Abstract:
The present invention is a fish lure suitable for fresh and salt-water fishing comprising a hydrodynamic body and a skirt, which conceals a treble hook. The body has a general cetacean shape, pairs of front, rear and tail fins, in addition to a top fin. The forward end of the lure&#39;s body terminates in a rounded snout just below a leader connection eyelet. The skirt comprises a triad of elongated filaments, each terminating in an individual spherical eye suitable for attracting fish species.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention deals with a fish lure suitable for fresh and ocean water fishing.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Fish lures are utilized world wide to attract and catch a variety of both fresh and saltwater fish species. Lures range from simple single hook, camouflaged ones to multi-hook, three-dimensional fancifully painted lures. Lures can resemble other fish species, worms, crustaceans, or reptiles, e.g., frogs. Fish lures are made in a rainbow of colors, a multitude of textures and sizes, plus can be adorned with feathers and metal spinners in an effort to attract fish.  
           [0005]    Realistic type fish lures, i.e., those having fish like features, such as, fins, eyes, and painted on scales, which conceal one or more hooks, are the subject of numerous patents.  
           [0006]    An early example of a lure having fish like features is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 3,445,953, issued to Dailey. His flexible body lure has a large tail fin, in addition to two adjacent fins, all of which are outer edge, weighed fins. There is also a hook projecting downward on the body.  
           [0007]    O. Rask in U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,882 discloses another flexible body fish lure having top and bottom fins, in addition to a rudder member associated with the tail fin.  
           [0008]    E. Goetz, Jr., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,730 illustrates a hydrodynamic fishing lure not having the shape of any particular living species. Rather, his lure is fashioned from a wire material.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,722, Hess et al, shows a fish shaped lure having a multi-strand skirt, which conceals a double fishing hook.  
           [0010]    In U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,299, Correll et al, discloses a realistic swimming fish lure having stabilizing front fins and a flexible tail section, which moves back and forth when pulled through the water. The lure further has front eyes and a front, downward facing hook.  
           [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,927, Ortiz, discloses an elongated lure having a forward, interchangeable, skirt and a hook behind the skirt.  
           [0012]    Another fin bearing lure is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,921 issued to Mason. His lure includes multiple hook hangers.  
           [0013]    A realistic, soft body fishing lure having a V-shaped dorsal fin, which terminates in a flattened tail is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,540 issued to Potts.  
           [0014]    Another lure somewhat resembling a fish is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,006, issued to Peterson. The lure has an interchangeable tail portion and a wide front bill.  
           [0015]    Finally, U.S. Design Pat. No. 432,201, Firmin, discloses a, laterally, perfect fish shaped appearing lure, yet no indication of hook placement or attachment is noted.  
           [0016]    Although the above-cited patents have common features with regard to the lures disclosed, such as, fish shapes and fins, none alone or taken together suggest or teach the lure of the present invention disclosed here following.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0017]    The hydrodynamic fish lure of the present invention comprises a body, having a general cetacean shape, and a skirt concealing a treble hook. The body further includes pairs of front and rear fins, a top fin, and bilateral tail fins lying above the plane of both pair of front and rear fins.  
           [0018]    The skirt, securely attached to the body, comprises a triad of elongated filaments each of which terminate in an individual spherical eye.  
           [0019]    As the lure is pulled through the water, the shape of the body along with its fins, contributes to the hydrodynamic nature of the lure. The skirt further stabilizes the lure traveling through water, as the spherical eyes facing reward attract the attention of fish. Once a fish bites the spherical eyes and elongated filaments, the fish is caught on the treble hook concealed within the skirt.  
           [0020]    An object of the present invention is to provide a simple hydrodynamic fish lure useful in both fresh and salt-water fishing.  
           [0021]    Another object is to provide an economically manufacturable lure having a minimal amount of components, yet effective in attracting fish. A further object is to provide a high quality, durable lure capable of a long service life.  
           [0022]    Yet another object is to provide a fish lure having a glossy, multicolored surface finish.  
           [0023]    Other objects pertaining to the hydrodynamic fish lure of the present invention will be evident, to one skilled in the art of fish lures, in the detailed description of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]    [0024]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hydrodynamic fish lure according to the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the hydrodynamic fish lure.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 is a right side view of the hydrodynamic fish lure.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 is a front view of the hydrodynamic fish lure.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 5 is a rear view of the hydrodynamic fish lure.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 6 is a left side view of the hydrodynamic fish lure.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the hydrodynamic fish lure. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]    In reference to FIG. 1, a hydrodynamic lure  10  is shown comprising a body  12 , and a skirt  14 . The body  12  has a forward end  13 , which terminates in a flattened, rounded snout  18  directly below a leader connection eyelet  28 . The body  12  further has a reward end  15 ; onto which said skirt  14  is securely attached.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIGS. 1 and 2 further reveal that the body  12  has a pair of front fins  22 , a pair of rear fins  24 , a pair of tail fins  26 , and a top fin  20 . Each fin is slightly curved backward to permit smooth movement through the water. Importantly, the body  12  has a cetacean shape, and not the shape of any particular fish species.  
