Fishing lure having a paddle-like member

A paddle-like member for a fishing lure embodies a flat, planar member that extends forwardly from the front end portion of the fishing lure. At least one outwardly opening cavity is provided in the front end portion of the planar member with the cavity defining a socket for receiving a weight with a friction fit. The cavity is positioned in the planar member at a location so that upon insertion of the weight into the cavity, the center of gravity of the lure is lowered. This in turn, stabilizes movement of the lure and controls the rate and angle of descent of the lure as it is pulled through the water.

Background of the Invention 
This invention relates to a fishing lure having a paddle-like member 
extending forwardly from its front end portion and more particularly to 
such a lure with improved means mounted within the paddle-like member for 
stabilizing movement of the lure and for controlling the rate and angle of 
descent of the lure as it is moved through the water. 
Various attachments, such as conventional paddle-like members, have been 
employed on fishing lures to cause them to move deeper into the water as 
the lure is retrieved. Such conventional paddle-like members with which I 
am familiar have not been entirely satisfactory for the reasons that they 
make the lure somewhat unstable during retrieval and do not control the 
rate and angle of the descent of the lure. 
Summary of the Invention 
In accordance with my present invention, I overcome the above and other 
difficulties by providing an improved paddle-like member for a fishing 
lure which is simple and durable of construction and lowers the center of 
gravity of the lure to thus stabilize the lure during retrieval. 
Another object of my invention is to provide an improved paddle-like member 
which causes the lure to move downwardly and also controls the rate and 
angle of descent of the lure each time it is pulled through the water. 
My improved paddle-like member embodies a generally flat, planar member 
which extends forwardly and downwardly from the front end portion of the 
fishing lure. At least one outwardly opening cavity is provided in the 
front end portion of the paddle-like member with the cavity defining a 
socket which is of a size to receive a weight with a friction fit. The 
cavity is positioned in the paddle-like member at a location so that upon 
insertion of the weight into the cavity the center of gravity of the lure 
is lowered to stabilize movement of the lure during retrieval and to 
control the rate and angle of descent of the lure as it is pulled through 
the water.

Detailed Description 
Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention, I 
show in FIG. 1 a fishing lure indicated generally at 10 and comprising a 
body 11 having fishing hooks 12 depending from its lower surface 13 and 
rear end portion 14. Extending forwardly and downwardly from the front end 
portion 16 of the body 11 is a generally planar, paddle-like member 17. An 
eyelet 18 is carried by the upper surface of the paddle-like member 17 for 
detachably connecting a fishing line, not shown. 
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, a transverse, downwardly 
opening cavity 19 is provided in the front end portion 21 of the 
paddle-like member 17. The cavity 19 is in the form of a socket which 
permits a ball-like weight 22 to be snapped therein with a friction fit, 
whereby the ball is retained in the cavity after insertion therein. That 
is, the side walls of the cavity 19 taper inwardly from the entrance or 
inlet 23 of the cavity toward an opening 24 at the opposite end of the 
cavity, as shown in FIG. 4. When the ball-like weight 22 is pushed through 
the inlet 23, the sides of the weight 22 engage the tapering sides of the 
cavity 19 with a friction fit. The weight 22 may be removed from the 
cavity 19 simply by pushing downwardly on the upper side of the weight 
which projects through the opening 24, as shown. Since the internal 
diameter of the opening 24 is smaller than the diameter of the weight 22, 
this prevents the weight from being pushed through the upper end of the 
cavity 19. 
The cavity 19 is positioned at a location so that when the weight 22 is 
inserted into the cavity 19, the center of gravity of the lure body is 
lowered. This stabilizes movement of the lure body and controls the rate 
and angle of the descent of the lure body as it moves through the water. 
Referring now to FIG. 5, I show a modified form of my invention in which a 
pair of laterally spaced, downwardly opening cavities 19.sup.a are 
provided in the front end portion 21.sup.a of a generally planar, 
paddle-like member 17.sup.a. The cavities 19.sup.a are identical in 
structure to the cavity 19. That is, each cavity 19.sup.a has side walls 
which taper inwardly from the inlet of the cavity toward an opening in the 
upper end of the cavity for receiving weights 22.sup.a of a size to snap 
into the cavity 19.sup.a with a friction fit. The weights 22.sup.a lower 
the center of gravity of the lure to stabilize the lure and control the 
rate and angle of descent of the lure. 
While I have shown the inlets for the cavities 19 and 19.sup.a as extending 
through the lower surface of the paddle-like members 17 and 17.sup.a, it 
will be apparent that the inlets of the cavities may extend through the 
upper surfaces of the paddle-like members to receive the ball-like weights 
22 and 22.sup.a, respectively. 
Referring now to FIGS. 6-9, I show two additional modified forms of my 
invention. FIGS. 6-8 show a transverse, upwardly opening cavity 26 
provided in the front end portion 27 of a generally planar, paddle-like 
member 28. As shown in FIG. 8, the cavity 26 is of a size to permit a 
ball-like weight 22.sup.b of a predetermined size to pass through the 
inlet for the cavity 26 and engage the tapering side walls of the cavity 
with a friction fit. FIGS. 9-11 show a transverse downwardly opening 
cavity 29 provided in the front end portion 31 of a generally planar 
paddle-like member 28.sup.a. As shown in FIG. 11, the downwardly opening 
cavity 29 is of a size to permit a ball-like weight 22.sup.c of a 
predetermined size to pass through the entrance or inlet of the cavity 29 
and engage the tapering side walls of the cavity with a friction fit. Both 
cavities and 26 and 29 thus retain their respective ball-like weights in 
place with the amount of the weights and the location of the cavities 
being such that the center of gravity of each lure is lowered to stabilize 
the lure and control the rate and angle of descent of the lure. 
From the foregoing description, the operation of my lure having an improved 
paddle-like member will be readily understood. The paddle-like members 17, 
17.sup.a, 28 or 28.sup.a carrying the ball-like weight, or weights are 
mounted at the forward end of the lure. The location and amount of the 
ball-like weight or weights within the paddle-like member lower the center 
of gravity of the lure and control the rate and angle of descent of the 
lure in the water. 
From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have devised an improved 
paddle-like member for a fishing lure which is simple and durable of 
construction and one which causes the center of gravity of the lure to be 
lowered and controls the rate and angle of descent of the lure as it moves 
through the water. 
While I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obvious to 
those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of 
various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit 
thereof.