# Bear Lake Record CutThroat Taxidermist Needed



## Kokaddict

Sorry for the spam, first post here; however I want to get a mount done of one of the largest cutthroat caught in the last 20+ years on Bear Lake with a hook and line and was looking for the best/most artistic taxidermist around.

Suggestions welcome please.


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## brucifr

by far the best bird and fish guy is Darin Gardner at http://birdfishtaxidermist.com

Skin mounts and reproductions...wins all the comps...very creative with the habitat and bases.


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## swbuckmaster

Photo or it didn't happen!


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## Longgun

Congratulations! 

... here's another plug for Darin aka TEX-O-BOB around here. The man can flat paint a fish. Shoot him a pm.



swbuckmaster said:


> Photo or it didn't happen!


^^what he said^^ its just a fish story w/out pics!


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## Kokaddict

Spoke with Gardner, he no longer does fish and didn't feel doing a fish of this size and uniqueness.

Thanks however...may have a lead for one of the guys that did a few of the Cabelas mounts.

Looks like they'll be putting this up on the wall at the new Sportsmans in Logan when it's done.


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## Kokaddict

As for the 'pic or it didn't happen' comment, it's understandable; however I just want to have it mounted as it's the catch of a lifetime and this thread is intended to secure an excellent taxidermist, not really a 'look at my fish' thread; hope you understand. 

You are welcome to see it of course, there are a couple of pics on the Rocky Mountain Tackle FaceBook site.


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## PBH

Kokaddict said:


> ...the largest cutthroat caught in the last 20+ years on Bear Lake...
> ...Looks like they'll be putting this up on the wall at the new Sportsmans in Logan...
> ...record setting Bear Lake Cutthroat...
> ... this is the catch of a lifetime...


^^^^This. Spammed across multiple sites and forums.

then this:



kokaddict said:


> not really a 'look at my fish' thread; hope you understand...


Sorry. I don't understand. It sure sounds like a bragging thread to me.

so, please, come forth with the largest cutt caught in the last 20 years and show us some pictures of this record breaking fish caught from a lake with no official records that will soon adorn the walls at sportsmans whorehouse because it is a catch of a lifetime...
At least give us some measurements. Then maybe I'll put you on to the best fish artist in the West -- yes, he's in Utah.

(congrats. It must be a great fish. You should be (deservedly) very proud)


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## swbuckmaster

Kokaddict said:


> As for the 'pic or it didn't happen' comment, it's understandable; however I just want to have it mounted as it's the catch of a lifetime and this thread is intended to secure an excellent taxidermist, not really a 'look at my fish' thread; hope you understand.
> 
> You are welcome to see it of course, there are a couple of pics on the Rocky Mountain Tackle FaceBook site.


I don't understand! I want to see it here!


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## Kokaddict

ugh.... fine, here are the details, if I can figure out how to attach a pic, I will add it 

Details:
Species: Bear Lake CutThroat
Length: 35 inches
Girth: 27 inches
Weight: 13 pounds 12.8 ounces


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## Longgun

Seriously, Darin's a nada? 

another would be Scott Humble. Sorry, but i dont have his contact info.


wadaya mean ugh? THATS a fish of several lifetimes...


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## Kokaddict

Thanks, we're still tingling about it...frankly never expected anything of this size and what's more, I wasn't even targeting Cutthroats. Go figure!

So, sorry to have to ask here, but how do I post the pic?


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## Kokaddict

*Pic posted*

There, I think I got a pictures posted on this site's photo album section.


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## Mavis13

Wow nice fish; was the fin clipped? I can't tell because the mountain in the background drowns it out. Just curious if it's a native or a hatchery.


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## PBH

Kokaddict said:


> ugh.... fine, ...


Really? You're pimping multiple sites for info, and when people want to see this "record breaking", "fish of a lifetime" fish, your response is: ugh?

And you still want us to give you names of reputable taxidermists that we know and would suggest to you?

Well......ugh. If you're going to twist our arms, I guess we can _maybe_ give you the name of a great fish artist.

I don't know you from a hole in the wall -- but you seem a tad bit arrogant to me.

Regardless -- Steve Taylor is the best in the business. Not just in Utah, but anywhere. He's a true artist. The trick is getting him to accept the challenge. He's in Cedar City. I wouldn't hesitate taking it to him for a second, but it will cost you. He isn't cheap -- but keep in mind you're dealing with a fish of a lifetime: a record breaker. Something that will be on display in Sportsman's Whorehouse. Maybe they'll split the cost for you?

Nice fish. Congrats. Good luck in your search for an artist.


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## Kokaddict

*Oddly enough*

I don't know why this is, but of the 6 cutthroat that I have caught over 10lbs, 4 of them, including this one, were clipped, i.e. Non-Natives.

