Abstract:
This document discusses, among other things fishing apparatus including a front portion, a rear portion pivotably coupled to front portion, and a trailing cup-shaped member pivotably coupled to the rear portion and rotationally restricted relative to the rear portion, wherein movement of water over the cup-shaped member causes the cup-shaped member to rock side-to-side and causes the rear portion to pivot relative to the front portion of the fishing apparatus to simulate the swimming action of a fish or other animal.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/866,454, filed Nov. 20, 2006, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This patent document pertains generally to fish decoys, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to fishing decoys having fish-like action. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Fisherman sometimes use a fish decoy or a fish lure to attract fish. For example, ice fisherman sometimes use a fish decoy in a ice fishing hole to attract large fish such as Northern pike (“Northern”) toward the ice fishing hole. Where spearing is permitted, a decoy is sometimes used to attract a fish toward the hole, giving the fisherman an opportunity to spear the fish. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    An example fishing apparatus includes a front portion, a rear portion pivotably coupled to front portion, and a trailing cup-shaped member pivotably coupled to the rear portion. The trailing cup-shaped member is rotationally restricted relative to the rear portion. Movement of water over the cup-shaped member causes the cup-shaped member to rock side-to-side and causes the rear portion to pivot relative to the front portion of the fishing apparatus. 
         [0005]    In another example, a fishing apparatus includes a jointed decoy body, a coupling member coupled to the decoy body, and a spinner blade coupled to the coupling member in a manner that allows the spinner blade to rock axially relative to the decoy body but does not allow full rotation of the spinner blade. 
         [0006]    In another example, a fish decoy includes a head portion, a tail portion pivotably coupled to the head portion, an eye connected to the tail portion, a deep-cup spinner blade, and a ring extending through the eye and through the spinner blade. When the fish decoy is moved through water, the spinner blade rocks back and forth, causing the tail portion to pivot relative to the head portion to simulate the swimming action of a fish. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fishing apparatus including a spinner blade coupled to a body. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a rear view showing a spinner blade coupled to a ring and a connector in a cup washer. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged top view of the spinner blade of  FIG. 1  coupled to the body of the fishing apparatus. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a spinner blade coupled to a body of a fishing apparatus. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  shows an example cup washer. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a rear view showing a spinner blade coupled to a connector in a cup washer. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a partially cut-away top view showing a stable-type coupling arrangement of a spoon to a tail. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a side view of a fishing apparatus illustrating flow of water over the spinner blade. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a top view of a fishing apparatus illustrating jointed swimming-like action of the apparatus. 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a top view of an ice hole showing the apparatus and a fish. 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a side view that shows an example apparatus including fish hooks. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an example fishing apparatus  100  includes a body  102  and a spinner blade  130  coupled to the body. The spinner blade  130  is coupled to the body in a manner that allows the spinner blade  130  to rock side-to-side with respect to the body  102 , but does not allow the spinner blade to spin. In water, the apparatus provides a jointed, fish-like swimming action. 
         [0019]    In contrast to a free-rotating spinner blade arrangement, the apparatus restricts rotational movement of the spinner blade—in an example apparatus, the spinner blade can rotate only about ¼ turn in either direction from a neutral, horizontal position. When water flows over the fishing apparatus  100 , the spinner blade  130  rocks laterally roughly horizontal to the body, causing the tail to pivot, which simulates the movement of a fish. 
         [0020]    In the example shown in  FIG. 1 , the body  102  includes a front head portion  104  and a rear tail portion  106  pivotably coupled to the head portion. The spinner blade  130  causes the tail portion  106  to pivot relative to the head portion  104 . The fishing apparatus  100  can be used as a decoy to attract fish such as Northern pike toward an ice fishing hole. The jointed side-to-side action of the decoy simulates the swimming motion of a fish, such as a perch or other bait-fish. 
         [0021]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , a hinge system  108 , for example, can be used to pivotably couple the head portion  104  to the tail portion  106 . In  FIG. 1 , the hinge system  108  includes a lower set of interlocking rings  110 ,  112  and an upper set of interlocking rings  114 ,  116 . In an example, rings  110 ,  114  are screw eyes connect to the head portion  104  of the body  102 , and rings  112 ,  116  are hooks that are bent closed around eyes  110 ,  114 . In another example, a piano-type hinge is used to couple the head portion to the body. In another example, the body has two or more hinge joints and three or more jointed body portions. 
         [0022]    In the example shown in  FIG. 1 , the spinner blade  130  is coupled to the tail portion  106  of the body with an eye  132  and a ring  134 .  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  4  respectively show enlarged, top, rear, and side views of the spinner blade  130 , eye  132 , ring  134 , and the tail portion  106  of the body. The eye  132  is positioned in a recessed portion  136  of the body. 
         [0023]    In an example, the eye  132  is a threaded screw eye. In an example, the screw eye is ½ inch long, has an outside diameter of about 0.18 inch, and an inside diameter of about 0.08 inch. In other examples, the eye is glued or otherwise adhered to the body, or the eye is integrally formed into the body. In an example, the screw eye is glued into position to prevent rotation of the screw. In another example, a staple-type connection could is used instead of a screw connection, and the ring  134  extends through a portion of a staple connector. In another example, a bolt connector is used to connect a bracket to the body, and the ring extends through an opening in the bracket. In another example, the body  102  include molded geometry formed to include an orifice for coupling to a ring, wire, spinner blade, or the like. 
