Patent Application
20230148579
A wide variety of fishing tackle exists on the market today. The type of fishing tackle used generally depends upon personal choices of the angler, the species of fish sought, lighting, water conditions, season, availability, fishing style, and other factors.
Popping floats (also referred to as popping corks) are one type of fishing tackle used to produce strikes. A popping float is typically a two to six-inch-long float made of cork, Styrofoam, hard plastic, or other buoyant material. Many popping floats are cupped with a concave-shaped front end to create loud “chugs” and “popping” sounds when the angler pulls the float quickly through the water. A concave front of the popping cork displaces more water, resulting in louder sounds and more splashing action. The opposite end of the popping float is often tapered and weighted to make it easier to cast and keep the trail end of the float below the surface of the water.
The theory behind popping floats is that fish are attracted to commotion at the surface of the water, as the noise simulates an injured fish or surface feeding bait fish fleeing from predators. When fish come to investigate the sounds, they see the lure dangling below the float and strike.
The retrieval cadence and loudness of the “pops” can be important to attracting fish. A common technique for anglers is to cast the popping float to where fish are likely to be. The angler then pulls abruptly on (or “pops”) the float once or multiple times and then pauses before repeating the process as the angler reels the float with the lure across the strike zone. One problem with existing popping floats is that the popping sound and splash of the water predictably follows as the angler pulls on the line with a jerking motion of the rod. The float does not allow for a more random noise and splashing action. Instead, the noise and splash are limited by the angler's retrieval action. A more random and intermittent noise and splash is sometimes desired. Further, existing popping floats only make a splashing sound when the angler abruptly pulls or jerks the line. In other words, a continuous or slow retrieval of the line would typically not make any fish-attracting noises. It would sometimes be desirable to generate sounds and splashes at the surface of the water without requiring a jerking motion during retrieval.
There is therefore a need for an improved float fishing apparatus that overcomes these and other problems in the art.
One aspect of the disclosure includes a float fishing apparatus having an elongated connecting member and a float. The float has a body portion with a forward end and a rearward end. The body portion is rotatably combined with the connecting member. In one embodiment the body portion has an opening extending therethrough with the connecting member passing slidably through the opening so that the body portion is rotatably combined with the connecting member. The float has a fin member extending from the body portion. The fin member has a leading edge and a spaced trailing edge with a pressure surface extending therebetween. The pressure surface of the fin member responds to water pressure when the float is moved through water to rotate the float and intermittently splash the water. In some forms, the pressure surface has a generally concave shape, and the fin member extends around only a portion of the body portion of the float such that the float has an asymmetrical shape.
Another aspect of the disclosure includes a float fishing apparatus having an elongated connecting member and a float. The float has a body portion with a forward end and a rearward end. The body portion has an opening extending therethrough with the connecting member passing slidably through the opening so that the body portion is rotatably combined with the connecting member. The float has a fin member extending from the body portion. The fin member has a leading edge and a spaced trailing edge with a pressure surface extending therebetween. The float also includes a second body portion spaced apart from and positioned rearward of the first body portion on the connecting member. The pressure surface of the fin member responds to water pressure when the float is moved through water to rotate the first body portion of the float and intermittently splash the water with the fin member.
Another aspect of the disclosure includes a float fishing apparatus having an elongated connecting member and a float. The float has a first body portion with a forward end and a rearward end. The body portion has an opening extending therethrough with the connecting member passing slidably through the opening so that the body portion is rotatably mounted on the connecting member. The float has a first fin member extending from the first body portion. The first fin member has a leading edge and a spaced trailing edge with a pressure surface extending therebetween. The float also includes a second body portion spaced apart from and positioned rearward of the first body portion on the connecting member. A second fin member extends from the second body portion. The pressure surface of the first fin member responds to water pressure when the float is moved through water to rotate the first body portion of the float and intermittently splash the water with the fin member, and the pressure surface of the second fin member responds to water pressure when the float is moved through the water to rotate the second body portion of the float and intermittently splash the water. In some forms, the first fin member is configured to rotate the first body portion in a first direction and the second fin member is configured to rotate the second body portion in a second, opposite direction. The first and second fin members may also, in some embodiments, be sized and/or shaped differently to rotate the first and second body portions at different speeds.
