8 to 5, Saturday 8 to noon. Cash or check. 50% deposit.