Patent Application
20210059233
The present disclosure relates generally to a fishing lure device and method of use. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to fishing lure jig which includes an improved weed guard, related components, and associated methods of use.
Various types of fishing lures are known in the art. One type of lure is commonly known as a jig, and often includes a head or sinker with a molded in, or otherwise attached, hook. Jigs are commonly used for catching a number of different types of fish, including bass and muskellunge, and are often designed to create a jerky vertical motion, though some variants are not intended to enable easy vertical motion. Jig heads are available in a range of sizes, shapes, and colors, with common designs being at least partially round. Some popular designs of jig heads include flipping jig heads, football jig heads, and grass jig heads. A wide range of sizes is available, with common weights ranging from 1/80th of an ounce to approximately a pound. Hooks also vary in type and shape, color, angle, and material. Depending upon the intended use of the jig, it may include a skirt as well as a skirt collar. The skirt is often made out of silicone or other flexible materials, which may simulate a swimming motion and attract predators.
A common problem with jigs, particularly when fishing with a lure which is intended to be near the bottom of a body of water, river, or stream, is that the lure may encounter weeds, sticks, and other impediments. These impediments may get caught around the looping portion of the hook, causing the lure to have its movement restricted, to no longer effectively simulate prey for predators, and to becoming caught and be difficult to retrieve. Some attempted solutions include using a weed guard, which extends from the jig head generally towards the point of the hook. Such weed guards, however, can often add size to the jig, may separate from the head, and also require placement of bait relatively far away from the point of the hook. This can cause predators to be able to manage to eat the bait while at least partially avoiding the hook.
Current jig lures and methods of use continue to face issues of insufficiently preventing weeds and other materials from getting caught on or around the hook. Current jig lures also continue to face issues with not effectively placing bait for a predator to swallow a hook.
The disclosure relates generally to a fishing lure device and method of use. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to fishing lure jig which includes an improved weed guard, related components, and associated methods of use. The improved weed guard device enables a user to effectively reduce the likelihood of the hook becoming caught on weeds or other encumbrances while also enabling location of bait in close proximity to the hook.
1. In one embodiment, a fishing lure includes a head and a hook. The head may be made of various materials known in the art, and in one embodiment may be configured to sink in water, such as where it is made of lead, other metals, plastic, or various hybrid materials.
The hook may have one end connected to the head, while the second end is not in contact with the head, though it may be facing towards the head, and an angle offset away from it, or completely away from it. The fishing lure may include a weed guard member, which may be connected to the head. The weed guard member may be rigidly connected to the head, flexibly connected to the head, along flexion within substantially only one place, flexibly connected to the head so as to along flexion substantially within multiple planes, may be rotatably connected to the head, may be connected by a combination of means, or may be connected by other means known in the art.
The hook may define an at least partially open volume, such as between the main body of the hook, between the two ends of the hook, between the hook and the head, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the fishing lure may be configured so that the weed guard can move, rotate, or flex between a relaxed configuration and a tensioned configuration. The weed guard may be configured, or its attachment to the head may be configured, such that the end of the weed guard not connected to the head does not fully enter into the at least partially open volume when the weed guard is in the relaxed configuration. In one embodiment, that end of the weed guard may optionally be able to enter into the open volume when the weed guard is in a tensioned configuration, though it may also be prevented from being able to enter into that volume, such as by limitations in its own flexion, rotation, connection to the head, or by features which prevent such movement, such as by the hook itself.
The weed guard member may be unitary, may be made of multiple components, may be entirely flexible, or may contain at least one flexible component. In one embodiment, the weed guard includes a skirt collar. The skirt collar may be made of a flexible material, such as rubber, silicone, nylon, or other materials known in the art. In another embodiment, the weed guard may include at least one filament. The filament may be made of a flexible material, such as rubber, silicone, nylon, plastic, or other materials known in the art. The filament may also be substantially rigid, such as being a wire which may be made of stainless steel, other metals, resin, and other materials known in the art. In one embodiment, both the skirt collar and the filament may be flexible. The skirt collar may function as a knuckle, creating a pivot point around which the filament may rotate or bend.
In one embodiment, the skirt collar may be at least partially retained by the head by being seated in an opening in the head. The skirt collar may also include a lip, such that a skirt may be retained between the skirt collar and the head.
The skirt collar may include an opening which may enter partially into the skirt collar or may pass entirely through the skirt collar, such as where the skirt collar has a generally cylindrical hole. The filament may be inserted at least partially into the opening in the skirt collar and may be retained by means of frictional resistance, pressure, adhesives, snap fits, press fits, or other means known in the art. The filament may partially seat within the skirt collar, may pass all the way through the skirt collar to the end of the skirt collar, or may pass all the way through the skirt collar and come out the other end of the skirt collar.