A still further aspect of the disclosure includes a method of fishing using a float fishing apparatus. The method includes taking a float fishing apparatus having an elongated connecting member and a float. The float has a body portion with a forward end and a rearward end. The body portion has an opening extending therethrough with the connecting member passing slidably through the hole so that the body portion is rotatably mounted on the connecting member. The float has a fin member extending from the body portion. The fin member has a leading edge and a spaced trailing edge with a pressure surface extending therebetween. The method further includes securing a lure to one of the first and second ends of the connecting member nearest the rearward end of the body portion of the float and casting the float fishing apparatus with the lure. As the angler moves the float through the water, the pressure surface of the fin member responds to water pressure to rotate the float and intermittently splash the water. In some forms, the float can include a first body portion and a second body portion, each having a fin member configured to rotate the body portion in the water and intermittently splash the surface of the water.
As shown in
A fin member 16 extends from the periphery of the first body portion 12A. In some embodiments the fin member 16 extends outward from the first body portion 12A at an angle that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first body portion 12A. The fin member 16 includes a leading edge 18 and a trailing edge 20 with a pressure surface 22 located between the leading and trailing edges 18, 20. As explained below in more detail, the pressure surface 22 is shaped like the surface of a propeller blade to engage the water 46 at an angle causing the fin member 16 to rotate as it is pulled through the water 46. In some embodiments the pressure surface 22 may be shaped in a spiral plane. The pressure surface 22 may have a shape that causes rotation in either a clockwise or counter clockwise direction depending on the angle (configuration of the leading and trailing edges). The first body portion 12A and the fin member 16 may be integrally formed or they may be manufactured separately then combined together.
The first body portion 12A is rotatably combined with the connecting member 14. When the popping float 10 is pulled through the water while fishing, the first body portion 12A and the second body portion 12B displace water, creating a disturbance in the water and a resulting sound. In addition, as the leading edge 18 of the fin member 16 engages the water, the pressure surface 22 responds to frictional forces exerted by the water 46 on the fin member 16, causing the fin member 16 and the first body portion 12A to rotate in the direction indicated by the directional arrow 24. As the fin member 16 continues to rotate, the pressure surface 22 intermittently slaps the water, creating an additional disturbance in the water and a resulting sound. The pressure surface 22 of the fin member 16 slaps the water once per revolution. The leading edge 18 of the fin member 16 continues to cut through and engage the water as a portion of the fin member 16 extends out of the water, thus continuing to rotate the fin member 16 and the first body portion 12A.
The pressure surface 22 of the fin member 16 may have a generally concave shape, as illustrated in
The forward end of the first body portion 12A shown in
The connecting member 14 in the form shown in the Figures includes a first line attachment member 26 at one end and a second line attachment member 28 at the opposite end. Fishing line 48 secured to the first line attachment member 26 extends to the angler's rod and reel (not shown). A lure 30 is secured to the second line attachment member 28, as shown in
Beads 32 can be mounted toward opposite ends of the connecting member 14. The beads 32 are preferably made of plastic and help prevent the first and second line attachment members 26, 28 from jamming inside the openings 13, 15 in the first and second body portions 12A, 12B or cracking and breaking the body portions during fishing.
As illustrated in
The first and second fin members 16, 34 can also be sized or shaped differently to rotate the first and second body portions 12A, 12B at different speeds and/or create different splashing noises in the water 46. For example, in one embodiment the first fin member 16 has a first rake angle and the second fin member 34 has a second rake angle that is different from the first rake angle. The different rake angles cause the fin members 16, 34 to rotate at different speeds and/or create different splashing sounds. In another embodiment the first fin member 16 has a first pitch angle and the second fin member 34 has a second pitch angle that is different from the first pitch angle. The different pitch angles cause the fin members 16, 34 to rotate at different speeds and/or create different splashing sounds. In yet another embodiment the first fin member 16 has a first mass and the second fin member 34 has a second mass that is different from the first mass. The different masses cause the fin members 16, 34 to rotate at different speeds and/or create different splashing sounds. In yet another embodiment the first fin member 16 extends a first distance around the first body portion 12A and the second fin member 34 extends a second distance around the second body portion 12B that is different from the first distance. The different lengths cause the fin members 16, 34 to rotate at different speeds and/or create different splashing sounds. The first and second distance may both be less than 180 degrees around the circumference of each respective body portion 12A, 12B. In other embodiments one or both of the first and second distances may extend more than 180 degrees around the circumference of the respective body portion 12A, 12B.
During use, the angler casts the popping float 10 with a lure 30 to where fish are likely to be. The popping float is oriented in an upright position (as shown in
The popping float 10 shown in
Having thus described the invention in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various revisions can be made to the preferred embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is my intention, however, that all such revisions and modifications that are evident to those skilled in the art will be included with in the scope of the following claims.
