Multi-tool Fishing Scale
The 4-in-1 Fishing Scale
More Measurement in Less Space
The project began with the idea of a multi-tool, what things can I combine to make one useful tool?
Since I spend a good portion of my free time fishing, I decided to follow that path and create a fishing tool that can deliver multiple data points at once with ease. Whenever I happen to land a fish worth a picture, I like to measure the weight and length and make a mental note. The goal is to catch the largest fish you can but you don’t know if it’s a record until you measure it!
A piece of information that’s important to know in the northern states, is water temperature. Seasonal patterns that warm and cool the water, affect the environment enough where habits are formed and patterned. Bass for example will feed heavily for a period, bed down and spawn at a later time based on water temperature that’s affected by seasonal change. If the temperature is taken and good data set is taken, theoretically, an angler could take the temperature of the pond or stream they want to fish and perhaps, pattern at which time it’s best to fish.
The original concept sketches and model were inspired by some existing products. The main form was inspired by a standard bard code scanning gun at a grocery store with a top side screen. The jaws are a version of a weighing jaws on the market currently, the entire design became a collaboration of other pieces as usual.
The fishing scale project was left aside for a while after the final model was made. When I decided to revisit the project, I had seen new products in the same industry and had more inspiration in other places than before. With a quick redesign of the ergonomics, V2 was well on its way.
Turning the handle 90 degrees made the scale more comfortable to hold and spring loading a T-handle to control the claws was a more effective way to secure the fish before being weighed. Over time, the more I held the handle, the more it felt like a flashlight so one was added to the design, completing another frustrating task that comes up while fishing, when it gets dark.
A foam model was made to confirm proportions and size, after that, it was off to computer modeling and rendering.
The color palette was inspired by the Field and Stream store brand. At the time, the goal was to design the multi-tool to look like a specific company product but I also designed it after my own favorite brand, Huge Hunters Fishing. Check out HHF and all of the other associated projects here but keep scrolling to see the final branding and packaging!
The Final Form
A Huge Hunters certified, fish weighing, water temp taking, tape measuring, flash-lighting, micro USB charging multi-tool for any type of fresh water fishing.
Above: The multi-tool presented in the Huge Hunters Fishing brand and named “Kip Ripler’s Lip Gripper”. The package is designed to be a plastic clamshell that is heat sealed around the outside edges. A double sided paper board would be inserted behind the product with graphics printed on both sides.
Left: The multi-tool presented in the Field and Stream store brand. The final packaging design is a plastic molded shell to protect the product, laminated between paper board where the graphics are printed. Packaging style and design are heavily inspired by products previously sold by Field and Stream and purchased by me.