         [0024]    In  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the ring  134  is shown to be a split ring, similar to the type of ring that is commonly used to carry car keys. In an example, the split ring has an outer diameter of about 5/16 and an inner diameter of about ¼ inch. In an example, a # 3 split ring is used. In other examples, the split ring is a # 1, #2, or # 4 split ring. In another example, a looped wire is used instead of a split ring. 
         [0025]    Optionally, a cup washer  138  is secured in the recessed portion  136  of the body. The cup washer  138  reduces wear caused by the ring  134  against the body. The cup washer also prevents the spinner blade from fouling up, i.e. prevents the blade from getting twisted or stuck. An example cup washer  138  is shown in  FIG. 5 . The cup washer has a peripheral wall  502  and a portions defining a hole  504 . In one configuration, a standard cup washer is used. In an example, a 5/16 inch cup washer is used. In an example, the bottom of the 5/16 cup washer is flattened to allow the washer to seat securely against the bottom of the recessed portion  136  of the body. 
         [0026]    Referring again back to  FIGS. 1-4 , in an example, the head portion  104  of the body  102  is about 6 inches long, about 1 inches wide, and about 1⅞ inches high, the tail portion  106  of the body  102  is about 2½ inches long, about ¾ inches wide, and about 3/16 inches high. Other sizes are possible. In an example with these dimensions, the spinner blade is a deep-cup Colorado # 7 (available at CABELA&#39;S). A Colorado deep-cup #7 spinner blade is about 2 inches long, about 1 7/16 inches wide, and about ⅛ inch deep. The deep cup spinner blade captures more water and thus provides more action than a shallow spinner blade. In other examples, a smaller or larger spinner blade is used, such as a deep-cup Colorado # 6 or # 8 or larger if available. The spinner blade size is typically proportional to the size of the body. For example, for the example dimensions provided above, the length of the Colorado #7 spinner is about 20-25% of the sum of the lengths of the head portion  104  and the tail portion  106 . Apparatus having substantially larger body dimensions will generally work better with a larger spinner blade, and examples having substantially smaller dimensions will generally work better with a smaller spinner blade. 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  shows an alternate arrangement in which the spinner blade  130  is coupled to a connector such as a screw eye  132  which is coupled to the tail portion. In this arrangement, the split ring is omitted. 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  shows an example where a staple connection is used instead of a screw eye. The tail portion  106  of the fish is shown cut-away to reveal legs of a staple member  702  protruding into the tail portion  106  of the apparatus. The split ring  134  is coupled to the staple member  702  and the spinner blade is coupled to the split ring  134 . In another example, the spinner blade  130  is coupled directly to the staple member  702  and the split ring is omitted. 
         [0029]      FIG. 8  shows the apparatus  100  coupled to a fishing line  142 . The apparatus  100  includes an eye  120  to which the fishing line is tied. The apparatus optionally includes additional eyes  118 ,  122  that allow for placement of the fishing line in alternate locations on the body. In an example, the position of the apparatus in water relative to horizontal can be selected by selecting a particular eye to which the fishing line is attached. In an example, weights are imbedded or otherwise mounted in or on the body of the apparatus. Typically the weights are mounted about ¼ to ⅓ of the body length from the head. In some examples, weights are also mounted in the tail. In an example, the apparatus moves forward in the water when the apparatus is dropped down in water or pulled up through water. 
         [0030]    The apparatus  100  optionally also includes a number of fins. In  FIG. 4 , the apparatus includes a dorsal fin  124 , pelvic fins  126 , and anal fins  128 . The dorsal fin is optionally positionable to allow control of the apparatus in an ice fishing hole. For example, the fin can be angled or otherwise positioned to make the decoy “swim” in a circle in the ice hole. Decoy features such as an eye  128 , coloring or texture may also be provided to impart the apparatus with the appearance of a fish. 
         [0031]    Referring again to  FIG. 8 , water flows into and around the spinner blade as the water flows past the apparatus, as indicated by arrows in the figure. It is understood that the water may be moving, the apparatus  100  may be moving forward in the water, or both. The water flowing over and around the spinner blade causes it to rock back and forth. The rocking motion of the spinner blade is transferred through the coupling system to the tail, causing the tail portion  106  to pivot relative to the head portion  104 , simulating the swimming action of a fish. 
         [0032]    Referring now to the top view shown in  FIG. 9 , as water flows over the apparatus, the spinner blade  130  moves laterally as shown by arrows. The side-to-side movement of the spinner blade  130  results in a jointed, swimming-like action in the apparatus. The precise action of the apparatus depends upon hydrodynamic factors such as water speed and directions. In most situations, the side-to-side movement of the spinner blade causes the tail portion  106  of the body to move from side-to-side. The head portion  104  may also move from side to side in some examples. 
         [0033]      FIG. 10  is a top view of an ice hole showing the apparatus and a fish. The line is manipulated to move the apparatus forward in the water, which causes the spinner blade to rock and causes the apparatus to move in a fish-like swimming action. Fish  1008  is attracted to the movement of the apparatus  100 . When the fish comes in range in the hole  1004 , it can be speared through the hole using a fishing spear  1010 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 11  is a side view that shows an example apparatus  100  that includes fish hooks. In an example, the apparatus  100  can be made into a lure by coupling one or more hooks to the apparatus. In an example, treble hooks  1102 ,  1106  are coupled to holes  1104 ,  1108 , in fins  126 ,  128 . Alternatively, one or more lines  1110 ,  1112  are coupled to the body  102  of the apparatus, and a hook  1114 ,  1116  is coupled to the line. 
         [0035]    It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Because many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.