Fishing Lure and Method

The present invention relates to a fishing lure and a novel method for production of a fishing lure.

In the past it has been a goal in the art to provide fishing lures which have lifelike shapes and/or characteristics for simulating a live bait type fish or other natural creature. Thus, in furtherance of this goal many lures, such as minnow imitating hard body baits, grub lures and artificial flies, have been created to simulate living creatures for attracting and provoking a striking response for hooking of a fish. In many cases, while these lures are traveling through the water they look surprisingly lifelike. However, it has been a disadvantage in the prior art lures that once the fish has the lure in its mouth it instantly realizes that the lure is artificial because of the nonflexible and hard characteristics of the body portion of the lure. Thus, the fish's reaction is instantly to spit the lure out. At times the fish can effectively pick up and spit out the lure without the fisherman even knowing that the fish was there. Therefore, even a slight increase in the time the fish holds onto the lure may make a big difference in the number of total hook ups.

In addition, many prior art lures are not adaptable to various fishing conditions in that the lure is designed and remains in one general configuration and can not be modified without special tools or other equipment. Additionally, many prior art lures are relatively heavy and relatively stiff in their body formation such that a fish can use the weight and stiffness of the lure to its own mechanical advantage after being hooked by shaking of the lure and thereby camming the hooks of the lure out of its mouth. This is due to the weight of the lure or because the stiff body portion acts as a lever to increase the forces imposed on the hooks.

Because of the inevitability of losing lures due to snags and the like, the cost of a lure is a factor in purchase and use of a particular lure. Thus, improved methods of manufacture of inexpensive and productive lures has long been a goal in the art.

Therefore, there has been a need in the art to provide a lure which in appearance looks natural and lifelike and which from the perspective of a fish feels like a lifelike bait for a longer period of time when a fish hits the lure. Additionally, it has been a goal to provide a lure which may be easily modified or adjusted in its longitudinal shape or in body shape. The lure of the present invention provides such an advantageous configuration.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a fishing lure including a flexible core member having a pair of terminal ends. A hook is attached to one of the terminal ends and on the other terminal end there is provided an eye or the like adapted fot attachment to a fishing line. A plurality of fibers extend radially from the flexible core member for forming a minnow shaped body portion which is widest between the terminal ends, i.e. the fibers are longer at a portion between the terminal ends and taper to the terminal ends by providing progressively short lengths of radially extending fibers. The flexible core member is flexible so that when a fish is hooked the lure body itself can not be used as a mechanical advantage to remove or shake loose the hook. Additionally, the flexible core member has memory characteristics such that it can be molded or bent into different shapes to provide a specific lure configuration peculiar to a particular situation.

In accordance with the method aspects of the present invention a lure may be advantageously produced by providing a lure body having the characteristics set forth above and attaching or forming a line attachment member at a first end and a hook at a second end.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lure which has a lifelike appearance and feel such that when a fish hits the lure it will not realize that it is merely a lure until well after the fish is already hooked.

It is still further an object of the present invention to provide a lure which has a flexible body portion such that when the fish is hooked by the lure it can not use the lure body for its mechanical advantage in removing the lure from its mouth. It is still further an object of the present invention to provide a lure which may be easily adjusted in the field to provide different body shapes and which also may be formed with respect to its body contours to provide a more well rounded and variable lure configuration for a variety of conditions.

It is still further an object of the present invention to provide a simple and cost effective method of producing an effective fishing lure.

Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fishing lure made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is detailed perspective view showing the construction of the fiber like body portion in the lure of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the lure of the present invention in an alternate adjusted configuration;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the fishing lure made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention showing the molding of a particular form of the body portion;

FIG. 5 is a top view showing the fishing lure of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate body of the present invention which includes a central strength bearing core element;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a further alternate embodiment of a fishing lure made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention wherein a pair of body portions ae attached to a central core member to produce a fishing lure having a different colored top portion and body portion for simulating the minnow type bait;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a step in accordance with the teachings of the method ofthe present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a step in accordance with the teachings of the method of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a step in accordance with the teachings of the method of the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a step in accordance with the teachings of the method of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a fishing lure 10. Fishing lure 10 includes a body portion 12, a hook means 14 and a means 16 for attaching a line to the body portion 12. Body portion 12 includes a central elongated core member 18. The cores member 18 includes a pair of terminal ends 20 and 22. The shape of the body portion 12 is formed by a plurality of radially extending fibers 24. These fibers form a "minnow shaped" body which is wider at a portion between the terminal ends and tapers to the ends 20 and 22 by providing the longest radially extending fibers at the central portion of the body and progressively shortening the length of the radially extending fibers toward the ends 20 and 22 to provide the "minnow shape" of the lure body.

The core member 18 is made of a material which is relatively flexible and has memory characteristics such that it can be shaped in various shapes such as that shown in FIG. 3. Thus, the lure made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention has the capability of being shaped in a sinuous or other shape which may, for instance, simulate a wounded minnow, a leech type shape as shown in FIG. 3 or other shapes as desired by the fisherman. The core member 18 must be of such a material such that the body retains its shape during fishing conditions, however, when a fish strikes the lure the body would return to its elongated shape, such as shown in phantom in FIG. 3. The lure may thereafter be quickly reshaped by hand to the fisherman's desired configuration.

The capability of the lure body to flex or return to an elongated shaped reduces the ability of the fish to use the lure itself for quickly shaking the lure out of its mouth. A fish is able to use the leveraging capabilities of a prior art rigid lure body to effectively shake the lure out of its mouth. With the flexible lure body according to the subject invention, the mechanical advantage for the lure is greatly reduced, thus, the fish will have a harder time getting the lure out if its mouth. In a preferred embodiment the core member 18 includes a pair of wires, such as stainless steel wires or the like which are twisted together, such as shown in FIG. 2, to provide the radially extending fibers 24 for forming the body portion 12. This twisted configuration produces the further advantage in that toothy fish, such as walleyes or northern pike, may tend to get their sharp teeth entwined in the twisted wires providing extra time for the fisherman to set the hook.

