Abstract:
A barbless fishhook with a narrow throat in the hook end with the material of the hook bent back on itself to create a narrow constricted throat tight enough to hold and wedge the tissue of the fish.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention refers to a fishhook and more particularly to the shape of the hook end irrespective of the shank end used with the fishhook. 
     Many hooks of the prior art do not possess the holding power of the fishhook of the present invention. Those that have a positive holding means are of a more complicated manufacture relative to the fishhook of the present invention or use holding means such as the commonly used barb which complicate removal and increase damage to the fish when removing the hook from the catch. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to form a fishhook having better holding power but without the inconvenience caused by barbs on the hook. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to form a fishhook with good holding power but with a very simple and inexpensive structure. 
     The present invention basically is a fishhook having a hook end with a narrow throat for wedging and holding the tissue of the fish. 
     Additionally the present invention uses means to increase the contact surface or friction in the throat by use of roughened surfaces, such as for example, projections, and/or by use of flattened surface areas, either only in the throat or over the whole length of wire forming the hook. 
     Also, hook end point design helps in hooking the fish and, in a modified design, an additional apex point aids in placing of the bait on the hook. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With the above objects and other objects and advantages which are inherent in the invention, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIGS. 1A and 1B are front and side elevational views, respectively, of the design of the hook end of the fishhook of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 2A and 2B are side and front elevational views, respectively, of the hook end from FIGS. 1A and 1B with a modified pointed end; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a modified embodiment of the throat of the hook end of FIGS. 1A and 1B; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a hook end of FIGS. 1A and 1B with a modified apex; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view from the rear and side of a modified body structure of the hook end of FIGS. 1A and 1B; and 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective side view of another modified body structure at the throat of the hook end of FIGS. 1A and 1B. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring first to FIGS. 1A and 1B, there is shown the basic design of the fishhook of the present invention having a hook end 10, with a shank 11 which may be of any desired design and is not part of the present invention. 
     Hook end 10 has a throat portion 12 and a pointed end 13. The throat portion 12 is formed possibly from a wire or some similar material, by bending the wire or similar material sharply back upon itself to form the narrowed throat portion 12. This throat portion 12 thus forms a slot into which the fish flesh becomes firmly caught by the struggle of the fish itself or by a jerk on the line by a fisherman. 
     FIGS. 2A and 2B show the basic design of FIGS. 1A and 1B with a change in direction of the pointed end of the hook wherein point 23 of hook end 20 is bent down or in a direction somewhat more parallel to shank 11 than pointed end 13 with the possibility of increasing the hooking action. 
     FIG. 3 discloses modification of hook end 10 showing hook end 30 with throat 32 and protruding or indented serrations 34 forming roughened surfaces on opposed areas of throat 32 to further increase the clasping and holding power of this throat portion on the fish flesh caught therein. 
     FIG. 4 discloses a further modification of the hook of the present invention which may be added or used with any of the forms of fishhook of the previous figures. In this form a point 45 is formed on the apex end of hook end 40 to allow bait to be readily draped over the bent wire or similar material of the hook as compared with a prior method of simply threading it on over the fishing point 43. 
     FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the fishhook wherein the wire or similar material is rectangular in crosssection, made of flattened wire stock from shank 51 to point 53, and hook end 50 is bent to form narrowed throat 52. This form increases the surface contact and friction with the tissues of the hooked fish. 
     FIG. 6 is another variation of the use of flattened portions but in hook end 60 a round wire stock is used as with the embodiments of FIGS. 1-4 but flattened portions 66 are formed only in the opposed clamping areas of throat portion 62 and thereby also have the advantages of the embodiment of FIG. 5 of increased surface contact and friction with the tissues of the hooked fish. 
     With the absence of a barb as in the case of other barbless hooks there is easy removal of the fish from the hook for bagging or release, but with the hook of the present invention the fish is held on the hook firmly until the fisherman chooses to remove it. Likewise, if the fishing point accidentally snags the fisherman, surgery will not ordinarily be required to dislodge it. 
     It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification.