It is one inch shy of my biggest smally...I don't eat bass...plus it was early in the season and I released her, so she could spawn.
This was the biggest that this company offers, at 22.5 inches. To get one the size I caught, I'd have to go to another company...which cost a fair amount more, and didn't look as good.
As it comes out of the box...
It is cast from an actual fish.
Side and peck fin are separate (all the fins along the center line are molded in), and there's a silicone insert for inside the mouth...
The fish is molded in halves, the company cleans up the mold lines...but it's up to me to detail...
I got started on the belly. I use a curved wood carving "gouge"(???...not really sure what it's called)
I had to drill out the molded in eye, replaced with glass eyes, set with Magic-sculpt...also finished "scaling" the smoothed areas...
I used CA to get the mouth insert in place, then Magic-sculpt to fill in the gaps...
Belly has been "scaled"...
I used a Dremel to thin down the edges of the fins (they are pretty thick), as well as rough up the edges...
The dorsal fin needed a LOT of help...
Ready to start the finishing process!
