What do you consider a wall hanger?

[Chas0218]

This is a loaded question but poundage wise what would you consider as a wall hanger? This goes for any Trout or Salmon.

Brown: 15lbs. +

Laker: 18lbs. +

Salmon: 18lbs. +

These are just my numbers I would like to hear what the rest of you think. I am asking because we caught a brown a couple weekends ago that tipped the scales around 13-14lbs. and I was considering getting it mounted but ate it instead.

[BSmaster]

I set my trophies pretty high. I have caught plenty of fish others have said that I should have gotten mounted but that would come from my fishing budget. I would rather keep fishing than relive yesterday's catch. Also, I like to let bigger fish go and keep what I call the eaters. I caught a lot of browns and a few rainbows that were easily over 10lbs this year from the tribs but they all went back. I kept a few that were much smaller instead for the dinner table.

Brown = Fall run male over 15# with a hook and a knob - good spawning colors with slight chrome.

Rainbow/Steel = Fall run male over 15# with a hook and a knob - good spawning colors with slight chrome.

Laker = + 20lbs a big fat slob - not a strong lean fish.

Coho = not sure depends on the beauty of the fish.

King = 30lb + male with good fall run spawn colors (not black but olive with spots, hook and knob)

Atlantic = over 12# male with good spawn colors (hook and Knob)

Brooky = depends on the fish.

Warm water fish.

Slab = 4lbs

Perch = 20"

Bronze back 6+lbs

Large mouth 10lbs

pike 4ft

musky 5ft

Eye 33" preferrably with a full abdomen of eggs and fish

Striper 4ft preferrably with a full abdomen

[Big Dave]

It dosen't have to be the biggest , just important to you. The 28# king that I helped My brother in law get shortly before he passed. That fish ment more to me than the 35# that I caught. A 12" brookie from a small stream is a trophy ,because its the biggest a fish can get in that small stream. Its what makes it a "wall hanger" in your eyes.

[Just Fishin']

I have never had a fish mounted so my numbers may be very different. I always said 13 lb Brown or 30 lb salmon until I caught the ugliest 35 lb king in September I ever saw- photo is just good enough for that one!

I agree with above, biggest is never the whole story so I never know when I will catch the one that gets mounted.

[traveling man]

i have never put a fish on my wall, but

40lb king

20lb brown and steelhead

8lb smallmouth

17in perch

15lb walleye

[Yankee Troller]

I've been fishing on this lake for 25+ years, and I've seen a lot of fish, so my opinion might be skewed. Fun topic though, because everyone has their own definition of "trophy." I know mine is on the smaller side of the scale when it comes to whitetails.

Salmon - For lake fish I have one on the wall that was 32lbs. Next one will have to be 35+lbs. If I were to mount a Fall run fish it would have to be 35+lbs.

Steel - For lake fish I have one just over 17lbs on the wall, so the next one needs to be larger than that. I want a 15+lb stream fish for my wall badly.

Brown - We screwed up here and tossed back one around 17/18lbs last Spring, and had a customer eat a 17lb fish last Spring. Basically, the next Lake run and Stream run Brown over 15lbs is going on the wall.

Lake Trout - Another screw up last season. We caught a 24lb Laker in the Sandy Creek Shootout. No ice on board, and it was an all white ghost by weigh in skewed my view on getting a mount of this done. So, the next Laker over 21 or 22 pounds will get a seat on my wall.

I have a 6.5lb Largemouth on the wall from Conesus, but I could never get a Smallie from Erie over 5.7, so a 6+lb Smallie is also on the hit list. I'm still waiting for my 40" Pike through the ice.

[hawkeye625]

I don't have any fish on the wall to date but do have a ton of photos. For me, a picture is worth a thousand words and a mount could have been...a hundred spoons, two or three new reels, maybe a new probe, a new fishfinder.......that being said:

40lb king

any trout over 20lbs

smallie over 7lbs

15lb atlantic

....or any of the above species that take a top slot of any derby, if a fish pays to have itself mounted...who am I to refuse.

Also have to agree 100% with Big Dave...some of the "best" trophies have absolutely nothing to do with size. If you think a fish is worth mounting, go for it!

[FX]

Good topic and definitely a "to each his own" type answer. I've set limits in the back of my mind, but have differed from them due to coloration of a fish and sentimental value when my kids started fishing. The enjoyment of the moment and preserving it with a photo or a mount is what really matters for me.

Shawn

[Has Been]

They are all Trophy fish to me. Some are just bigger than others.

[Yankee Troller]

Well said!

[ Post made via Android ]

[adam2000]

I have a 16 lb brown on the wall and a 19 lb steelie. For a king it would have to be around 37-40 lbs and caught in the lake not lined.coho over 18 lbs in the lake , in the river depends on color and HIS kype. I im not a fan of greasers( lake trout) so id probably never get one mounted unless in was a real beast. Walleye over 12lbs would go on the wall

[ Post made via Android ]

[carpedium]

I like big dave's explanation! They all are a bit of a trophy in their own way. Personally - It would have to mean enough to me to spend the money to get it mounted vs. invest the cash into tackle, etc. I guess thats the paradigm. It would have to be a monster that won me a spot at a tourney, or another great story behind it to go on the wall. Doesn't matter what species.

[W.W.IV.]

Get one of those 30.00 pike lures and put it on the wall, they cost to much to through in the water and wouldn't take up much room on the wall.

