Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Discussion related to commercial salmon trolling, boats, gear, fishing techniques, electronics, marketing, etc.
Thorne Isl.
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by Thorne Isl. »

What a great thread.. Myself and my sweetheart Carla(who is a artist on POW island) have been having fun with the logo idea and came up with a hook and line type logo. Anyway here it is. Remember, it is just a thought to get this idea off and running, hopefully. Anybody else?
I would love to see some form of marketing about our troll caught salmon. It is time and there are some ways to target a majority of Americans without paying BIG $$$$$. With some donated time and help from us trollers, and a smaller amount of money, (maybe even grant money?)we could get this rolling soon. Any Ideas?

Meet, Salty Spoon.
From a hook and line, sustainable fishery in Southeast Alaska.
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Meet, Salty Spoon.
From a hook and line, sustainable fishery in Southeast Alaska.
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Salty
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by Salty »

I am still chuckling.
Abundance
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by Abundance »

Huh. That looks really good. This just might end up going somewhere. I have no clue as how to go farther than speculation though. Have many people here worked with tourist trinkets? The Made In Alaska tags really help sell those things. There are certain requirements that must be met to qualify for the sticker. You have to be able to show that the products were assembled primarily instate. There should be some sort of authority that made sure that only the good product gets to carry the label. I am not sure who you would have to go to about this either. I am pretty sure that a lot of the processors wouldn't like to push the net fish down the foodchain to give us a break. Basically, how would we leverage them to better, separate care and packaging, unless we sell our own fish? I wish that I knew more about how SPC and other fisherman focused buyers felt about this sort of thing.
Garrett Hagen, F/V Abundance
Salty
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by Salty »

One thing that is happening is that consumers are increasingly wanting to know which farm their particular product came from. I am wondering if we can set that up for our fish with a little tag/logo for each troll vessel. Direct marketing is an incredible amount of work and paper work. It is much easier for the consumer and fishermen to go through the processors that are set up for that. The problem is that the consumer can't tell which boat his fish came from then the way things are now. Buyers here in Sitka know there is a lot of difference from boat to boat or want to buy from someone they know. We should be facilitating that connection.
Kelper
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by Kelper »

Salty wrote:One thing that is happening is that consumers are increasingly wanting to know which farm their particular product came from. I am wondering if we can set that up for our fish with a little tag/logo for each troll vessel. Direct marketing is an incredible amount of work and paper work. It is much easier for the consumer and fishermen to go through the processors that are set up for that. The problem is that the consumer can't tell which boat his fish came from then the way things are now. Buyers here in Sitka know there is a lot of difference from boat to boat or want to buy from someone they know. We should be facilitating that connection.
I caught/sold a big un this morning. Given I fish out of a 19' Skiff without a cabin and heater, it's January and snowing and blowing, and the general pain/suffering that it took to get that fish, I felt I had a good story to sell with my fish.

So when I sold it, I jokingly asked for $15 a pound, as it was only a few hours old, was only missing 3 scales, and had some big fillets which are rare this time of the year. They said "nope", 9 bucks. Well, I tried. Still the most expensive fish I've sold.
afteryou
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by afteryou »

I don’t think we should confuse a logo with a mascot. I believe that a logo is every bit as important if not more so but a logo cannot do all that a lovable mascot can. Have you ever heard a child say “mommy will you buy me that plush logo.” Or how about “daddy can I watch some logos on TV.” In short child marketing. As a parent I can tell you that that little kid has some buying power. That kid is also our future, not a bad place to advertise especially when you’re promoting healthy food rather than cigarettes. :)

Here is what I think a mascot could bring to the trolling industry.

Plush toys $14.99 available on our new website :D

U-tube cartoons. How do you get a video to go viral? You are either going to need a pudgy Korean doin’ ride the pony :lol: or you are going to need a kitten falling into a bowl of milk. A cartoon has vastly more potential to go viral than would a boring documentary.

On the note of who should own this vast new plush toy empire, all of us. Some entity would need to hold the copyrights. A corporation shares divided evenly among all permit holders. I guess the shares would transfer with the card. Once something like this was established the moneymaking options would be near endless. We would have to put money into it for a while but I see no reason that it could not turn into an asset at some point or a least support itself with things like advertisements and the sale of cute little stuffed mascots. Perhaps we could lease plant capacity to deal with are own fish slap our own damn stickers on ‘em.

I don’t know what do you guy’s think?
afteryou
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by afteryou »

Thorne Isl. wrote:What a great thread.. Myself and my sweetheart Carla(who is a artist on POW island) have been having fun with the logo idea and came up with a hook and line type logo. Anyway here it is. Remember, it is just a thought to get this idea off and running, hopefully. Anybody else?
I would love to see some form of marketing about our troll caught salmon. It is time and there are some ways to target a majority of Americans without paying BIG $$$$$. With some donated time and help from us trollers, and a smaller amount of money, (maybe even grant money?)we could get this rolling soon. Any Ideas?

