Abstract:
A fishing device including a hook including an eyelet, a shank and a barbed hook end; an attraction member being at least one member selected from the group consisting of scent and beads; a housing secured to the hook, the housing including an upper inner portion, an upper outer portion, a lower portion and an O-ring, the upper inner portion being threadably securable to the lower portion trapping the O-ring therebetween, the upper inner portion and the lower portion cooperatively defining a cavity and the upper outer portion being selectively fit to the upper inner portion, the upper outer portion containing the attraction member when fit to the upper inner portion; and a light disposed in the cavity.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 09/610,208 filed Jul. 5, 2000. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to fishing devices and more particularly to fishing devices having a light, sound and scent attractors.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Fishing lures have been available for a substantial period of time. This technology area continues to evolve as more is learned about the life functions and behaviors of fish. Light has been used to attract fish in dark water, scents, and sound have been used to attract fish. Each of these components may be used in combination to increase the effectiveness.  
           [0004]    Light  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention is a fishing device which may include a hook mechanism, a housing and a lighting mechanism. The hook mechanism may include an eyelet, a shank and a barbed or non-barbed hook end. The hook mechanism may be directly secured to the housing.  
           [0006]    The housing preferably includes an upper inner portion, an upper outer portion, a lower portion and an O-ring. The upper inner portion may be threadably securable to the lower portion trapping the o-ring therebetween. When secured, the upper inner  
           [0007]    Fish also seek prey through the sense of smell. Various attractants have developed to provide more effective fishing. Many of these attractants come in the form of spray bottles and squirt bottles and are applied to the external surface of the tackle. Water, however, quickly washes these scents away as the tackle is drawn through the water, resulting in the need to constantly apply more. Further, as a result, the release of sent is not constant. Large releases occur immediately on impact of the lure with the water surface and the effectiveness of the scent dissipates upon retrieval. Attractants desirably remain in place and slowly release, during use.  
           [0008]    What is needed is a highly visible piece of fishing tackle. Desirably the tackle has a sight, sound, vibration and/or smell component. These components should be readily changeable, as fishing conditions change, without the need to switch tackle.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention is a fishing device including a hook, an attractant, a housing and a light. The hook includes an eyelet, a shank and a barbed hook end. The attraction member is preferably a member of the group of scent, beads, mechanism for vibration, and spinners. The light is preferably a battery powered light.  
           [0010]    The housing, which is secured to the hook includes an upper inner portion, an upper outer portion, a lower portion and an O-ring. The upper inner portion is threadably securable to the lower portion trapping the O-ring therebetween. The upper inner portion and the lower portion cooperatively define a cavity. The light is disposed in the cavity. The upper outer portion is selectively fit to the upper inner portion. The upper outer portion contains the attraction member when fit to the upper inner portion. The upper outer portion may have a scent release aperture defined therethrough.  
           [0011]    The light may reflect off a spinner joined to either the housing or the hook. The spinner may also be designed to create vibration. The light may impact upon, preferably through, dressing joined to the hook. Additionally, or alternatively the light may project through the housing.  
           [0012]    Advantageously, this invention combines, into a single compact piece of fishing tackle, scent, vibration, sound attractants and/or light providing more than one manner of attracting fish in case of behavioral changes.  
           [0013]    Advantageously, the present invention provides for slow release of scent, giving a uniform release and longevity to the scent.  
           [0014]    As a further advantage, this fishing device is arranged such that the light may impact upon moving parts such as a spinner or dressing, adding apparent life to the lure.  
           [0015]    As yet another advantage, the present invention allows changing of attractants without removal of the lure.  
         DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a cross section of a side view;  
           [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cap;  
           [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a cross section of a second embodiment;  
           [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a cross-section, showing the spinner joined to the jig;  
           [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a prospective view showing a second manner of joining the spinner to the jig;  
           [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is a prospective view showing a first spinner;  
           [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 is a prospective view showing the second spinner; and  
           [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 is a prospective view showing a third spinner. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]    The present invention  10  is a device for fishing. As shown in its preferred embodiment, it is a jig, but may be in a plastic worm, lure, crank bait, spinner, beads or other such piece of fish attracting equipment. The device  10  may come in a wide variety of sizes shapes, appearance, colors and other modifications. The device  10  includes a mechanism  12  for lighting, which attracts fish. Component parts of this unique invention may include a hook mechanism  14 , a housing mechanism  16  and the mechanism  12  for lighting. Each of these components will be discussed in serial fashion.  