[Reel Scream]

We currently have a 15 lb brown and a 20 lb steelie on the wall . At the taxidermist now is a 17 lb Atlantic and an 18 lb coho that were caught last summer. As far as a king goes it would have to be in the 37 to 40 lb range for us. I cut up a 35 lb 7 oz my wife caught a few years ago, so now any King to get done has to be bigger than that( and I've never heard the end of it)

[bandrus1]

They are all Trophy fish to me. Some are just bigger than others.

Things like this annoy the hell out of me

I love the guy who lands a nice sized fish next to me on the river and I compliment him by saying " hey nice fish" and he says they are all nice fish and goes back fishing...

[Chas0218]

They are all Trophy fish to me. Some are just bigger than others.

Things like this annoy the hell out of me

I love the guy who lands a nice sized fish next to me on the river and I compliment him by saying " hey nice fish" and he says they are all nice fish and goes back fishing...

haha ya its kind of arrogant, but I don't mind the sarcasim too much mostly because I myself am very sarcastic. I like your thinking Big Dave. I was thinking this weekend if my grandfather catches a nice fish I would get it mounted for him to remind us of the day we could all spend on the boat fishing.

[Has Been]

After fishing all my life since I could hold a pole for just about any kind of fish that swims , and had LOT of success doing it, I meant what I said . Maybe I was the guy who was fishing next to you that said that . What difference does the size of Grampas fish make if it meant a lot to you guys?

[Chas0218]

After fishing all my life since I could hold a pole for just about any kind of fish that swims , and had LOT of success doing it, I meant what I said . Maybe I was the guy who was fishing next to you that said that . What difference does the size of Grampas fish make if it meant a lot to you guys?

Well much like you he has fished all his life and if it were a smaller fish I think he wouldn't be as proud about then there would it be real significant to him? Probably but if it were something he could show off to friends I am willing to bet he would be much more happy with a larger fish.

[Dirty Goose]

CURRENTLY I HAVE AT THE TAXIDERMIST 15LB WALEYE, 18LB COHO, 3 15-15.5IN PERCH, 48 INCH MUSKY AND 44 INCH MUSKY BOTH WERE TRIED TO BE REVIVED TO NO AVAIL, 3 8-9LB HYBRID STRIPERS, 38 INCH NORTHERN, 17.8 LB STEELHEAD, 18 POUND FEMALE BROWN TO GO ALONG WITH THE 2 15 AND 16 POUND MALE BROWNS I HAD MOUNTED ALREADY.. I HAVE A 35 LB KING SO THE NEXT ONE WOULD HAVE TO BE 40LB, 20 PLUS ON A LAKER, SMALLIE I WANT ONE OVER 6 POUNDS, I HAVE A 6.5 POUND LARGEMOUTH NEXT ONE WOULD HAVE TO BE OVER 8. I CANT WAIT TO GET ALL THEM BACK. GOODLUCK TO ALL CATCHING THEIR WALL WORTHY TROPHY!! TIGHTLINE CASEY

[King Slammin]

I've been fishing for trout and salmon since i could walk. My first King ever caught was 27 lbs and I was only 4 at the time ( the fish was bigger than I was) is the only one I had mounted. Since then I've caught many over 30 and one just over 40 but never wanted to spend the money on a mount. Things might change this year if I get a pretty one over 30 lbs or so.

[Missdemeanor]

As far as trout and salmon.....As far as Browns , lakers and Steel head....20 pounds is the magic mark for me. I have come very close on all of them, but still no cigar....As far as kings, I have a Fall male ( lake caught) at #37 and a mid summer offshore Hen at #40....Real pigs and my two biggest to date.....The great fishing from the Mid 90's is coming back. You guys all have reasonable goals and I wish you all the luck catching your wall hangers......

[chowder]

My 15 year old son brought in a violent, nasty 35lb King during last fall's LOC and that fish will be our first one on the wall. It was the least I could do for not getting registered!

[BSmaster]

CURRENTLY I HAVE AT THE TAXIDERMIST 15LB WALEYE, 18LB COHO, 3 15-15.5IN PERCH, 48 INCH MUSKY AND 44 INCH MUSKY BOTH WERE TRIED TO BE REVIVED TO NO AVAIL, 3 8-9LB HYBRID STRIPERS, 38 INCH NORTHERN, 17.8 LB STEELHEAD, 18 POUND FEMALE BROWN TO GO ALONG WITH THE 2 15 AND 16 POUND MALE BROWNS I HAD MOUNTED ALREADY.. I HAVE A 35 LB KING SO THE NEXT ONE WOULD HAVE TO BE 40LB, 20 PLUS ON A LAKER, SMALLIE I WANT ONE OVER 6 POUNDS, I HAVE A 6.5 POUND LARGEMOUTH NEXT ONE WOULD HAVE TO BE OVER 8. I CANT WAIT TO GET ALL THEM BACK. GOODLUCK TO ALL CATCHING THEIR WALL WORTHY TROPHY!! TIGHTLINE CASEY

Impressive!

[GAMBLER]

Brown - 15lbs

Steelhead - 18lbs

Laker - 22lbs

King - 35lbs

Coho - 18lbs

Atlantic - 15lbs

[momay4000]

I can't believe some guys have such specific numbers like this. In my opinion, it's your money so you can mount anything you want if it has special meaning to you. Maybe it was a fish you caught on a special lure, a fish you placed in a tournament, or something you caught or killed during a special time in your life.....if it's special to you than mount it. FWIW, I have many, many fish and deer mounts and many are trophies, but my favorite is still my dad's 26# king he cuaght 10 years on Lake Michigan that I proudly display since he passed away a few years ago.

If you wait until you catch the 35# king, 18# steelie, or 22# laker for a mount, you might have a lifetime of regrets.....

This isn't meant to offend, it's simply meant as my opinion,

- Chris