         [0033]    The skirt  14 , seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, is made from a triad of elongated filaments  16 , each of which terminates in an individual spherical eye  17 . Inside of said skirt  14  is a treble hook  30  connected to the body  12  by means of a hook attachment eyelet  31  affixed to said reward end  15  of said body  12 .  
         [0034]    It is further evident that the body  12  can be said to have a top portion and a bottom portion, which would best be seen in FIGS. 3 and 6. An imaginary midline would run from the snout  18  to the hook attachment eyelet  31  and separate the body into a top portion and a bottom portion.  
         [0035]    In FIG. 2, the spatial relationship of the pair of front fins  22 , the pair of rear fins  24 , and the tail fins  26  can be seen. Additionally, the slightly curved shape of each fin is more evident. Further, the flattened, rounded snout  18 , directly below the leader connection eyelet  28 , is more visible in FIG. 4.  
         [0036]    The body  12 , including the top fin  20 , the pair of front fins  22 , the pair of rear fins  24 , and the tail fins  26 , is fabricated from a single material. Preferably, this material is a urethane in nature, however, may also be other synthetic material. Additionally, the body  12  materials may be wood, or rubber. Most preferably, the material of said body  12  has a semi-buoyant character so that the lure  10  does not sink too much when pulled through the water utilizing a fishing pole.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIGS. 3 and 6 reveal the lateral placement of the pair of front fins  22 , the pair of rear fins  24 , and the tail fins  26 . The front fins  22  are located on the bottom portion of the forward end  13  of the body  12 . The rear fins  24  are located on the bottom portion of the rearward end  15  of the body  12 . The rear fins  24  follow the bottom curvature of the lure and therefore have a different angle on the body  12  than does the pair of front fins  22 . The tail fins  26  lie at the imaginary midline approximately between the top and bottom portions of the body  12 . The top fin  20  is disposed on the top portion of the body  12 .  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 4 further illustrates the relationship of the top fin  20 , the pair of front fins  22 , and the tail fins  26  to the forward end  13  of the hydrodynamic lure  10 .  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 5 illustrates the relationship of the top fin  20 , the pair of rear fins  24 , and the tail fins  26  to the reward end  15  of the hydrodynamic lure  10 .  
         [0040]    In FIGS. 2 and 7, said skirt  14  is clearly shown comprising a triad of elongated filaments  16 . Said filaments  16  have a permanently kinked character. Further, each of the elongated filaments  16  terminates in an individual spherical eye  17 . The elongated filaments  16  and spherical eyes  17  are made from the same material, and the elongated filaments  16  are permanently, securely attached to said reward end  15  of said body  12 . The material of said elongated filaments  16  and spherical eyes  17  is preferably flexible and resilient in nature.  
         [0041]    The elongated filaments  16  and spherical eyes  17  may comprise fish attractants.  
         [0042]    Additionally, the elongated filaments  16  preferably have a bright coloration, which can be different from the spherical eyes  17 . The spherical eyes  17  can be a solid color, or more preferably appear as actual eyes of a living creature when seen head on, as in FIG. 5. Various combinations of reflective colors having a glossy, matte, metallic, or luminescent finish are possible. The spherical eyes  17  are the essential feature of the lure  10  in terms of attracting fish onto the hook  30 .  
         [0043]    In FIG. 5, the position of the treble hook  30  within the elongated filaments  16  is plainly visible. The characteristic three hooks of the treble hook are equally spaced between the spherical eyes  17  within said skirt  14 . Moreover, the elongated filaments  16  are rigid enough in composition to maintain this spaced arrangement seen in FIG. 5.  
         [0044]    The body  12  preferably has a bright, multicolored decorative surface coating. Again, the color of the coating may include various combinations of reflective colors having a glossy, matte, metallic, or luminescent finish. The coloration of the body  12  may be the same as, or different from, either the elongated filaments  16  or spherical eyes  17 .  
         [0045]    When the lure  10  is pulled through water via a line and a fishing pole, the top fin  20 , the pair of front fins  22 , the pair of rear fins  24 , and the tail fins  26 , along with the cetacean shape of the body  12 , all contribute to the hydrodynamic nature of the lure  10 . The flattened, rounded snout  18  also is important to the hydrodynamic nature of lure  10 . This means, the lure  10  will travel smoothly through fresh or salt water while elongated filaments  16  and spherical eyes  17  attract fish onto the treble hook  30  concealed within the skirt  14 .  
         [0046]    The hydrodynamic lure  10  of the present invention as disclosed and described in the foregoing text and drawings, is entirely suitable for both fresh and salt-water recreational or commercial fishing.  
         [0047]    One skilled in the art of fish lures will understand and appreciate minor deviations in the hydrodynamic lure  10  which would fall within the scope of the present invention.