Go figure that! You would think the natives would be bigger where they have to be thrown back, and frankly I am SURE they are bigger on average past a certain ago. However they are also, (apparently) smarter because of the last 3 years, I only caught 27 natives over 5 pounds, my clipped count in that same time period is almost triple that number.

So, perhaps it's true, nature is the best teacher because I simply don't catch as many big natives (ie. over the 5lb mak). I'm just one boat however, perhaps others have fared differently.

Don't know....so much to learn, so little time to fish! :-?


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## Dunkem

Very nice--\\O


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## Longgun

just viewed your pic, Whoa... DANDY!


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## Kokaddict

*Thank you*

It seems we've secured several leads so thanks for those helpful and informational PMs and even to those who've chosen to respond publicly.

Have a great day, good times and tight lines!

>>O


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## swbuckmaster

Still no photo?
I tried looking on that other lame site and didn't see the photo

Ill just have to take your word as a fisherman you caught a 27" girth cutthroat.


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## Critter

OK, here is his fish. He uploaded it to the gallery section


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## swbuckmaster

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## ntrl_brn_rebel

Kokaddict said:


> I want to get a mount done of the largest cutthroat caught in the last 20+ years on Bear Lake with a hook and line


First off, Congrats on the fish, you caught a good one, one of the best I have seen caught this year!

But to say the fish is the largest cut caught in the last 20 years is *absolutely untrue*.....sorry bud.....

I know of three cuts over 14 caught this year alone! There are some boys in Montpelier that get a good kick out of your post:mrgreen:

Good luck with your quest for a taxidermist.....wish you the best, I really do, but I would do a little fact checking before I made a statement quite like that.

I just started seeing you fish the lake the past few years, maybe you have never seen the pictures of the 15+ pounders caught years ago that made the papers in Montpelier and Logan???


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## Kokaddict

*Thanks to all...*

Just a concluding note that I appreciate the sources that have been provided for the taxidermist, I think we've found a great one and we'll be getting started down that avenue shortly.

I wanted to clarify that the record-breaking comment was not made initially by me; but by two different people that live in GC and are major players in the BL community. I only took the information that was provided and didn't mean to try and downplay any previous successes as I know there are probably more than the couple of mentioned fish that are bigger; without a doubt there's probably many. A lot of the old-timers on that lake probably don't even take photos of their big ones and they never say a word more about it. My apologies to anyone who's toes or egos may have been stepped on.

In conclusion, also want to thank all those who have gone out of their way to belittle our recent successes publicly and even more so privately. It's of interest how no one would help us learn anything about the lake or how to fish, when or where for years; and yet, when we finally manage to have some success; more than enough people are eager to jump on the band-wagon to stomp and criticize.

To those who were genuine in their assistance, I personally thank you. To the rest I hope you catch an even bigger fish and post it so you may bask in the glory of your efforts.

I wish you all the best, tight lines and good times to all.


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## Dodger

So that comes across as pretty whiny. I don't think anyone was belittling your success, only the way you approached the people here for help.

You called it a record. No one here made you do that and in any measurable sense, it is not. There are documented reports of cutts near 100 pounds from Bear Lake back when there was a commercial fishery there in the late 1800s. 80 pound plus cutts were relatively common. The state record is 26 pounds from Strawberry (though that was probably a Yellowstone cutt according to Behnke). A guy at Strawberry a few years ago caught an 18 pound cutt and he hid from the papers until they finally tracked him down.

You asked for help based on the premise that the fish was so rare and noteworthy only the best taxidermist could touch it. While it is a nice fish, you built it up to be more than that. When it didn't turn out to be the record, you took it as people criticizing the fish. In fact, they are criticizing the way you approached the people here for help you asked for.

You put in your time and you caught a nice fish. That's called earning it. Going out of your way now to complain about no one helping you comes across as whiny.

Congrats on the fish though.


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## TEX-O-BOB

Kokaddict said:


> Spoke with Gardner, he no longer does fish and didn't feel doing a fish of this size and uniqueness.
> 
> Thanks however...may have a lead for one of the guys that did a few of the Cabelas mounts.
> 
> Looks like they'll be putting this up on the wall at the new Sportsmans in Logan when it's done.


Wait a minute... I still do fish. What I said was that I doubted I could find a replica on the market that would match your fish perectly, and that I felt like a fish of this size and uniqueness needed to be a custom cast. (something I'm not comfortable doing) That's why I sent you to a guy that does nothing BUT custom cast fish work. Bottom line, I'm not going to BS and hack my way through something I'm not the best at doing just to make a buck. My reputation as a taxidermist is WAY more important than $$$$$$! That's why I referred you to someone else.

Just thought I'd clear that up...;-)


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## outdoorser

Congrats on the fish Kokaddict! That is a very nice cut' and i'm sure you earned it!! Looking forward to seeing it in Sportsmans Warehouse!