In addition, with the body portion in other than a straight configuration a certain amount of play in the core member 18 is provided during striking. This allows for an increase in the amount of resultant hook setting force as follows. With the core portion of the body in a configuration which is other than straight, a certain amount of slack is created between the terminal ends. With the fishing line connected to one of the terminal ends, the slack must be drawn up during the hook set. During the hook set process the line may be moved for an instant away from the hook at a greater velocity, because of this slack, and when reaching the end of the slack the momentum of the line movement causes the net force of hook setting power to be greater. This allows for an advantageous increase in hook setting force for setting the hook in bony mounted fish, such as northern pike.

The fibers 24 which form the body portion are made of a material which can be reformed by pressure to retain a new desirable body contour. For instance, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a portion of the body or the whole body could be flattened or otherwise molded into a desired configuration merely by pressure to produce a flat body contour which would simulate a leech type bait, such as shown at 24a in FIGS. 4 and 5. Thus, any of a number of suitable materials can be utilized to produce the fiber portion such as different colored polymer type fibers, polypropylene, or aluminized fibers and the like which would produce suitable attractive characteristics for the particular fish species sought. An additional advantage of the fiber construction of the present invention is that the lure will appear mor lifelike due to undulation of the fibers by movement of the lure through the water. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention a polypropylene fiber material is utilized which is pressure deformable or pressure and heat deformable such that the lure shape may be easily flattened by placement of the lure under a book or the like. alternatively, if various contours, such as a head or tail are desirable, the lure body could be placed in a suitable mold and heated to cause the body to conform to the desired shape.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, a central core member 18 is the strength bearing element which is attached to split rings or the like 26, such that of hook 28 can be attached at the end 22. A snap swivel or the like 30 may be attached to the central core member 18 at the other end to provide the attachment to a fishing line.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown an alternate embodiment of the fishing lure of the present invention 110. In this embodiment of the present invention a central strength bearing element 112 is provided which has first 114 and second 116 ends. First 114 and second 116 ends include loops therein for attaching to a hook or a line.

In this embodiment of the present invention a lure body, such as that shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, may be helically wrapped around the central element 112 to provide a body configuration which is again wider at the middle and tapers to the terminal ends. Thus, the element 112 which may be a straight wire elements, coated wire leader type material or monifilament line which is suitably flexible such that the characteristics for forming and bending of the lure will not be harmed. However, the wire members which form the helically wound body portion provide for the memory characteristics which allow the lure to form various shapes by the fisherman using his finger pressure to bend same.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown still an alternate embodiment of the present invention 210 which allows for a fishing lure body which has a separate color on the top portion 212 and on the bottom portion 214. This embodiment also has central strength bearing members 216 to which are attached separated body members 218 and 220. Thus, the members may be secured to the core member 216 at the middle portion 222 and may be twisted around either end and secured by means of glue or the like for providing a lure which has separate color portions on the top versus the bottom, for instance, to simulate the natural light and dark colorations of a minnow.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 through 11, there is shown a preferred method for producing a fishing lure in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. In accordance with the first step of the method a body forming member, generally shown at 100, is provided which includes a pair of body members 102 and 104 having the characteristics as set forth above in that they have a central flexible core member 106 running therethrough and outer fibers 108 for forming the shape of the body portion. The body members 102 and 104 are connected at a central portion 111 so as to be one piece. A core strength bearing element 112 is provided which includes a loop 114 at an upper end and a loop 116 at a lower end. A central core element may be that as described above such as a leader material which has crimps 118 and 120 for forming the loop members 114 and 116, respectively.

The lower body portion 100 is inserted through the loop 114 to the mid-point 111 of the body portion, as shown in FIG. 9. Thereafter, the body portions are folded down adjacent the element 112, as shown in phantom in FIG. 9. A securement bead 122 which may be secured over the loop containing the central portion 111 therethrough, may be provided to retain the body portion 100 in the position shown in phantom for wrapping of the body portion around the central strength bearing element 112.

In a third step of the present invention the bodies 102 and 104, in the folded position are helically wrapped about the strength bearing element 112 to provide a finished lure having a body portion which is wider at the middle and narrows toward the edges to provide a "minnow shaped" body. This step can be accomplished by hand such as by manually wrapping the body members 102 and 104 about the central core member 112. However, in a preferred embodiment the upper loop 114 may be attached to a rotating hook portion 124 which is operably attached to a sewing machine motor or the like 126. The opposite end is attached through a spring coupling 128 to a pivotal securement 130 to allow rotation of the core member 112 by the motor 126. In this embodiment the motor rotates the element 112 and the body portions 102 and 104 are held from rotation such that they helically wrap around the central core element 112, as shown in FIG. 11, to provide a single body portion.

Thereafter, the peripheral end, generally shown at 132, may be secured to the central core element by the likes of a lacquer, glue 134. In a preferred embodiment a rubber band 136 is utilized for providing securement to the end 132, either with or without the presence of glue. By providing different colored members 102 and 104 striped pattern can be obtained, such as shown in FIG. 11, and any number of colors desirable to the final consumer or effective in a particular fishing situation may be utilized. The added surface area of the fiber material utilized in the present invention advantageously allows for better retention of scent and also provides the forming characteristics set forth above and the soft body characteristics which are so desirable in a lure.

While the above description constitutes the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is to be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope and fair meaning of the accompanying claims.