         [0025]    The hook mechanism  14  may be any style hook known in the field of fishing. The hook  14  may be a single, dual, treble or other hook combination. The hook  14  may be manufactured of a broad variety of materials such as those known and used in the field of fishing hooks and polymers of similar strength characteristics and may be tempered. The hook  14  may be barbed or barbless, recognizing that barbless hooks are as effective as barbed hooks, but protect fish from injury so that they may be easily caught and released. The shank  18  may be straight, curved or bent (as shown) and have an eyelet  20  for securing the hook  14  to fishing line.  
         [0026]    The housing mechanism  16  protects the lighting mechanism  12  from water damage, while the device  10  is totally submerged. The housing mechanism  16  is a casing including a lower portion  22  an upper outer portion  34 , an upper inner portion  36  and a mechanism for sealing  38 . Each component will be discussed in serial fashion.  
         [0027]    A lower portion  22  may secure to the shank  18  of the hook  14  if the hook is joined to the housing and generally defines a pocket  24 . This lower portion  22  is intended to be transparent or translucent, allowing light from the lighting mechanism  12  to pass therethrough, although the lower portion  22  may be opaque if another mechanism for optical communication between the light mechanism  12  and the external world is present such as through the upper housing  36 . The lower portion  22  further includes a terminal circumferential wall  28 , which is inset to define a shelf  30 . The circumferential wall  28  preferably includes threading  32  or other mechanism for attachment.  
         [0028]    The upper inner portion  36  may be cap-shaped and have internal threading  40  for engaging the threading  32  of the lower portion  22 . The mechanism for sealing  38 , preferably a rubber O-ring as shown, may be placed about the circumferential wall  28  of the lower portion  22  adjacent the shelf  30 . The upper inner portion  36  may then secure to the lower portion, preferably pinching the mechanism for sealing  38  therebetween. The upper inner portion  36 , mechanism for sealing  38  and lower portion  22  provide a water-tight compartment containing the lighting mechanism  12  therein. The upper inner portion  36  may further include external circumferential groove  42  for connection to the upper outer portion  34 . While the preferred shapes are as shown, this invention includes other shapes and securement mechanisms that accomplish the same purpose, which is to create a water-tight cavity to hold the lighting mechanism  12 . The upper inner portion  36  may be transparent or translucent for optical purposes.  
         [0029]    The upper outer portion  34  may be aerodynamically shaped to allow the device  10  to easily move through the water. Alternatively, the upper outer portion  34  may be specifically shaped to cause the device  10  to use water and force on the fishing line to move the device  10  in a life-like manner. The upper outer portion  34  may include a circumferential projection  44  adjacent a lip  46  of the upper outer portion  34 . The lip  46  defines an opening extending into a cavity  48 , which cavity  48  is further defined by the remainder of the upper outer portion  34 . The cavity  48  provides space for the upper inner portion  36 , while the circumferential projection  44  provides the male portion of an attachment mechanism sized to be received within the circumferential groove  42 .  
         [0030]    The lighting mechanism  12  may include a bulb portion  50 , a cap portion  52  and a power source  54 . The cap portion  52  may have a mechanism for selectively or permanently securing the cap portion  52  from rotation or removal relative to the lower portion  22 , such as adhesive, teeth, snap-fit, grooves, shaping, etc. The bulb portion  50  preferably includes a light bulb  56  directly connected to lead wires  58 ,  60 . Lead wire  58  may extend vertically through the cap portion  52  and be bent in an “L” shape with the horizontal portion  62  selectively connectable to the power source. Beneath the lead wire  58  is a contact portion  64  of the cap  52 . The contact portion  64  selectively applies pressure to the lead wire  58 , pressing it into the power source  54 . Lead wire  60  passes through a portion of the cap  52  to an exteneral side  66  thereof. The wire  60  may then come into contact with the power source  54 . Either lead wire  58  or  60  may be positive and the other negative depending upon the selection of the manufacturer.  