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## Kokaddict

Tex-O-Bob: please note that I appreciated speaking with you; none of the above was in any way directed toward you. I thank you for the referral; we're moving on it now!1

I'll send you a pic when it's done. I can't wait. Thank you!


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## DocEsox

Dodger said:


> .... There are documented reports of cutts near 100 pounds from Bear Lake back when there was a commercial fishery there in the late 1800s. 80 pound plus cutts were relatively common. The state record is 26 pounds from Strawberry (though that was probably a Yellowstone cutt according to Behnke).
> 
> Hopefully this is just a bit of clarification on the above comments. Being a devout amateur trout taxonomist and having nearly everything Dr. Behnke has written....I believe the above comments are a bit confused. From my reading Bear Lake never had any kind of significant commercial harvest of its fishery. Behnke lists the largest known specimens of Bear Lake or any Bonneville cutthroat trout to be in the mid 20 lbs. range. Now there was an extensive commercial fishery by the Piaute nation on Pyramid Lake lahontan cutthroats during that time period.....this where the WR 41 lbs cutthroat is from. Behnke lists one report of a commercially caught Pyramid cutty at 62 lbs. in 1916 but that is not really documented. But they were known to get up to that size.
> 
> Interesting note.....Pyramid Lake strain cutthroats were rendered extinct by 1938 due to dams on the Truckee River. In the 1970's on of Behnke's students, discovered a creek full of lahontan cutthroat in Utah where they didn't belong. Long story short....the Pilot Peak creek strain where genetically shown to be the original Pyramid Lake strain. Happy reports are they started stocking these cutties in Pyramid about 6 years ago and there have been several caught over 20 lbs this year including one at 24 lbs.. Great thing is the life span of these cutties is up to 17 years. In another 10 years we may see the massive cutthroat which used to exist there....one of the few success stories in fish restoration......


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## Dodger

DocEsox said:


> Hopefully this is just a bit of clarification on the above comments. Being a devout amateur trout taxonomist and having nearly everything Dr. Behnke has written....I believe the above comments are a bit confused. From my reading Bear Lake never had any kind of significant commercial harvest of its fishery. Behnke lists the largest known specimens of Bear Lake or any Bonneville cutthroat trout to be in the mid 20 lbs. range. Now there was an extensive commercial fishery by the Piaute nation on Pyramid Lake lahontan cutthroats during that time period.....this where the WR 41 lbs cutthroat is from. Behnke lists one report of a commercially caught Pyramid cutty at 62 lbs. in 1916 but that is not really documented. But they were known to get up to that size.


Doc - Check out "About Trout" page 186 -

"Among the native fish fauna of the Bonneville basin, the cutthroat trout was the only large predatory species. Only in Bear lake, however, has the naturally evolved predator-prey relationship between cutthroat trout and native prey species persisted, but this coevolved relationship has been distorted by competition with introduced lake trout. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries Bear Lake sustained a commercial fishery for whitefishes and cutthroat trout. Old accounts and photographs of cutthroat trout that weighed from 23 to 26 pounds (10.4-11.8 kg) testifiy to the large size the cutthroat attained before lake trout were introduced. In more recent times, which have included periods of severe competition for a common food supply, few cutthroat trout exceed 24 inches (61 cm) and 5 pounds (2.3 kg)."

The "old accounts and photographs" he refers to seem to suggest that the mid 20s is about right.

I can see the paragraph I'm referring to in my head. It talks about the commercial fishery at Bear Lake lasting until about 1903 when the last of the tremendously large cutthroats were gone. Lake Trout weren't stocked until 1911 so the 80-100 lb fish he was talking about couldn't have been lake trout. I'll keep looking for the paragraph. It's in one of my other books. Also, maybe the 80-100lb fish he mentioned were based on unverified reports from the commercial fishermen. Since he refers here to the "accounts and photographs," maybe he's just talking about the documented reports here and I mis-remembered with respect to the larger fish being unverified.

I'll look in my other book and see if I can find the paragraph I'm thinking of.


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## swbuckmaster

Cool history on the cuts

His fish is cool and I wish I had one. I'd mount it as well


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## Dodger

Oh, me too. In a heartbeat.


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## Kokaddict

Very interesting read on the Cuts, thanks for posting....very cool read!


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## Kat3eWhit

here's another plug for Darin aka TEX-O-BOB around here. The man can flat paint a fish. Shoot him a pm.


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## PBH

swbuckmaster said:


> His fish is cool and I wish I had one. I'd mount it as well


Me too.

But it sure as hell wouldn't end up in a Sportsman's or Cabela's or Bass Pro!! It would go on MY wall.


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## swbuckmaster

I have a record length tiger muskie that I never had recorded. You can dang well bet it ain't on sportsmans wall. Its at my house on my wall.


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## swbuckmaster

You get it back yet? I'd like to see how it turned out


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