A fish-trapping device has a feed pan therein which initially contains a substantial amount of feed; and that feed performs the dual functions of (a) helping to keep that device in position to enable fish to freely enter it and (b) enticing fish to enter that device. After substantial numbers of fish have entered the fish-trapping device and have eaten sufficient portions of the feed in the feed pan, that device will automatically and silently trap the fish therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
A fish-trapping device should not trap just one or two fish and, instead, 
should attract, and then trap, large numbers of fish. Yet, that 
fish-trapping device should be easy to set, easy to empty, and easy to 
handle. 
2. Prior Art 
In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,279 for Fishing Net which was granted on June 11, 
1974, a very practical and useful fishing net and signalling device are 
disclosed. A feed pan is placed within that net and is held down by a 
substantial amount of feed. After substantial numbers of fish have entered 
that net and have eaten sufficient portions of that feed, that feed pan 
tilts to cause a switch to close and thereby cause the signalling device 
to develop a signal. Although that fishing net is extremely practical and 
usable, it requires the fisherman to raise the net when the signal is 
developed; and that signal may be developed at various times during the 
night. 
In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,004 for Fishing Net which was granted on Aug. 20, 
1974, a fishing net is disclosed which has an inflatable tube that 
normally is largely devoid of air. A feed pan is placed within that net 
and is held down by a substantial amount of feed. After substantial 
numbers of fish have entered that net and have eaten sufficient portions 
of that feed, that feed pan tilts to close a switch and thereby cause a 
solenoid valve to open to permit compressed gas to enter the inflatable 
tube and thus cause the top of the net to rise to the surface. Although 
that fishing net is extremely practical and useful, it requires the 
fisherman to pull the net close to or onto the land to collect the fish 
therein. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a fish-trapping device that has a feed pan 
therein which can hold a substantial amount of feed; and that feed 
performs the dual functions of (a) helping to keep that device in position 
to enable fish to freely enter it and (b) enticing fish to enter that 
device. After substantial numbers of fish have entered the fish-trapping 
device and have eaten sufficient portions of the feed in the feed pan, the 
fish-trapping device will automatically and silently trap the fish 
therein. Thereafter, that fish-trapping device will surely and safely hold 
the trapped fish until the fisherman can arrive and empty that device. It 
is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a 
fish-trapping device which has a feed pan that holds feed so that feed can 
perform the dual functions of (a) helping to keep that device in position 
to enable fish to freely enter it and (b) enticing fish to enter that 
device. 
Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention should 
become apparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanying 
description. 
In the drawing and accompanying description several preferred embodiments 
of the present invention are shown and described but it is to be 
understood that the drawing and accompanying description are for the 
purpose of illustration only and do not limit the invention and that the 
invention will be defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral 20 generally denotes a 
first preferred embodiment of fish-trapping device which is made in 
accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention. 
That device has a bottom 22 which is circular in plan and which has an 
upstanding side 24 that is equipped with an outwardly and downwardly bent 
flange 26. The numeral 28 denotes a feed pan which has a planar bottom, an 
upstanding side, and an outwardly and downwardly bent flange at the upper 
edge of that side. Fasteners 30, which are shown as bolts, extend 
downwardly through aligned openings in the planar portion of feed pan 28 
and in the bottom 22; and nuts are threaded onto the lower ends of those 
bolts to hold that feed pan and bottom in assembled relation. A small 
amount of feed 32 is shown within the pan 28 but that pan is large enough 
to hold sufficient feed to attract large numbers of fish. 
The bottom 22 is shown as being imperforate and as being made of plastic 
material; because imperforate containers, which can be used as the bottom 
22, are on the market and hence are readily available. One such 
imperforate plastic container is a child's wading pool which is forty (40) 
inches in diameter. The feed pan 28 is shown as having the configuration 
of FIGS. 1 and 2 because plastic pans of that configuration are on the 
market and hence are available. If desired, however, the bottom 22 could 
be made of a different configuration or of a different size, and it should 
be made perforate in nature. Similarly, the feed pan 28 could be made of a 
different configuration or of a different size. The feed pan 28 preferably 
is imperforate; and the bottom 22 preferably is made stiff enough to 
provide a large portion of the strength for the fish-trapping device 20. 
The numeral 34 denotes a screen which defines a perforate cylindrical wall 
for the fish-trapping device 20. That screen can be made from plastic or 
metal as desired, but it must have openings therein which are large enough 
to permit small fish to escape from the fish-trapping device 20. 
Connectors 36, which can be loops of wire or cord or can be staples or 
other inexpensive connectors, encircle portions of the screen 34 and pass 
through openings, not shown, in the upstanding side 24 of the bottom 22. 
Those connectors fixedly secure that screen to that bottom. As shown 
particularly by FIG. 2, the lower portion of the screen 34 is telescoped 
downwardly within the upstanding wall 24 of the bottom 22; and the 
engagement between that lower portion and that upstanding side wall will 
aid the connectors 36 in holding that screen fixed relative to that 
bottom. 
The numeral 38 denotes a flotation tube which is disposed at the inner 
surface of the screen 34. Connectors 40, which are shown as short lengths 
of wire or cord, extend around that tube and through openings in that 
screen and then are twisted or tied. Those connectors fixedly hold the 
flotation tube 38 at a level which is intermediate the top and bottom of 
the screen 34. That flotation tube can be a light-weight hollow hoop, or 
it can be an inflatable tube with an inflating fitting, not shown, of the 
type used for bicycle tires, inner tubes or tubeless tires. Where that 
flotation tube is a light-weight, hollow hoop, it will confine a fixed 
quantity of air therein, and the buoyancy of the fish-trapping device 20 
will be adjusted by placing weights in the bottom 22. Where that flotation 
tube is an inflatable tube, the buoyancy of that fish-trapping device will 
be adjusted by admitting desired amounts of air into that flotation tube. 