The weed guard may also include a bait retention feature. The feature may be a hook-like feature, a harpoon-like feature, or other means of penetrating and/or retaining bait. The feature may be a separate component, or may be part of another described component, such as the skirt collar or the filament. In one embodiment, the bait retention feature may be generally or at least partially helical in structure. Bait may be threaded onto the helix, or the helical feature may be pressed into the bait and retain the bait between gaps in the helix. The bait retention feature may be substantially rigid, such as where it may be a metal or plastic helix, but it may also be flexible, such as where softer materials are used or where the cross-sections of materials are configured to allow flexion. In one embodiment, the bait retention feature is a spring.
In one embodiment, the bait retention feature extends away from the skirt collar and towards the end of the filament which is furthest away from the head. It may extend substantially parallel to the filament, or at an offset angle from it. The filament, the bait retention feature, the skirt collar, or the entire weed guard may extend away from the head at an angle relative to the angle of the hook extending away from the head. This angle may be 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, 90 degrees, any angle between these angles, or a lesser or greater angle as well.
The bait retention feature may also at least partially surround the filament. In one embodiment, where the bait retention feature is a helix, the filament passes through the helix, at least partially along an axis defined by the helix. The filament may be substantially straight, or may be angled, bent, or at least partially curved. In another embodiment, the filament is curved, such that it leaves the skirt collar substantially near the center of the collar or the center of the helix, but curves towards the point of the hook as it extends away from the head.
In an alternate embodiment, where the filament does not extend fully through the skirt collar, a second piece of filament or other elongated component may also be located within the skirt collar, extend from it and away from the filament, or may extend from the head into the skirt collar. An additional elongated component may provide additional strength to the skirt collar, may strengthen its connection to the head, or may create a controlled focal point to flexion of the skirt collar, or reduce such flexion. The second elongated element may be made of the same material as the filament, the same material as the head, or other materials known in the art. In one embodiment, the filament enters into the skirt collar, ends within the skirt collar, and a second piece of filament extends from proximate to the end of the filament and out through the opposing side of the skirt collar.
The fishing lure of the present disclosure may be used in a number of different ways. One method of use includes inserting the filament into the piece of bait, such as by sliding the bait over the filament. The bait is then attached to the bait retention feature, such as by twisting the bait onto the helix or spring. The weed guard and its associated components may be configured such that bait may be selected which, when attached over the weed guard, will resist the bait and the weed guard from being able to enter into the central area or open area defined by the hook. In such a way, the weed guard components and the bait together essentially act as a larger weed guard. The bait will be retained on the fishing lure, while resisting weeds or other encumbrances from catching the hook. When a predator attempts to eat the bait, which is proximal to the hook itself, the predator then may become caught on the hook.
The disclosure relates to an improved fishing lure device and method of use, such as through the use of the described invention. The method may include the use of a fishing lure which may include one or more of the features or components described herein. Any number of components or features may be used in conjunction with and incorporated into the weed guard described. Various materials, including metals, plastics, and composites, may be used for the described components and features.
It is to be understood that the above mentioned features and the features yet to be explained hereinafter can be used not only in the respectively mentioned combinations but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the context of the present invention.
The invention is now disclosed in detail with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, where:
Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated in the Figures and are explained in the following description in more detail, wherein identical reference numbers refer to identical, or similar, or functionally identical or similar components.
Various aspects of the illustrative embodiments will be described using terms commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced with only some of the described aspects. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrative embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, well-known features or those previously described are omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the illustrative embodiments.
Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations, in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the present invention, however the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations need not be performed in the order of presentation. In some instances, structures and devices may be shown in block diagram or flow chart form in order to facilitate describing the disclosed subject matter.
The jig 100 may include a hook 120, which may be connected to the head 110 at a first end 121. The hook 120 may be connected to the head 110 by molding, such as over-molding, welding, adhesives, press fit, snap fit, or other means known in the art. The hook 120 may also be unitary with the head 110. The hook may have an elongated portion 122 which extends substantially away from the head 110 and the first end 121, may include a second end 123, which may optionally be pointed, and may include a curved or loop feature 124. While the second end 123 may be pointed, it may also be blunt, may have an edge or be otherwise sharp, and may include additional features, such as barbs. Though a curved loop feature 124 is shown, the hook 120 may have an angled feature or other bends. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the second end 123 may be generally directed towards the head 110, such as where the hook 120 curves back approximately 180 degrees, but it may also be offset at a different angle relative to the elongated portion 122, essentially creating a different angle relative to the head 110. Some angles include 30 degrees, 45 degrees, and 60 degrees, though it should be understood that other angles may also be used, both less than, in between, and more than those described.