         [0031]    The upper inner portion  36 , being threaded may be tightened, pressing the power source  54  and the contact portion  64  together trapping lead  58  therebetween. This tightening completes the circuit, supplying power to the light bulb  56 . Loosening the upper inner portion  36  releases the pressure between the power source  54  and the contact portion  64  to interrupt the circuit and thereby turn the light off.  
         [0032]    The upper outer portion  34  may define at least one aperture  68  sized to release scent therethrough. The scent may be any commercially available scent. The number of apertures  68  and size may be chosen based upon the desired release rate of scent contained within the upper outer portion  34 , which is secured to the upper inner portion  36 . The upper outer portion  34  may include a plate  69  positioned to define a attractant cavity  71  in the upper outer portion  34 . In this mode, scent may be inserted into the attractant cavity via an elongated hollow member, such as a hypodermic needle, inserted through the aperture  68 .  
         [0033]    Desirably, the at least one aperture  68  is small enough to retain beads  70  or other such sound attractant within the upper outer portion  34  when the upper outer portion  34  is secured to the upper inner portion  36 . The beads  70  should be sufficient in size, number and material to create sound audable to fish when in use. Use of beads  70  is generally to be used in exchange with scent, although use of the beads  70  with scent all secured between the upper outer portion  34  and upper inner portion  36  is within the purview of the present invention. Additionally or alternatively to scent and beads  70  is use of a light, which may be chemically powered, such as chemiluminescence. If the upper outer portion  34  includes plate  69 , the beads may be permanently mounted within the cavity  71  and the aperture  68  may not be present.  
         [0034]    A spinner  72  may be secured to the housing  16  or hook  14 . FIG. 5 shows a manner of joining the spinner  72  to the device  10 . Spinner  72  includes a ring  74 , a lead  76  and a plate  78 . The ring  74  defines an aperture sized to fit about a portion of the upper inner portion  36 , resting adjacent the O-ring  38 . Tightening of the upper outer portion  34  relative to the upper inner portion  36  secures the ring  74  in place. The lead  76  joins the ring  74  to the plate  78  directly or in combination with a swivel  82 . The lead  76  is preferably of a length that allows the plate  78  to trail behind the hook  14 . The plate  78 , generally dish shaped, may be dimpled, as shown in FIG. 7, or smooth, as shown in FIG. 8, and may come in a variety of metal and non-metal colors. Multiple plates  78 , as shown in FIG. 6, may be used if desired.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 4 shows a preferred manner of joining spinner  72  to the device  10 . The spinner  72  may be secured to a body attachment ring  84  of the housing  16 . The ring  84  of the spinner  72  is releasably interlocked with the ring  84  of the housing  16 . The lead  76  extends from the ring  84  to the plate  78 . The ring  84  is preferably integral with the housing  16  and formed of the same material. A central axis of the ring  84  should be parallel with the direction of draw through the water and the opening  80  should be sized such that water freely flows therethrough. Desireably the opening  80  should be at least ⅛ inch in diameter and the material forming the ring should have at least a {fraction (1/16)} inch diameter. Multiple holes  80  may be present much like a series of rings  84  and the ring(s)  84  may circumscribe the housing  16 . Making the ring(s)  84  is this manner provides for a wake of water as the device  10  is drawn therethrough. Beyond providing a place for attachment of the spinner  72 , distinct advantages result from disturbing the water with this ring structure  84 , including, but not limited to, creating vibration for attracting fish and to disbursing of the sound and scent.  
         [0036]    The present invention advantageously provides rapid and dramatic altering of the fishing lure without the need to locate new tackle, take unwanted tackle off the line and tie new tackle onto the line. For instance, a spinner  72  can be rapidly connected or removed from the device  10 , a light can be turned off or on, sound and/or scent may be added or removed simply with exchange or adjustment of the upper outer portion  34 . Colored dressing may be slipped on or off the hook  14  to change coloration and translucency may be used such that the dressing alters the color tone of the light  12 . These features provide simple changes that can be made in a matter of seconds to transform a lure fish are not perceiving into a lure fish rapidly take without the hassle required of prior art devices.  
         [0037]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.