5 minutes with John Edwards - The man who recreates anglers’ memorable fish

WE all love a good fish photo to remember our best catches – but what about having that fish perfectly replicated as a physical trophy?

Years ago, of course, this was the norm, with memorable fish killed and framed by a taxidermist. Such trophies can be seen in fishermen’s huts and riverside pubs across the country.

But what if a brilliant replica could be made from just a photo? This week 60-year-old John Edwards, of Fish Recreations. shares with us how he puts together some fantastic pieces of fish art, including the record Wykeham pike…

Why fish replicas?

JOHN EDWARDS: Well, I have always enjoyed art and I like fish. I’m a self-taught artist and have drawn and painted in many mediums ever since I can remember. I mainly did shore fishing and spent many winters on cold North East beaches. Six years ago I got into fly fishing and am really enjoying this along with a renewed interest in sea fishing from boat and shore. 

I get real satisfaction from creating a fish replica for someone, knowing that it is a special fish for many reasons to that individual. I would not supply a replica unless I would be happy with it myself – this has always been my philosophy. After all, why should someone pay for something they don’t like?

How did it start? 

JE: I started doing replicas full time nine or 10 years ago. I had grown tired of my ‘flat art’ and had been toying with fish taxidermy, but then I saw some replicas on a USA website and said to myself ‘I could do that!’

My first attempt was not a pretty sight! After realising that it was not as easy as it looked I started to teach myself the ropes, and spent a lot of time and money experimenting to get the desired results. Even now I continue to move forward and try to better myself with each commission.

My big break came after I’d been doing a few replicas here and there for a couple of years. I spent a year preparing enough fish and then took a stand at Scone Palace Game Fair in 2012, where I met Gary Wingate from Glasgow Angling Centre. I was kindly invited to take a table at their open weekend, and thanks to Gary and GAC owner Paul Devlin my work was seen by hundreds of people at that first weekend show, and several more shows after that. 

What goes into producing a fish replica?

JE: I can either make a mould from a dead fish, or simply work from photographs, which I mostly do these days. When I work from photos I can source a ‘cast’ to match the client’s fish. These can come from my own mould collection, or from colleges in Europe and the USA or Canada. I then work and alter the cast to match the customer’s fish. 

If I can’t get a good match I won’t take the commission on. The fish are made from various resins, mostly polyester/fibreglass but also polyurethanes and others. Fins proved to be difficult until I eventually found a way of making them somewhat flexible. 

I hand-paint all my own fish eyes – all are different and my replicas have to match a specific fish. I use a mixture of hand colouring and airbrushing to achieve the colouring. 

It is done in layers, built up with gloss layers in between to achieve the depth of colour found in real fish. One individual scale can have as many as 14 layers on it! I have counted up to 4,000 individual scales painted on one side of a fish, times this by an average of, say, 10 layers and you get some idea of the work involved.”

How are they presented?

JE: I didn’t like the idea of the old fashioned ‘half a fish on a board’, so all my replicas are whole fish with wall mounts painted on their show side. But I also wanted something different, and started my ‘table-style’ fish, viewable all round and usually moulded in dynamic positions to add all-important movement to my work.

I try to be as artistic as I can with my wall mounts and 3D mount bases. Each piece is designed carefully to look as aesthetically pleasing as possible. I usually work with clients very closely at times to achieve the look they might want, or what I think would look right. I have also experimented with copper work for reeds and such.

How long does the process take?

JE: On average, with my current workload, a replica would take anywhere from 13-15 months from payment of a deposit to completion.

What fish have you replicated?

JE: I have been lucky enough to have done a number of fish species, and I always like working on fish that are a little different from the norm. Most of my work is with game fish, trout and salmon in particular, but also popular are pike and perch. 

I am now starting to get quite a few exotic big-game fish such as tuna, permit and giant trevally. This year the former British record pike died at Wykeham Lake, and I was lucky enough to have the fish donated– not easy, moulding a 46lb pike, let me tell you! I’m in the process of completing the first of a few casts for this fish.”

What should people do if they want a fish replicated?

JE: If anyone is thinking of getting a replica done, you can either freeze the fish if you decide to ‘take it’ or it simply fails to ‘go back’ for whatever reason. I can then arrange a courier to collect it at your convenience.

Try to take as many pictures as reasonably possible on capture. If you release the fish, simply take as many pictures as you can before release, and measure the length. The weight is not really necessary as the length and shape of the fish are most important to achieve a good match. 

I do struggle with many species for casts, especially coarse fish such as carp. As such I rely heavily on people donating dead fish for me to mould. Any fish found dead in good condition may be suitable but it would mean it has to be frozen by the finder. I get fish from fish farms, fisheries and anglers. All fish die at some point and at least I can work with them and put them to use after their death.”

More information

Visit: www.fishrecreations.co.uk

Tel: 07930 586100 

Email: john@fishrecreations.co.uk 

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