Inventor hopes to make a splash on market
Barbara F. isn't your typical inventor. Inspiration for her innovation hasn't come while perspiring over a pencil and notepad. Rather, a mess of fishing rods and tangled lines sparked an idea she hopes will reel in other fishing enthusiasts. The mother of two and grandmother of five is the mind behind the Wish-A-Fish cabinet. The company helping Barbara with the invention, Invention Technologies, Inc., is currently looking for a manufacturer to mass produce the item and has been hush-hush on letting out specifics of the yet-to-be-released product. Meanwhile, Barbara has been overflowing with anticipation for her dream to become a reality. "When it hits the market, I know it's going to be very big," Barbara says with a beaming smile. The Wish-A-Fish original idea was developed in August of last year, when Barbara and her daughter Patrice C. were sorting through fishing rods and supplies scattered throughout the mother's home.
This battle with rods and reels was routine for the family of anglers. On that day, however, frustration would become inspiration for Barbara as she plundered through fishing wire. "I thought, we have something for everything else in cabinets - why not something for your fishing supplies?" Barbara says. Within minutes, she shared her brainstorm with her daughter, who happened to be thinking of a similar idea to handle their fishing fiasco. But finding a solution for that problem created a new challenge for them - how would they get the idea out to a company? Despite Patrice and Barbara telling friends and family they had an invention idea, no one knew where they should take it. It wasn't until December, when Patrice saw a commercial for Invention Technologies, that she and her mother would have an outlet. "It surprised me it actually got off the ground, especially in a small town," Patrice says.
The company sent a packet for Barbara to describe and sketch her vision of the fishing cabinet. One portion of the form stumped her, however - the product name. While Barbara discussed her naming dilemma with close confidants, Patrice's young son, uttered something that stuck with the group. "He looked at us and said some people just wish they had a fish that'd go in a cabinet," Barbara says. Now that her product is awaiting production, the angler of almost 30 years has two main responsibilities relating to her invention: keep pencil and paper handy for any alterations she develops, and keep a tight lip about its details. So what exactly is the Wish-A-Fish cabinet? Eager fisherman are just going to have to wait. Production on the new product is expected in 2006. Until then, Barbara is sworn to keep the details close to her fishing vest. "Oh, you wish (you could tell someone), but it's not a problem keeping it (secret)," Barbara says with a broad grin.