Best of Show- Central Mudminnow

Central Mudminnow fish decoy I carved exclusively for competition at The Gathering in Perham, MN. This decoy was entered in the mudminnow class in the worker category. The workers are judged primarily on the swim action, and a little on craftsmanship and cleanliness. I carved this fish from mahogany wood and spent a lot of time perfecting the swim action. I also made sure clean craftsmanship was a priority on this fish.  Not cutting corners when sanding through the grits, making sure fin gaps are filled and invisible and making the lead cavity disappear in the belly.  I also invested hours into painting this decoy as I knew it was my best entry based on the swim and craftsmanship of the decoy. I layered the paint with the use of stencils, freehand airbrush, and paint brush details. Hard work was rewarded as it placed first in class and Best of Show in the worker category for the second year in a row.