In determining the buoyancy of the fish-trapping device 20, that device 
should be placed in a body of water which is deep enough to permit all of 
that device to be submerged. Thereupon, sufficient weights should be 
placed in the bottom 22, or sufficient air should be introduced into that 
flotation tube--through the hose of an air-supplying device which was 
previously attached to the air fitting of that flotation tube--to render 
the fish-trapping device 20 buoyant when the feed pan 28 is empty. One 
air-supplying device which could be used as a cylinder of compressed gas, 
and another is a piston-plunger air pump of the type used to inflat 
bicycle tires, inner tubes or tubeless tires. 
In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flotation tube 38 
has a one-inch diameter and is located four (4) inches above the level of 
the flange 26 at the upper edge of wall 24 of bottom 22; and the upper 
edge of the screen 34 is located twelve (12) inches above that upper edge. 
Such an arrangement enables water to flow into the device 20 and thereby 
supply oxygen to the fish trapped therein, even when the flotation tube 38 
is at the level of the surface 42 of the body of water. Also, such an 
arrangement enables small fish to escape through the portion of screen 14 
which is between the flotation tube 38 and the edge 26; and the upper 
portion of that screen will keep the large fish from jumping out of the 
device 20. Where shrimp or crayfish or the like are to be trapped by the 
device 20, the upper edge of screen 34 should be provided with a 
shield-like extension which inclines downwardly and inwardly at an angle 
of forty-five degrees (45.degree.). Such an extension will permit fish, 
shrimp, crayfish and the like to enter the top of the device 20 whenever 
that top is below the surface 42, but will largely keep fish, shrimp, 
crayfish and the like from escaping from that device after the flotation 
tube 38 rises to that surface. To minimize shipping space and costs, the 
fish-trapping device 20 preferably is shipped "knocked-down" and then is 
assembled by the retailer or by the fisherman. 
To use the fish-trapping device 20, sufficient feed 32 should be placed in 
the feed pan 28 to (a) overcome the buoyancy of the air in the flotation 
tube 38 and (b) attract large numbers of fish. Thereupon, that 
fish-trapping device should be pushed or pulled to a desired location in a 
body of water, and then permitted to come to rest on the bottom of that 
body of water. At such time, the top of the screen 34 should be far enough 
below the surface 42 of the body of water to enable fish to freely swim 
over that top and then move downwardly to eat the feed 32. 
The fish-trapping device 20 will remain on the bottom of the body of water 
until a substantial number of fish have swum over the top of the screen 34 
and have moved downwardly to eat the feed 32. After a sufficient portion 
of that feed has been eaten, that fish-trapping device will respond to the 
air within the flotation tube 38 to start moving upwardly. That movement 
will be completely noiseless, and it will be so slow and so gradual that 
it will not be perceived by the fish. As a result, the fish will continue 
to eat the feed 32 and the fish-trapping device 20 will continue to rise 
upwardly until the flotation device 38 reaches the surface 42. When all of 
the feed 32 has been eaten, the fish will realize that they are confined; 
but, at such time, the upper portion of the screen 34 will extend far 
enough above the surface 42 to keep the fish from jumping over that 
screen. As a result, fish of the desired size will be held against escape. 
Small fish will, however, escape through the interstices of that portion 
of screen 34 which is intermediate the flotation tube 38 and the edge 26 
of wall 24; and hence the fisherman will not have to separate small fish 
from fish of the desired size. All of the trapped fish will be able to 
obtain oxygen from water which flows through the portion of screen 34 
which is intermediate the flotation tube 38 and the edge 26 of wall 24, 
and hence will remain alive and in good condition, even though held within 
the fish-trapping device 20 for many hours. 
A tether, not shown, will have one end thereof attached to the 
fish-trapping device 20; and the other end of that tether will be attached 
to a peg, post or other stationary object on the shore. As long as that 
fish-trapping device is resting on the bottom of the body of water, it 
will remain in a fixed position. However, when that fish-trapping device 
rises to the surface 42, in response to the eating of a substantial 
portion of the feed 32 in the feed pan 28, that device can respond to wind 
to tend to move along that surface. However, the tether will limit the 
distance through which the fish-trapping device 20 can move in response to 
wind; and it will enable the fisherman to pull that device close enough to 
the shore to empty that device. Once that device has been emptied of fish, 
further feed 32 can be placed in the feed pan 28, and that device can 
again be pushed or pulled to a desired location within the body of water. 
The fish-trapping device 20 has caught as much as one hundred (100) pounds 
of fish with one quantity of feed 32; and catches should average fifty 
pounds or more. 
The feed pan 28 is useful and desirable; but it is not absolutely 
essential. If desired, that feed pan could be eliminated, and the feed 32 
could be placed directly on the bottom 22 of the fish-trapping device 20. 
