# 36" Walleye and your opinion



## fishtaxidermy

My 3rd time to do a walleye in my studio. What do ya think about it? Be honest.[/img]


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## drjongy

Where's the white on the bottom tip of the tail?


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## fishtaxidermy

It's there just hard to see..Thanks for the input. Does it need to be lighter? I am asking because of this very reason.


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## fishtaxidermy

a few more pics. Rip em up..lol. We do not have walleye here and without asking I will never know.


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## R y a n

It isn't too bad at all...

Not all walleyes have a really bright white fin tip.

Checkout these examples:

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/alb ... ic_id=6940

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/alb ... ic_id=4658

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/alb ... ic_id=3276

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/alb ... ic_id=1295

Ryan


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## huntinND

The position and everything looks pretty good to me but the coloration seems a little dark. It seems more like the bronze color of a smallmouth then Gold type color of a walleye. It seems like the fins are painted a little to dark also. But I'm no taxidermist so take that with a grain of salt. I sappose some walleyes have a darker color too.


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## cmdrstp

You are VERY talented. I'd be proud to have any work done by you.


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## 94NDTA

Where was it caught?

36" is huge!

I would say lighten the color a hair, make the tip a little lighter, and your set.


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## smalls

I love the body color of the fish (and love that fat hump behind the head). The actual "color" of walleyes will vary greatly depending on water clarity and diet.

My only critique would be that you used a bit too bright of a white to go up the trailing edge of the gills and above the crease on the top lip. A little bit of color blending there would, to me, make a bit more realistic.


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## fishtaxidermy

This is a reproduction, should have told ya that..lol..sorry. Thanks for the input seeing that it is only mt 3rd one to do. We do hundredes of warm water and saltwater but not many cold water ones.


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## HUNTNFISHND

Looks a bit too dark, but may just be the pics. Also I would have had the mouth open more and the gills flaired a bit. Seems like the head is a bit too small too. But not bad for your first one.


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## Bob Kellam

Not to dark at all IMO, maybe for a ND fish but when you get up in Canada and northern Minnesota in lakes where the iron content stains the water brown the fish come out even darker than this one. Nice mount Maybe a little to white around the gills as smalls mentioned.

Keep up the nice work!!


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## djleye

I was thinking the same thing Bob. That, to me, looks like a canadian walleye. I think that the white around the front could be toned down a bit as well, but I think it looks good!!

(god, I hate when I agree with smalls and bob K all in one post!! :lol: )


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## Bustin Lips

looks a bit dark, I also think the head looks like a pout. just my .02$


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## rowdie

I don't like the color, its too glossy, the head is shaped wierd, and it doesn't look very real to me.

Sorry, you told me to be honest.


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## fishtaxidermy

No No that is great. No offence taken. That's the reason for the post. Like i said it's only my 3rd one. I used a referance photo to paint from. Is it to borow, does it need to be more green? Elabriate.


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## fishtaxidermy

This is is reproduction walleye so the shape of the fish is something I could do nothing about. Painting on the other hand is the input I am looking for.


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## 94NDTA

Head is shaped funny becuase most people have never seen a 36" walleye.


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## monwilj

I think the fish looks great. Colors are very realistic - except for a little too much gloss..


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## Chuck Smith

The over all color of the fish is great...the fins are want I see a little off. They seem too redish in color. But that could be the lighting.










This was a lake of the woods walleye caught this past march.










These are a bunch of walleyes caught in canada in august.










Another Walleye caught in canada in august.

Hope these pic's help.


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## huntinND

Even the dark walleyes from canada have a gold tint to them. The mount is more bronze or brown overall. 36" is rediculously huge though.


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## T-Mac

I used to do this for a living.
Won a few comps.

Have judged a couple comps..

You are doing really well.
You just need a little keener observation. 
Little details make big differences.

