Patent ID: 6584726
Filing Date: 2003-07-01
Classification: A01K

Abstract:
A device for removing a hook from a fish's lip, jaw, mouth or throat without removing the fish from the water or handling it in any way, said device comprising:a rod member with proximal and distal ends, a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, and upper and lower portions; the proximal end having a handle for manual gripping by a user; the distal end comprising means for engaging a hook, the means for engaging a hook consisting of: a plane surface at the distal end of the rod member which extends both across the longitudinal axis from the lower portion toward the upper portion and in a plane which is 25 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis; a hole adjacent to the distal end, the hole extending downwardly through the rod member from the upper portion toward the plane surface and intersecting the plane surface, the axis of the hole being 50 degrees relative to the plane of the plane surface; a V-shaped zero-width slit that expands to admit a line or leader into the hole and then closes to prevent the line or leader from exiting the hole, the slit extending rearwardly along the longitudinal axis from an upper edge of the plane surface toward the hole and intersecting the hole, the slit being defined by two distal end portions of the rod member on each lateral side of the slit which taper inwardly from the upper edge of the plane surface toward the hole such that the slit is more narrow towards its intersection with the hole than at the plane surface.