Referring particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, the numeral 44 generally denotes a 
second preferred embodiment of fish-trapping device which is made in 
accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention. A 
bottom 46 with an upstanding side 48 can, and preferably will, be 
essentially identical to the bottom 22 and upstanding side 24 of the 
fish-trapping device 20. However, the bottom 46 differs from the bottom 22 
in having a circular opening 50 therein as shown by FIG. 4. A short board 
52 has a circular opening 53 therein which has the same diameter as the 
opening 50; and the openings 53 and 50 are in vertical registry with each 
other. A hinge plate 58 has an opening 60 therein which has the same 
diameter as opening 50; and that hinge plate overlies the board 52 and has 
its opening 60 in register with the openings 50 and 53. A screw 54 and an 
eyebolt 56 extend through that hinge plate, the board 52 and the bottom 46 
to hold that hinge plate and board fixed relative to that bottom. Washers 
and nuts hold the screw 54 and the eyebolt 56 against accidental 
separation from hinge plate 58, board 52 and bottom 46. 
The numeral 62 denotes a longer, but thinner, board which is disposed in 
end-to-end relation to the board 52. A hinge plate 64 is secured to the 
right-hand end of board 62 by bolts 66 and by an elongated bolt 68, and by 
nuts which are threaded onto the projecting ends of those bolts. As shown 
particularly by FIG. 4, the upper end of bolt 68 projects an appreciable 
distance above the level of the upper ends of the bolts 66. After the bolt 
68 has been solidly secured to board 62 and hinge plate 64, the threads on 
the exposed end of that bolt will be rendered smooth by filing or by 
filling them with a cement or other material. As a result, the projecting 
end of the bolt 68 will be smooth. 
A hinge pin 70 holds the hinge plates 58 and 64 in assembled relation while 
permitting ready rotation of hinge plate 64 relative to hinge plate 58. 
The numeral 72 denotes a feed pan which can be identical to the feed pan 
28 of the fish-trapping device 20. Bolts 74 and nuts therefor secure that 
feed pan to the left-hand end of the board 62. The numeral 76 denotes a 
small amount of feed within that feed pan; but that feed pan can hold 
considerably larger amounts of feed. The board 62 will be rendered 
resistant to water-logging by being impregnated with paraffin or with a 
light-weight plastic impregnant. As a result, that board will be buoyant 
despite prolonged submersion in water. The pan 72 is light in weight, and 
it is very buoyant. Also that pan is made of plastic so it will retain its 
buoyancy regardless of how long it remains immersed in water. 
The numeral 78 denotes a screen which can, and preferably will, be 
identical to the screen 34 of the fish-trapping device 20. Connectors 80, 
which can be identical to the connectors 36 of the fish-trapping device 
20, are used to fixedly secure the lower portion of the screen 78 within, 
and in abutting engagement with the inner surface of, the upstanding side 
48. The numeral 82 denotes a flotation tube which is larger than the 
flotation tube 38 of the fish-trapping device 20--having a diameter larger 
than one inch. Connectors 84, which can be identical to the connectors 40, 
fixedly secure that flotation tube to the screen 78. The upper edge of the 
screen 78 will be spaced upwardly above the level of the flotation tube 82 
in the same manner in which the upper edge of the screen 34 is spaced 
above the level of the flotation tube 38. 
The numeral 86 denotes a tether, which can be a rope, chain, wire or other 
elongated flexible element, that has one end thereof secured to the 
eyebolt 56 by an S-hook 88. A loop 90 is fixed to a selected point along 
the length of that tether, as by opening that loop, passing it through the 
fibers or a link of that tether, and then re-closing that loop. That loop 
is large enough to telescope freely over the projecting upper end of the 
elongated bolt 68, but is small enough to pass freely through the openings 
60, 53 and 50, respectively, in hinge plate 58, board 52 and bottom 46. A 
further portion of the tether 86 extends from the loop 90, passes over the 
cylindrical portions of the hinge plates 58 and 64, passes downwardly 
through the openings 60, 53 and 50, and is secured to an eye 94 of a 
weight 92. If desired, a couple of bricks or a stone could be used in lieu 
of the weight 92; and, in such event, the tether 86 would be secured to 
those bricks or that stone by a barrel hitch or other suitable knot or 
would be secured to a rope, chain or wire which was solidly secured to 
those bricks or that stone. 
The portion of the tether 86, which is between the loop 90 and the weight 
92, is shown as being short enough to hold that weight close to the bottom 
46 of the fish-trapping device 44. Such an arrangement will be used 
whenever that fish-trapping device is to be used in shallow water. 
However, the portion of tether 86, which is between the loop 90 and the 
weight 92, can be made of whatever length is needed to dispose that weight 
the desired distance below the bottom 46. Where that is done, the weight 
92 will sink to the bottom of the body of water; and the fish-trapping 
device 44 will respond to the air in the flotation tube 82 to rise 
upwardly until further upward movement is prevented by the tether 86. The 
opening 50 preferably will be aligned with, or close to, the center of 
buoyancy of the fish-trapping device 44. 
The flotation tube 82 will be dimensioned to provide enough air to make the 
fish-trapping device 44 buoyant, even if the feed pan 72 were to be 
completely filled with feed 76. As a result, that fish-trapping device 
will tend to float at all times; and it will remain submerged only as long 
as the weight 92, the tether 86, and the loop 90 hold it submerged. 