The embodiment shown includes a weed guard 130 such as those known in the art. The weed guard shown includes a plurality of filaments 131 which are commonly made from flexible or semi-flexible materials, having no retention features and resisting flexion of the weed guard 130 as a whole by reinforcing each filament 131 with multiple additional filaments 131. The weed guard 130 as shown generally resists flexion, does not support bait, and can only flex under significant force.
The skirt 240 that is shown should be understood to be optionally included, and may also be removable, adjustable, replaceable, may be omitted, or multiple skirts 240 or components which collectively create a skirt 240 may also be used. The skirt 240 is shown in a simplified format, though skirts 240 may also be used which include multiple separate strands of material, smaller groupings of material, may substantially surround the hook 220 or the head 210, and other shapes, sizes, or configurations of skirts 240 may also be used. The skirt 240 is shown made of a flexible material, such as silicone, though other materials which are known in the art may also be used.
The weed guard 230 in the embodiment shown includes an elongated element 231. The elongated element 231 may be partially flexible, substantially flexible, or may be substantially rigid. The elongated element 231 may also be substantially straight, may be at least partially curved, as shown in the present embodiment, or may be bent, angled, or have other shapes. The elongated element 231 may end in a sharp point 234 as shown, though it may also be blunt, have a sharp edge, have barbs, terminate in an enlarged feature, or terminate or connect to other features or components, such as a ball end, without deviating from the scope or intent of the disclosure.
The weed guard 230 is shown as extending from the head 210 of the jig 200 at an angle relative to the elongated portion 222 of the hook 220. The weed guard 230 may extend from the head 210 at a 30 degree, 45 degree, 60 degree, or other angle relative to the hook 220, include angles which are greater, lesser, or in between those described.
In the embodiment shown, the weed guard 230 includes a skirt collar 232. The skirt collar 232 may be connected to the head 210, such as through overmolding, a press fit, a resistance fit, an adhesive, snap fit, or other means known in the art. The skirt collar 232 may be made of a flexible, semi-flexible, rigid, or semi-rigid material, such as rubber. The elongate element 231 may be connected to the skirt collar 232, which is itself connected to the head 210. The skirt collar 232 may be connected to the head 210 rigidly, flexibly, or rotatably, as described above.
The weed guard 230 may also include a bait retention feature 233. The bait retention feature 233 may be connected to the head 210, the elongated element 231, the hook 220, or to the skirt collar 232, as shown. The bait retention feature 233 may be a hook, a barb, an angled or otherwise bent feature, or another feature configured to retain bait or resist bait coming off of the jig 200 when not intended. In the embodiment shown, the bait retention feature 233 is a helical coil, though other shapes and configurations may also be used without deviating from the scope or intent of this disclosure. The bait retention feature 233 may be in line or next to the elongated element 231 or it may, in some configurations, optionally at least partially surround the elongated element 231, such as where the bait retention feature 233 is helical or otherwise is configured to go at least partially around a cross-section of the elongated element 231.
The bait retention feature 233 may be substantially rigid, such as where it is made of a material such as steel or lead, or may be at least partially flexible. In one embodiment, the bait retention feature 233 is a spring, which may be configured to flex, such as along with a flexible elongated element 231, when sufficient force is applied. In one configuration, the bait retention feature 233 and/or the elongated element 231 may resist flexion when the jig 200 encounters weeds or other potential obstructions, but may flex when sufficient force is applied by a fish which has attempted to eat the bait, optionally flexing proximal to the hook 220 or the hook second end 223 or optionally flexing beyond the second end 223, allowing the fish to be caught on the hook 220.
In the embodiment shown, the skirt collar 332 may be inserted into the opening 314 in the head 310. The skirt collar 332 may include a skirt collar retention feature 337, such as a flared out portion, to aid in retaining the skirt collar 332 in the opening 314 in the head 310, though other features, shapes, or adhesives may alternately be used or may be used in conjunction with the retention feature 337.
The elongated element 331 may pass at least partially or into an opening or open area 338 defined by skirt collar 332, such as a recess or channel. In the embodiment shown, the skirt collar 332 includes a channel which passes all the way through the skirt collar 332, through which the elongated element 331 may be inserted. The elongated element 331 may extend substantially through the skirt collar 332, pass partially into it, or may pass entirely through it, as shown. Having the elongated element 331 pass entirely through the skirt collar 332 may strengthen the skirt collar 332 and may strengthen the connection of the skirt collar 332 to the head 310. It may also strengthen the connection of the elongated element 331 to the skirt collar 332 itself, providing more surface area for resistance and friction to counteract forces that may attempt to pull the elongated element 331 from the skirt collar 332 and the head 310, as well as providing more surface area for adhesives.
An alternate embodiment of the jig 400 is shown in cross-sectional view in
While the present invention has been related in terms of the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described. The present invention can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Thus, the description is to be regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive on the present invention. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations, combinations, and alternatives may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the claimed coverage.
