Kenna Mac holds aloft one of Trevor Lumbs fiberglass cod mounts

So, you’ve bagged that fish of a lifetime. If you are like a growing proportion of today’s anglers, you may want to release it. Problem being, you would also like a lasting memory of your monumental capture. You could of course take a photo. Or another option might be, to have it professionally mounted by a taxidermist. Hung above the fireplace in its entire splendor, it would then be a constant reminder to everyone, yourself included of just how clever you really are. This is where things get a little confusing. In order to get a fish mounted for the wall don’t you have to first kill it? The answer to this question is no. Trevor Lumb, a taxidermist based in East Geelong specializes in both skin and fiberglass fish mounts. Skin mounts of course require the fish to be dead, fiberglass ones however, don’t.

Trevor has a number of moulds made of various fish species in different weight ranges. In the case of Murray cod, these vary from 10lb, right through to a respectable 85lb specimen. Fiberglass mounts look as good, if not better than those made out of a skin, with the added bonus of lasting indefinitely. This of course can be very handy, especially if you have grandchildren who think they can fish a bit. It can be handed down as a constant reminder of who the real angler was.

Trevor is a perfectionist when it comes to attention to detail. Every fish is cast and finished as though it were to hang on his own living room wall. In an age of the quick buck, it’s refreshing to find an artisan that’s more concerned about what he makes, than how much. Trevor says that the cost of a fiberglass mount is very similar to that of a skin one. I have viewed a number of different fish Trevor has done and they are all spot on, right down to the last scale.
     
All that Trevor requires to go about his business is a guestimated weight of the fish. If you would like to send a photo that’s up to you, but it is not a necessity. Even if you caught the fish a few years back, it’s never too late to have it done. If you are lucky enough to catch that big one this season, give the fiberglass option some serious thought, it offers the best of both worlds. You get to hang your trophy fish on the wall while the real fish has a chance to thrill anglers for years to come.

Contact Trevor Lumbs Geelong fish taxidermy on 0352222925.

Bardie moths have been described as mice with wings and are a top water treat for Murray cod.

With the recent rains comes a flying barrage of cod candy on wings and it marks the start of some great top water action for Murray cod and the occasional golden perch. On those still balmy nights that often accompany these hatches, anglers fishing surface lures are treated to heart in your mouth, full blown visual strikes. Hook-ups rates with surface lures are not that great but the guns will tell you they can be improved by throwing the rod forward to create slack on the strike. Sounds great in theory and may well be easy during the evening light where strikes are visual and fish are often smaller. Imagine if you will staring into the inky darkness, the only sounds are the relentless plop- plop- plop of the lure as it slowly makes its way towards your feet. Mosquitoes buzz and dance around your ears in search of an easy meal, small in size they are big enough to be annoying. In the distance the lowly call of mo-poke cuts the air; all the while your lure slowly works its way across the surface. You pause one last time as the silhouette of the lure is just meters from the rod tip. For a brief moment all seems calm and then from nowhere, a loud detonation that leaves a hole the size of a bucket implodes beneath the lure. The massive force of the strike displaces enough water to shower you from head to toe in the coolness of the night. I’m not sure about you, but the last thing on my mind is to throw the rod forward. In fact it’s quite the opposite; chances are your rod is hanging precariously from a nearby tree where it was frightened from your grip. It’s about now you begin to wonder whether there is still a spare roll of crap paper under the seat of the ute.
Over the past few weeks surface lures have been working well and they should continue to do so for a while yet. A few good ones to have in the mix might include Bassman Buzzbaits, Muldoon’s big willy popper the Koolubung Codwalker, Mudeyes depth charge and the Halco night walker.