To use the fish-trapping device 44, sufficient feed 76 will be introduced 
into the feed pan 72 to cause that feed pan to hold the elongated board 62 
against the bottom 46. The tether 86 will be used to pull the weight 92 
far enough upwardly, relative to the bottom 46, to permit the loop 90 to 
pass upwardly through the openings 50, 53 and 60, respectively, in that 
bottom, in the board 52, and in the hinge plate 58. That loop will then be 
telescoped over the upper end of the elongated bolt 68; and the portion of 
tether 86, which is intermediate loop 90 and S-hook 88, will be laid out 
on the bottom 46 so it will not tangle or snarl as it is pulled toward and 
through the openings 60, 53 and 50 when that loop is freed from the upper 
end of that elongated bolt. Thereafter, the fish-trapping device 44 will 
be pushed or towed to a desired location in a body of water, and then 
permitted to sink downwardly until the weight 92 rests on the bottom of 
that body of water. At that time, the upper edge of the screen 78 will be 
far enough below the surface of that body of water to permit fish to swim 
over that edge, and then move downwardly to the feed 76 in the feed pan 
72. That feed will perform the dual functions of holding the feed pan 72 
adjacent the bottom 46 and of enticing fish to swim over the upper edge of 
the screen 78. 
When a substantial number of fish have swum over that upper edge and have 
eaten a sufficient portion of the feed 76, the buoyance of the feed pan 72 
and of the elongated board 62 will cause the free end of that board to 
move upwardly toward the dotted-line position of FIG. 4. As that free end 
moves upwardly out of the solid-line position of FIG. 4, the 
horizontally-directed force, which the portion of tether 86 that is 
intermediate loop 90 and weight 92 normally applies to that loop, will 
become a force that inclines downwardly and to the right. As the free end 
of the elongated board 62 reaches a position where that board coacts with 
the bottom 46 to subtend an angle of about forty-five (45) degrees, the 
loop 90 will slip off of the free end of the elongated bolt 68; and the 
fish-trapping device 44 will start moving upwardly toward the surface. The 
loop 90 will pass toward and through the openings 60, 53 and 50; and the 
portion of tether 86, between loop 90 and S-hook 88, will then pass to and 
through those openings to permit device 44 to rise to the surface of the 
body of water. When that device reaches that surface, the flotation tube 
82 will occupy a position which is essentially identical to the position 
occupied by the flotation tube 38 in FIG. 2. The upper edge of the screen 
78 will extend about eight (8) inches above the flotation tube 82, and 
hence will keep any fish from jumping over that edge. 
The upward movement of the free end of the elongated board 62 will be 
completely noiseless, and it will be so slow and gradual that the fish 
will not be alarmed by the change in the position of the feed pan 72 or of 
the feed 76 therein. As a result, the fish will continue to eat that feed, 
and hence will continue to remain within the fish-trapping device 44. 
After the loop 90 slips off of the free end of the elongated bolt 68, that 
device will start moving upwardly. The rate at which that device rises 
toward the surface will be slow enough so it will not alarm the fish. As a 
result, the fish will continue to eat the feed 76, and hence will continue 
to remain within the fish-trapping device 44. 
Referring particularly to FIGS. 5-8, the numeral 98 generally denotes a 
third preferred embodiment of fish-trapping device which is made in 
accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention. 
That device has an open-type generally-rectangular lower frame 100 and a 
similar upper frame 102. Although those frames could be made in different 
ways and from different materials, they are preferably made from plastic 
or metal tubes or rods which are stiff and which can be bent to a given 
configuration and will thereafter retain that configuration. The numerals 
104, 106, 108 and 112 denote, respectively, the screen-like bottom, sides 
and rear of the fish-trapping device 98. The front of that device normally 
is open. That bottom, those sides and that rear preferably are made from 
mesh, screen or a thin, molded plastic, screen-like sheet. Connectors 114 
secure the upper edges of the sides 106 and 108 and of the rear 112 to the 
frame 102. Connectors 116 secure the bottoms of those sides and of that 
rear to the frame 100 and also to the edges of the bottom 104. Further 
connectors 116 connect the front edges of the sides 106 and 108 to 
vertically-disposed spacers 110; and still further connectors 116 connect 
the front edge of the bottom 104 to the front of frame 100. The connectors 
114 and 116 can be short lengths of wire, cord or other securing material. 
Where the sides 106 and 108 and the rear 112 are made of mesh, the 
fish-trapping device 98 can be packaged and shipped in a collapsed state, 
and hence can be shipped compactly and economically. The vertical spacers 
110, plus similar spacers at the rear of that device, would hold the frame 
102 spaced above the level of the frame 100 whenever that device was to be 
used. Where the sides 106 and 108 and the rear 112 are made of screen, the 
vertical spacers might not be needed at the rear of the device; because 
the screen sides and rear could be stiff enough to hold the frame 102 
spaced above the level of the frame 100. In the latter event, the frames 
102 and 100 would coact with the bottom 104, with the sides 106 and 108, 
and with the rear 112 to constitute a light-weight but rugged, perforate, 
open-type enclosure. 