1) The eyes.
Go to a Better grade eye so you get the whole eyeball effect... and then orient them properly.
Their eyes tend to look out to the side and a bit forward...not upward.
These cheaper white walleye eyes look like "dead" walleye eyes.

2) The paint: 
You can get a little more "pop" to it
To get that real scaley walleye look...
Take a really small brush and paint irridescent gold on individual scales in meandering rows (horizontally). These are more pronounced on the lower portions than up above the lateral line...where they bcome less in rows.
Look at a fresh caught 'eye... you'll see what I mean.

Do that before applying your wash-over (raw umber--ish?) to get your splotches above the lateral line.

3) The head. Your head looks flattened out top and bottom.
The correct eyes and and correct orientation thereof will help the head.
You have the lower jaw too flat.
Look at a live walleye... they are rather full (filled out) below the jaw...especially when their mouth is open and they are grabbing a meal.

The top of the head will look more natural by keeping things as original as possible...in other words, avoid as much filling and smoothing as possible. 
Cheeks: You can hand paint the little individual gold spots on the cheeks before air brushing your wash...too.
That'll perk it up.

But... you have a lot of talent.
You are going to do well. You just need to catch and mount more walleyes and really look closely at them when you are fishing.


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## Steelpuck18

rowdie said:


> I don't like the color, its too glossy, the head is shaped wierd, and it doesn't look very real to me.
> 
> Sorry, you told me to be honest.


 i agree, plus it's a little too white around the gills. you are talented though and considering it's your third fish its very good.


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## Steelpuck18

also IMO it would look better with larger scales. that may sound dumb, i dont know anything about taxidermy but I think it would make it look bigger.


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## sod44

i think it looks great but yea the head is in a wierd position but otherwise that is sweet.


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## MSG Rude

This one is from this year and caught in NoDak. 26# Notice the color..dark too. Also notice the white on belly and tail and the roundness of the head on top and bottom.

In my opinion you have a lot of talent and I would be very happy with work like yours on this fish. I still have the dang thing in the freezer as I can never seem to get around to taking it in!

Post more of your work when you get it done!


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## gamberc

I think it looks great looks like a great healthy candian walleye, we catch a ton of walleye in canada that look like that


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## goose2hunt

You know what you do must take alot of talent and I have nothing but positive things to say about your work! I'd be just happy to have something to put on my wall!! Heck with the details!! Anyone of my family and friends wouldn't give a darn about minute details of coloring and shading, they'd see that big walleye on the wall and be jealous as hell. Good job! I like your work!


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## fsbirdhouse

A tad less glossy


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## bobberboy

fsbirdhouse said:


> A tad less glossy


yes i agree,with the gloss it makes the mounts look fake.but that ones not to bad.


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## Mike Walleye

*Lake of the Woods*

I was in that area this winter for business. I've spend some days in Kenora. This area looks like a walleye heaven. I wish I will go back while the walleye season is open. Great catch and great pictures.

Mike



Chuck Smith said:


> The over all color of the fish is great...the fins are want I see a little off. They seem too redish in color. But that could be the lighting.
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> This was a lake of the woods walleye caught this past march.
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> These are a bunch of walleyes caught in canada in august.
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> Another Walleye caught in canada in august.
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> Hope these pic's help.


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## bearhunter

sorry dude, i,ve cuaght thousands of eye's and probably more than 50 over 7lbs and have never seen one look like your mount. it looks very fake. don't get mad, you wanted to know.


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## barebackjack

It looks fake. But its a repro and I have yet to see a good repro.

The color is fine, there is so much color variation within a fish species, depending on season, where it came from, its ridiculous.

It does seem a bit overly glossy to me, ive always preferred the "satin" finish on them. Maybe this is just due to the camera flash though.

The body seems mis-shapen, and the fins just look weird, IMO.


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## barebackjack

Just thought of this. The head on your repro looks more like a zanders head than a walleyes. Kind of "flattened" from top to bottom.


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