Meet, Salty Spoon.
From a hook and line, sustainable fishery in Southeast Alaska.
Great job looks sharp :lol:
duck
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by duck »

I was thinking about those tags that you put on your bags at the airport. You could put an explanation why a troll caught salmon is the best in the world on one side and the name of your vessel and date on the other side. I'm sure you could get them preprinted except for the date. You could put the tag on the lower jaw of the fish, just like the fish and game does at the processing plants. It wouldn't work on the ones that the plants fillet but would work on whole salmon. This would be a cheap and easy way to add to other marketing plans. The processing plants might even pay for them. I think they are required to try to keep track of which vessel the fish come from in case there is a problem of any kind.
afteryou
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by afteryou »

afteryou wrote: are
our :x
Salty
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by Salty »

http://www.wildseafoodexchange.com/index.php

Some learning on how these things work might happen here.
Salty
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by Salty »

http://www.duckumentary.com/home.htm

Great award winning documentary about geoducks including a bit on how the geoduck became a mascot and had a popular doll made. Somewhat related to this thread.
afteryou
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by afteryou »

Just one question why is the logo spawn out red? :shock:
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by salmon4u »

hmmm.. Dr salmon? public health conscience is also a huge selling point/// eat now or pay later??? salmon looking Charlie Tuna character in dr garb?
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by salmon4u »

afteryou
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by afteryou »

Why is it than when we get a good discussion going it craps out after a few days? :!:

Is it because there are only a few of us and we have said what we want to say? :cry:

Is it because we have no follow through and that’s why nothing ever changes? :oops:

Or is it just because some guys went out fishing? :D
Once and Future
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by Once and Future »

I think its because everybody has their own ideas (and rightfully so). But then it becomes like herding cats. How do you get a consensus and proceed?

That is why I decided to look into my particular interest on my own. I will check back later to submit a progress report and get a consensus "thumbs up" or "thumbs down". Then I can get pissed off at all of you and just go fishing. :)
JYDPDX
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by JYDPDX »

afteryou wrote:Just one question why is the logo spawn out red? :shock:
It matters to you but you are not who it should matter to. This is why I have checked out of this whole conversation. We are fishermen. We do not know what the public wants nor are we marketers who work with graphic designers who understand what is appealing to consumers and understand techniques and strategies to changing the way their minds consider our salmon. In my humble opinion, our ideas for logos are lacking, including myself, not that I am offering any because I know what I am, neither artist nor marketing expert/professional. I intend no offense by this to anyone, just giving my opinion.
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by JYDPDX »

On another note, this message board is ripping with activity!!! especially compared to years past. Kudos to everyone for speaking up and contributing although I assume there is still a majority of "lurkers" who either dont want to touch these subjects or ???

Sitting in my hotel room in Mexico listening to some people out in the courtyard from portland, OR debating about the differences between salmon species. I just heard one of them say, "Copper River, thats the best". and "what's the difference between coho and chinook, is chinook better?"

No one ever knows how anything is caught or what the difference would be, net, troll, etc.

This isn't market research, this is personal experience. Although I feel like I have experienced many of these conversations and situations, I would probably still be astounded to find out what could be determined by researching our market with a organized comprehensive study and the types of strategic marketing activities that could benefit trollers.
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by elkiller »

Image

I slammed this together in about fifteen minutes. I will retain the copyright on this image but will release it, in writing, to the forum only - for free. You do not have permission to use this image for commercial purposes without written consent.
latitudes
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Re: Trolling (Hook and Line) Mascot

Post by latitudes »

As one who is looking at getting started in this industry, this topic is quite interesting. I currently own an independent retail pharmacy, and as such have seen similar struggles in that industry. In the case of pharmacy it is difficult to band together much because we are independents for a reason, and because anti-trust laws are thrown at us as a threat. In fishing the independence is probably even greater, but the anti-trust is likely less. From what I have seen so far, each state has it's own group, (ATA, WTA, etc), but the groups need to work together if things are to move forward. The appeal of troll caught fish is the small business aspect (helping the "little guy" out), and the superior quality. My limited perspective tells me that there are enough people, with enough money, that all of our troll caught kings and coho should end up as fine table fair somewhere. I have never seen a chum that was worth eating, but also have never caught one that was more than 1 mile from a river mouth. All of the pinks I have caught have ended up smoked and canned.

Where I'm going with this is that I'm not sure promoting troll caught chums and pinks is in line with promoting troll caught salmon as the best. Not to say that there isn't a need for them in the market, but if we are using premium quality as one of our separators, I'm not sure that those fish have a place on the plate as premium fillets. The thing to do is to get the state organizations together, form a joint group that then hires a marketing firm to come up with the sales plan, logo etc. In addition there needs to be grading standards for the fish that are given to the processors. If the fish make the grade, they are tagged as such, and the premium price will be paid. Some folks may not want to take the time and effort to get the premium grade for their fish, and that's their prerogative, they can also take the lower price. Not everyone will buy in at first, but hopefully those that hold back will see the light, and will join up later. It will cost some dough, and require time at meetings (which is FUN I know) but hopefully it will help the industry. I'm not sure where the pinks and chums fit in on this whole deal, but perhaps Salty can chime in and educate me. We should have a bunch of pinks in WA this year, and it would be nice to make some money on em. I'm now a part of WTA, and hopefully a boat owner in the next month or so. Count me in.
Joe Cammack, AKA Latitudes
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