The numeral 118 denotes a closure which is made from screen and which has a 
downwardly-directed peripheral flange 120 at the front and side edges 
thereof. That flange is deep enough and wide enough to effectively close 
the front of the device 98 whenever that closure is in the closed position 
indicated by the numeral 111 in FIG. 6. A reinforcing rod 122 extends 
diagonally between two of the corners of the closure 118, and a 
reinforcing rod 124 extends diagonally between the other two corners of 
that closure. Those reinforcing rods are secured to the upper surface of 
the closure 118 by connectors 126. The side edges of the front of the 
downwardly-directed peripheral flange 120 are connected to the front edges 
of the downwardly-extending sides of that peripheral flange. As a result, 
the closure 118 is a perforate open-bottomed closure. That closure is 
dimensioned to fit closely within the space which is defined by the upper 
frame 102; and hence, whenever that closure is in the closed position 
indicated by the numeral 111 in FIG. 6, it will keep fish from rising 
upwardly over the tops of sides 106 and 108 and of rear 112 of the device 
98, and also will keep fish from escaping through the front of that 
device. A short plate 161, with an opening in the rear thereof, is secured 
to the approximate midpoint of the front edge of the closure 118, as 
indicated particularly by FIG. 5. That plate will rest upon the upper 
surface of the upper frame 102 whenever that closure is in the closed 
position indicated by the numeral 111 in FIG. 6; and it will keep that 
closure from moving downwardly too far into the open top enclosure which 
is defined by the sides 106, 108 and the rear 112. 
The numeral 130 denotes a stiff bar which is fixedly secured to the rear of 
frame 100 and to the rear of frame 102 by bolts 132. Where the sides 106 
and 108 and the rear 112 are made of mesh, and where the fish-trapping 
device 98 is to be shipped in a collapsed state, the bar 130 will 
initially be separated from frame 100 or frame 102 and laid parallel to 
the rear edge of the other frame. That bar will subsequently be connected 
by the dealer or the fisherman to the frame from which it was initially 
separated. 
The numeral 131 denotes a tube which is secured to the front of frame 102 
by bolts 135. The numeral 133 denotes a tube which is secured to the rear 
of that frame by the bolts 132. Those tubes are longer than that frame; 
and the ends of those tubes preferably project about a foot beyond each 
end of the fish-trapping device 98. Cords 166 of equal lengths are secured 
to the outer ends of the tubes 131 and 135 and extend to floats 168. Those 
cords and floats will suspend the device 98 at a selected distance below 
the surface of a body of water. 
The bolts 132, which are adjacent the ends of the frame 102, extend through 
the tube 133 and through that frame and are held by nuts. The bolt 132 
which is adjacent the bar 130, extends through the tube 133, through that 
bar, and through the frame 102 and is held by a nut. The upper end of that 
bar extends an appreciable distance above the frame 102 of the device 98. 
The bolts 135 extend through the tube 131 and through the frame 102 and 
are held by nuts. 
The numeral 134 denotes a short board which overlies part of the bottom 
104; and the numeral 136 denotes a further short board which underlies and 
is in register with the board 134. Bolts 138 and the nuts therefor fixedly 
secure those boards to that bottom. The numeral 140 denotes an elongated 
board which is rendered resistant to water-logging by paraffin or a 
suitable plastic impregnant. One end of that board is held immediately 
adjacent the midpoint of the board 134 by a hinge. A plate 142 of that 
hinge is secured to the boards 134 and 136 by bolts 144 and the nuts 
therefor. An elongated plate 146 of that hinge is secured to the left-hand 
end of the elongated board 140 by bolts 148; and the free end of that 
plate is bent to subtend an angle of about forty-five (45) degrees. The 
tip of that free end is bent upwardly and forwardly about thirty (30) 
degrees. A hinge pin 150 holds the hinge plates 142 and 146 in assembled 
relation. 
A feed pan 152, which can, and preferably will, be identical to the feed 
pan 28 of the fish-trapping device 20, is secured adjacent the free end of 
the elongated board 140 by bolts 154 and the nuts therefor. That feed pan 
is buoyant; and it will, whenever the fish-trapping device 98 is submerged 
in water, coact with the elongated board 140 to tend to cause that free 
end to rotate upwardly about the hinge pin 150. However, the buoyancy of 
that feed pan and of that elongated board can, as desired, be overcome by 
the placing of sufficient feed within that feed pan. 
The numeral 156 denotes an elongated bolt which extends through an opening 
in the upwardly and forwardly-bent tip of the free end of the hinge plate 
146; and a nut fixedly secures that screw to that tip. After that bolt has 
been solidly secured to that tip, the threads on the underportion and 
sides of the exposed end of that bolt will be rendered smooth by filing or 
by filling them with a cement or other material. As a result, the lower 
portion and sides of the projecting end of the bolt 156 will be smooth. 
One preferred form of the embodiment of fish-trapping device 98 is four 
feet long, four feet wide, and one and one-half feet high. Such an 
embodiment has caught as much as one hundred (8100) pounds of fish with 
one quantity of feed, and catches should average fifty (50) pounds or 
more. 
The numeral 158 denotes an eyebolt which is fixedly secured within an 
opening in the upper end of the bar 130 by a nut. A pulley 160 is secured 
to the eyebolt 158 so it cannot be accidentally separated from that 
eyebolt but can move relative to that eyebolt. A tether 162, which can be 
a rope, cord, chain or wire, has one end thereof fixed to the opening in 
the plate 161; and it passes through the pulley 160 and has an S-shaped 
hook 164 secured to the other end thereof. The portion of that tether, 
which is intermediate pulley 160 and S-shaped hook 164, is passed through 
one of the openings in the top of closure 118. That tether is made short 
enough so it will hold that closure open whenever that S-shaped hook is 
telescoped over the projecting end of the bolt 156, as shown in FIGS. 6 
and 7. At such time, the rear portion of the periphery of the rotor of the 
pulley 160, the S-shaped hook 164 and the hinge pin 150 will define an 
essentially-straight line. This is desirable; because it makes certain 
that the force, which the weight of the closure 118 applies to the portion 
of the tether 162, intermediate hook 164 and pulley 160, does not develop 
a moment arm which could tend to raise or lower the free end of the 
elongated board 140. 
