What Fish skins?

[GlisGlis]

I wouldn't tan the fish skin but dry them or apply them green just like with snake skins

+1 
this was not intended to be a bow backing

How did you tan it?

I did yolk (mayonnaise also do work) method but there are different methods online
here is the post http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,69430.msg973948.html#msg973948
as Pat suggested for bow backing use simple rawhide
degrease before gluing as fish skins tend to be oily

[stuckinthemud]

Do you salt the skin when you flay it?

[Pat B]

Do not salt. That just adds a few extra steps with no benefit. Just tack it out on a board, flesh side up and let it dry.

[stuckinthemud]

Thanks Pat.  For making fish skin leather, is smoking it an essential last step? Saw a guide on line but I don't see why you need to do this

[Pat B]

I don't believe smoking fish skins is necessary either. That is a process in brain tanning animal hides. There may be a way to make the fish skins softer for other uses than bow backing but I'm not familiar with that.

[boxerboxer]

A coworker has backed several bows with northern pike with good results.