The only trout replica we have in our house commemorates an 18” cutthroat that I caught on our 10th anniversary trip to Montana. I often think we should get another – the 31” brown trout that Hanna caught through the ice in Milwaukee. Not only was it a truly gorgeous trophy fish, but there’s a more than even chance it’ll be the only time we go ice fishing in our lifetimes.
If we were to get a reproduction made, I’d like it to somehow show that we pulled the big sucker through a hole over the lake. That’s a big part of what made it special. Fortunately, there are lots of taxidermists who create such scenes.
Advanced Taxidermy in Ontario (where, not surprisingly, there’s lots of ice) has done six of our eight wall hanging fish. They’re masters of the ice scene, particularly on coffee tables, as seen below:
If you’re looking for other icy inspiration, here are some additional examples:
For many of us, the Improved Clinch Knot was the first one we learned. Some of us still use it. It may not test stronger than some other, but it’s remarkably easy to tie correctly. You can improve your chances of landing big fish to the boat with the Double Clinch Knot.