To use the fish-trapping device 98, feed will be placed within the feed pan 
152, and that feed pan will be permitted to move downwardly into 
engagement with, or immediately adjacent to, the bottom 104. Thereupon, 
the closure 118 will be moved to the approximate position shown by FIG. 5; 
and the hook 164 will be telescoped over the projecting end of the bolt 
156. Thereafter, the weight of that closure will be permitted to tension 
the tether 162; and the reaction force within that tether will hold that 
closure in the position of FIG. 5. 
At such time, the fish-trapping device 98 can be pushed or pulled to a 
desired location in a body of water, and then permitted to sink down below 
the surface of that body of water. The floats 168 are connected to the 
ends of tubes 131 and 133 by the cords 166. Those floats will be at the 
surface of the body of water, but those cords will let that fish-trapping 
device sink down into that body of water. 
The closure 118 will remain "open", and will thereby permit fish to swim 
inwardly through the open front to the feed within the feed pan 152. After 
a substantial number of fish have entered that device and have eaten a 
sufficient amount of that feed, the buoyancy of the feed pan 152 and of 
the board 140 will cause that feed pan and the free end of that board to 
start moving upwardly. That movement will be completely noiseless, and it 
will be so slow and so gradual that it will not be perceived by the fish. 
As a result, the fish will continue to eat the feed. Before the feed pan 
152 and the free end of the board 140 have moved upwardly forty-five 
degrees, the hook 164 will slip off of the projecting end of the bolt 156, 
and will thereby permit the closure 118 to move to the closed position 
which is indicated by numeral 111 in FIG. 6. At such time, that closure 
will entrap the fish within the device 98. 
The perforate nature of the sides, rear, bottom and closure of that 
fish-trapping device will permit oxygen-bearing water to reach the fish; 
and that water will keep them alive and in good condition. A further 
tether, not shown, could be used to draw that fish-trapping device toward 
the shore, where it could be beached or could be emptied by a fisherman 
standing in shallow water. If desired, of course, the fish-trapping device 
98 could be left away from the shore; and the fisherman could use a boat 
to empty it, and then re-set it. By making the cords 166 of different 
lengths, it is possible to hold the fish-trapping device 98 at various 
desired distances below the surface of the body of water. 
If desired, the fish-trapping device of FIGS. 1 and 2 could be made so the 
bottom 22 thereof was made of screen, in the same manner in which the 
bottom of the fish-trapping device 98 of FIGS. 5-8 is made of screen. 
Similarly, if desired, the bottom of the fish-trapping device 44 of FIGS. 
3 and 4 could be made of screen, in the same manner in which the bottom of 
the fish-trapping device 98 of FIGS. 5-8 is made of screen. Where that is 
done frames, which would be comparable to the frames 100 and 102 of the 
fish-trapping device 98, would have to be provided. The use of such frames 
would permit the fish-trapping devices 20 and 44 to have the circular 
configuration of FIGS. 1-4, the rectangular configurations of the 
fish-trapping device 98, or any other desired configuration. 
Referring particularly to FIG. 9, the numeral 198 generally denotes a 
fish-trapping device which is very similar to the fish-trapping device 98 
of FIGS. 5-8. The fish-trapping device 198 has a lower frame 100, an upper 
frame 102 and spacers 110 which preferably are identical to the 
similarly-numbered frames and spacers of the fish-trapping device 98. The 
bottom, sides, rear, open front and closure for the fish-trapping device 
198 preferably are idential to the bottom, sides, rear, open front and 
closure for the fish-trapping device 98; and FIG. 9 shows portions of the 
bottom 104, of the side 108, and of the closure 118 for the fish-trapping 
device 198. Fig. 9 also shows connectors 114 and 116, elongated tube 131, 
bolts 132, plate 161 and a cord 166 which preferably are identical to the 
similarly-numbered elements in FIGS. 5-8. 
The fish-trapping device 198 preferably differs from the fish-trapping 
device 98 only in the location of the tether-holding and tether-releasing 
mechanisms of those fish-trapping devices. Specifically the fish-trapping 
device 198 has the tether-holding and tether-relasing mechanism thereof 
adjacent the open front thereof, whereas the fish-trapping device 98 has 
the tether-holding and tether-releasing mechanism thereof adjacent the 
rear thereof. The tether-holding and tether-releasing mechanism for the 
fish-trapping device 198 includes an elongated vertically-directed bar 180 
which is secured to the lower and upper frames 100 and 102, respectively, 
by bolts 132. Although that bar will span, it will not block, the open 
front of the fish-trapping device 198. An eye-bolt 182 is secured to the 
upper end of that bar with the "eye" thereof facing toward the closure 
118. If desired, the upper end of the bar 180 could be bent into the form 
of a loop to obviate the need for an eye-bolt. 
