Patent Application
20220015344
This disclosure generally relates to artificial fishing lures and fishing baits.
When fishing on waters that have mats of lilies, grass, or other surface plant growth, a fishing technique that is frequently used may be referred to as ‘punching’. ‘Punching’ generally refers to making casts, or otherwise flipping a bait or lure onto the surface of lilies or other plant growth with a weight attached allowing the bait or lure to ‘punch’ through the plant growth.
For example, in tournament bass angling, this is a technique that is frequently used. In bass angling, this technique may consist of making short casts (flipping) into the mats of lilies or grass, slop etc., with a heavy weight to punch the bait or lure through the mat. In this way, the bait or lure can be presented to the fish hiding under the plant growth. Current state-of-the-art soft plastic baits are smooth surfaced or have ribs that are configured in a horizontal position on the bait.
A problem with the smooth surface on conventional baits is that they become sticky after a short time and begin gleaning or sticking to lilies and other objects or plant growth. A problem with horizontal configured ribbed baits is that the horizontal ribs catch, grab, and hang onto objects or plant growth in the mat.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for better baits for fishing in waters that have mats of lilies, grass, or other surface plant growth.
In embodiments, a fishing lure includes a body, a plurality of ribs disposed vertically on the outer surface of the body that surround the body and cover between about 50% and about 100% of the outer surface of the body; and one or more appendages attached to the body. The ribs may cover between about 75% and 95% of the surface area of the body. The ribs may range between about 0.01 and about 0.5 inches wide. The ribs may extend from about 0.01 inches to about 0.5 inches outward from the surface of the body. The ribs may be spaced between about 0.01 inches and about 0.1 inches apart. The body may be circular, oval, spheroidal, elliptical, or cylindrical in shape.
Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings, and the claims.
Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements. The drawings may not be to scale, and the relative size, proportions, and depiction of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration, and convenience.
The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the methods, products, and/or systems, described herein. However, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, products, and/or systems described herein will be apparent to an ordinary skilled artisan.
The present disclosure provides a bait that has ribs that are configured vertically on the bait. This allows the bait to make a much smoother penetration through a mat. The vertical ribs provide a more streamlined bait or lure and have less surface area touching the mat. This provides a bait that can consistently move through the mat or plant growth and provides a smoother and more consistent presentation. In addition, an optional feature of the bait can also include legs that have a double action.
Accordingly, in embodiments, a fishing lure of the disclosure includes a body and one or more appendages attached to the body. The body generally includes outer ribs disposed lengthwise or vertically running along the body. In preferred embodiments, the body of the lure can be circular, oval, spheroidal, or cylindrical in shape. In preferred embodiments, the body is generally spheroidal or cylindrical in shape, and the ribs extend between about 50% to about 100% of the length of the body. In preferred embodiments, the ribs may extend from about 75% to about 95% of the length of the body.
The ribs are generally disposed on an outer surface of the body of the lure and encircle, surround, or envelope the body. In preferred embodiments, the ribs completely encircle or envelope the body over about 50% to about 100% of the outer surface of the body.
In one specific embodiment of the fishing bait shown in
A bait as shown in
In one specific embodiment of a bait shown in
A body of a lure or bait as referred to herein, is generally an elongated, spherical, spheroidal, elliptical, and/or cylindrical structure made from rubber, plastic, metal, wood, composite, and/or other material commonly used for fishing lures. Preferably, the body is circular, oval, spheroidal, elliptical, or generally cylindrical in shape. A generally spheroidal, elliptical, or cylindrical body shape is preferred. As shown in the drawings, in preferred embodiments, the ribs extend vertically along a substantial portion of the cylindrically shaped body. Soft plastic bait materials are preferred.
A rib, as referred to herein, may be an elongated elevated structure running disposed vertically along the body of the lure. In embodiments, a rib may be from 0.01 in. to about 0.5 inches wide. In preferred embodiments, a rib may be from about 0.01 inches to about 0.1 inches wide and be about 0.05 inches wide. A rib may extend from about 0.01 inches to about 0.5 inches outward from the surface of the body of the lure. A rib may be made from soft bait material, plastic, metal, wood, composites, or any material commonly used for fishing lures. The ribs may be made from the same material as used for the body or different for a particular lure.
An appendage may range in length from about 0.1 inches to about 10 inches preferably about 1 inch to 6 inches and about 0.1 to about 3 inches wide or preferably about 0.25 to about 1.5 inches wide. Appendages may be made from soft bait material, plastic, metal, wood, composites, or any material commonly used for fishing lures. The appendages may be made from the same material as used for the body or different for a particular lure.
As discussed above, a plurality of ribs may be disposed closely spaced and surrounding or enveloping the body. In embodiments, the spacing between the ribs may range from about 0.01 to about 0.5 inches and preferably from about 0.05 to about 0.1 inches.
An appendage as referred to herein is an external part or elongated structure that protrudes from or is attached to the lure body. In embodiments, an appendage may generally resemble legs, fins, tails, or other appendages that occur on a frog, fish, insect, or small aquatic creature or organism. An appendage may be made from any of the materials used for the body and may be made from the same material as used for the body or different for a particular lure.
The disclosed fishing lure may also include one or more fishing hooks attached thereto, either to the body or one or more of the appendages.
In one example, the disclosed lure is used in a punch rig that is used for bass fishing in heavy matted cover. This rig includes a heavy, approximately 8′ casting rod, 60-pound test line, a heavy-duty hook, for example, a flipping hook, 4/0 or 5/0 sized, and a quarter ounce to 3-ounce weight depending on the cover.
Generally, the rod will be a stiff action rod about 6′ to 8′ long, the weight will be between about ¼ ounce to about 4 ounces preferably about 1 ounce; the line will be between 40 to 70 lb test, and the hook will be a stiff flipping hook 3/0 to 6/0.
While this disclosure includes specific examples, it will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application has been attained that various changes in form and details may be made in these examples without departing from the spirit of the invention and its equivalents.
This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application No. 63/053,822 filed on Jul. 20, 2020, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63053822 | Jul 2020 | US |
