Crappie fish skins

[Mad Max]

How do you Prep. Crappie fish skin/

Do you scale them while they are still on the fish?

And for gluing on the bow?

[bradsmith2010]

ok I am just guessing, I am sure someone with more experience than me will chime in,,
getting the scales off when on the fish seems like a good idea,,
i think you could glue them on the bow green,,
if you wanted to dry them first I think that would work as well,, just like a snake skin,,

[PEARL DRUMS]

No scales equals zero pattern or color. You wont be happy with them on a bow.

[simson]

I have only done cod fish. I got the skin with scales on and frozen.
I cleaned the skins from flesh and fat and tackered it to a board until completely dry (scales still on). Now you can store the stuff. When to use, soak it in water for some hours and use it just like rawhide, glue on with TB3. When dry make a thined solution of TB3 and rub it on the skin, this will fix most of the scales, the rest can be filed or sanded down, use another solution to rub on and ready.

[DC]

Around here every dock is equipped with a paddle with pop(soda) bottle caps nailed to it. Just scrape the scales off when you are cleaning the fish.

[bradsmith2010]

the scales are pretty big on a crappie,, not sure if they will fit on a bow,,

[BowEd]

When I would smoke carp I would take scales off first using a knife going against the grain.Never done crappie.Usually fillet them.You'll have to try it once and see.