The numeral 184 denotes a board which overlies part of the bottom 104, and 
the numeral 186 denotes a board which underlies that bottom; and bolts 188 
extend through those boards and a hinge plate 190 to fixedly secure those 
boards and that hinge plate to that bottom. A hinge plate 192 is secured 
to the hinge plate 190 by a hinge pin 194; and a board 140 is secured to 
the lower part of hinge plate 192 by bolts. That board and the bolts 
therefor preferably are identical to the board 140 and the bolts 144 of 
FIGS. 6-8. A feed pan 152 is secured to the free end of the board 140; and 
that pan preferably is identical to the feed pan 152 of FIGS. 5 and 6. The 
hinge plate 192 has the free end thereof bent upwardly and to the right in 
FIG. 9; and then has the upper portion thereof bent upwardly. As a result, 
that hinge plate closely resembles the hinge plate 146 of FIGS. 6-8. An 
elongated bolt 196 has the shank thereof extending through the upper end 
of hinge plate 192; and the under surface and sides of that shank are made 
smooth by grinding or filling. The numeral 199 denotes an S-hook at the 
lower end of a tether 200 which extends upwardly through the eye-bolt 182 
and then downwardly to the plate 161 at the front upper edge of closure 
118. At such time, the "eye" of eyebolt 182, the S-shaped hook 199 and the 
hinge pin 194 will define an essentially-straight line. This is desirable; 
because it makes certain that the force, which the weight of the closure 
118 applies to the portion of the tether 200, intermediate hook 199 and 
eyebolt 182, does not develop a moment arm which could tend to raise or 
lower the free end of the elongated board 140. 
The function and operation of the tether-holding and tether-releasing 
mechanism of the fish-trapping device 198 are essentially-identical to the 
function and operation of the tether-holding and tether-releasing 
mechanism of the fish-trapping device 98. However, because the portion of 
tether 200, which is located between the plate 161 and the eye-bolt 182, 
is much closer to the vertical than is the portion of the tether 162, 
which is between the plate 161 and the pulley 160, the tension on the 
tether 200 is very much smaller than the tension on the tether 162. As a 
result, the frictional force between the S-hook 199 and the elongated bolt 
196 is very much less than the frictional force between the S-hook 164 and 
the elongated bolt 156 of FIGS. 6-8. Although the tetherholding and 
tether-releasing mechanisms of FIG. 9 and of FIGS. 6-8 are practical and 
useful, the tether-holding and tether-releasing mechanism of FIG. 9 is 
preferred because of reduced frictional force and lower cost. 
Referring particularly to FIG. 10, the numeral 204 denotes a plate which 
overlies part of the floor 208 of a fish-trapping device or net; and the 
numeral 206 denotes a plate which underlies that part of that floor. Bolts 
210 extend through the plates 204 and 206 and secure them to the floor 
208. 
The numeral 212 denotes a bolt, pin or short rod which is held by the plate 
204; and the numeral 214 denotes a tether-holding, tether-releasing member 
which has a helical portion that is confined by, but is rotatable relative 
to, that bolt. The member 214 preferably is formed from a stiff metal rod 
or wire which will be resistant to rust; and that member has a hook-like 
upper end 216, a float 218 telescoped over a horizontally extending 
elongated arm thereof, and barbs 220 on the outer end of that elongated 
arm. That float will, whenever the tether-holding and tether-releasing 
mechanism of FIG. 9 is immersed in water, tend to rotate the member 214 in 
the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 10. However bait 226, which is 
shown as a fish impaled on the elongated arm of that member, will be heavy 
enough to keep the float 218 from rotating that member in the 
counterclockwise direction. 
The numeral 222 denotes a loop which is telescoped over the hook-like upper 
end 216 of the member 214; and the numeral 224 denotes a tether which 
extends upwardly from that hook. That tether could pass through an 
eye-bolt, such as the eye-bolt 182 of FIG. 9, could pass over a pulley, 
such as the pulley 160 in FIGS. 5 and 6, or could pass to any other 
appropriate part of a tether-holding and tether-releasing mechanism. The 
bait 226 will perform the dual functions of attracting large fish or 
turtles and of holding the hook-like upper end 216 of member 214 generally 
horizontal. 
As large fish or turtles chew on the bait 226, they could rotate the member 
214 far enough in the counterclockwise direction to enable the loop 222 to 
slip off of the hook-like upper end 216 of that member. The release of 
that loop and of the tether 224 would permit the fish-trapping device, of 
which the bottom 208 is a part, to trap the large fish or turtles. Even if 
the large fish or turtles did not rotate the member 214, as they chewed on 
the bait 226, the resulting lessening of the weight of that bait would 
permit the float 218 to rotate that member in the counterclockwise 
direction until the loop 222 and tether 224 were freed. The function and 
operation of the hook-like upper end 216 and of the loop 222 will be 
essentially the same as the function and operation of the S-hook 164 and 
elongated bolt 156 of FIGS. 6-8 or of S-hook 199 and elongated bolt 196 of 
FIG. 9. 
The rotatable member 214 is inexpensive to form and it obviates the need 
for a bent hinge plate such as the hinge plate 146 of FIGS. 6-8 or the 
hinge plate 192 of FIG. 9. In addition, the member 214 obviates the need 
of the elongated bolt 156 or 196; and it also obviates the need of the 
board 140 and the feed pan 152. 
Referring particularly to FIG. 11, the numeral 228 denotes a large net 
which has an elongated float 230 extending around the upper edge thereof. 
That float could be made of inherently-buoyant material such as 
closed-cell foam plastic, or it could be an inflatable tube. That float 
should be buoyant enough to tend to hold the upper edge of that net at the 
surface of a body of water. 
The numeral 232 denotes a plate of iron or other heavy material which has 
ears that accommodate a bolt, pin or short rod 234. The numeral 236 
denotes a tether-holding and tether-releasing member which has a helical 
portion that is confined by, but is rotatable relative to, that bolt. The 
member 236 preferably is formed from a stiff metal rod or wire which will 
be resistant to rust; and that member has a hook-like upper end 238 and 
has a feed pan 240 secured to the elongated horizontally extended arm 
thereof. 
The feed pan 240 is made of a buoyant material, and it will tend to rise 
upwardly toward the surface of the body of water whenever less than a 
predetermined amount of feed is in that feed pan. However, that feed pan 
will rest on the bottom of the net 228 whenever that predetermined, or a 
larger, amount of feed is in that pan. Whenever that feed pan is resting 
on the bottom of the net 228, the hook-like upper end 238 of member 236 
will be generally horizontal. 
A tether 244 has a loop 242 at the lower end thereof; and the upper end of 
that tether is secured to a portion of the float 230. The weight of the 
plate 232 is great enough to enable the hook-like upper end 238 of the 
member 236, the loop 242 and the tether 244 to coact to hold a portion of 
the float 230 well below the surface of the water, as shown by FIG. 11, 
whenever that loop is held by that hook-like upper end. At such time, the 
portion of the float 230, the loop 222, and the bolt 212 will define an 
essentially-straight line. This is desirable; because it makes certain 
that the force, which the portion of the float 230 applies to the tether 
224 does not develop a moment arm which could tend to raise or lower the 
free end of the member 214. 
The space above that portion of that float will provide free access, for 
fish within the body of water, to the feed within the pan 240. After the 
fish have eaten enough of that feed, the buoyancy of that pan will cause 
that pan to rise upwardly, and thereby cause the member 236 to rotate in 
the counterclockwise direction. The consequent slipping of the loop 242 
off of the hook-like upper end 238 of that member will free the portion of 
the float 230 which was held down by the tether 244; and, as that portion 
rises to the surface of the water, the net 228 will trap the fish within 
that net. 
The tether-holding and tether-releasing member 236 is inexpensive to make 
and use. Specifically, that member merely requires a bolt, a heavy plate 
to hold that bolt, and a feed pan thereon. If desired, the feed pan 240 
could be replaced by the float 218 of FIG. 10; and the free end of the 
elongated horizontally-extending arm of the member 236 could be provided 
with barbs 220. The tether-holding and tether-releasing mechanism which 
includes member 236, bolt 234, plate 232, loop 242, tether 244, and pan 
240 or a float 218, can easily and inexpensively convert a 
manually-manipulatable float-equipped net into an automatically-operating 
fish-trapping device. 
Referring particularly to FIG. 12, the numeral 240 generally denotes an 
enclosure which has an upper frame, lower frame, bottom, sides, top and 
rear that can be identical to the upper frame, lower frame, bottom, sides, 
top and rear of the enclosure of FIGS. 5-8. However, the enclosure 240 
does not require a closure such as the closure 118 of FIGS. 5 and 8; 
because a feed pan 242 will serve as the closure for enclosure 240. 
Specifically, that feed pan is secured to an elongated board 244 which, in 
turn, is rotatably secured to the bottom of enclosure 240 by a board 246 
and a hinge 248. That feed pan can move between the solid-line position 
and the dotted-line position shown by FIG. 12. 
The feed pan 242 is buoyant; and it will tend to move to the dotted-line 
position whenever it is empty and the enclosure 240 is submerged in water. 
However, that feed pan can be held in the solid-line position by feed 
therein. As long as the feed pan 242 is in the solid-line position of FIG. 
12, it will permit fish to enter the enclosure 240. However, as the fish 
eat the feed within that feed pan, that feed pan will start moving 
upwardly toward the dotted-line position, thereby gradually urging the 
fish to move further into the enclosure 240. When that feed pan reaches 
the dotted-line position, it will block the normally-open entrance of 
enclosure 240, and will thereby effectively prevent the escape of fish 
through that entrance. 
The closure 118 of FIGS. 5-8, the closure 118 of FIG. 9, and the feed pan 
242 of FIG. 12 are not the only closures which could be used to close the 
front of a fish-trapping device. For example, the "one way" closures in 
FIGS. 15 and 16 of my U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,004 could be used as "entrance 
only" closures for a fish-trapping device. Also, a number of 
generally-parallel spaced-apart flexible strands of rubber or the like 
could be used as "entrance only" closures. Those flexible strands could 
have one or more transversely-directed wires immediately adjacent the 
outer face of each of those strands. Fish could push those strands 
inwardly to enter an enclosure, but those fish could not push those 
strands outwardly to escape from that enclosure because those wires would 
prevent outward movement of those strands. 
The "entrance only" closures for the fish-trapping device of the present 
invention could have many different forms. The important feature of any 
such closure is that it permit ready entry of fish into an enclosure but 
that it discourage efforts of the fish to escape from that enclosure. 
The fish-trapping devices provided by the present invention can be used in 
a pond, lake, stream, river or any other body of water, because they do 
not have portions thereof extend from bank to bank or shore to shore. 
Also, whenever those fish-trapping devices are used in a pond, lake, 
stream, river or any other body of water, they can entice fish from all 
areas of that pond, lake, stream, river or any other body of water--and 
hence are not limited to the trapping of up-stream fish. As a result, the 
fish-trapping devices provided by the present invention are very versatile 
and useful. 
Whereas the drawing and accompanying description have shown and described 
several preferred embodiments of the present invention it should be 
apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in 
the form of the invention without affecting the scope thereof.