Abstract:
A deep diving fishing lure having a forwardly-extending diving lip is provided with a fore-and-aft pivotable lure positioning arm mounted to the diving lip. The lure positioning arm, when locked in aft position, maintains the lure in a diving position when pulled through a body of water but negates the lure&#39;s tendency to dive when released from the aft position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to hydrodynamic fishing devices, and in particular to fishing tackle of the diver sinking type lure, also known as a crankbait. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Fishing lures are old in the art. In order to target fish that do not strike bait floating at the surface or those that remain well below the surface, many fishermen use lures designed to dive to various depths within the water. This type of lure is typically buoyant or neutrally buoyant, but is designed to dive below the surface when trolled through the water. Different shaped, colored, and sized lures are used to target different species of fish or based on current water conditions. 
         [0003]    Crankbaits known in the prior art usually have a solid lure body with one or more fish hooks attached. A diving plate or lip extends from the first end portion of the lure body, generally angled downwardly relative to the body of the lure. Usually, a fishing line is attached to the diving lip with the other end of the line being wound around a reel or the like, such that when the reel is turned or cranked the lure moves through the water. Water flowing over the diving lip generates a downward force on the lure body forcing it to dive deeper in the water as the lure is pulled forwardly through the water. The lateral width of the diving lip at its widest point should be wider than the widest part of the lure body; however, the diving lip should taper such that the rear portion of the diving lip is nearly the same width as the first end portion of the lure body where the diving lip and lure body meet. This tapered area allows the water flowing over the diving lip creating the downward force to flow off the diving lip before reaching the lure body thereby reducing wobble or roll of the lure body as it moves through the water. 
         [0004]    Due to their hydrodynamic properties, diving fishing lures are difficult to retrieve, with or without a fish having been hooked by the lure, because forward movement of the lure causes the lure to dive. The present invention effectively removes or at least ameliorates this shortcoming of diving fish lures. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A diving fishing lure of the present invention facilitates retrieval of the lure from a body of water as well as setting the hook and landing a fish caught by the lure by immediate repositioning the lure relative to a fishing line during retrieval or while reeling in a fish. 
         [0006]    The present fishing lure has an elongated lure body terminating at first and second end portions and provided with a diving lip at the first end portion. The diving lip extends downwardly away from the lure body at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the lure body. The diving lip has a top surface that defines a diving plane, a convex bottom surface, a front portion and a rear portion. A latch with a pivotable lure positioning arm and a catch for the arm are mounted to the diving lip. The proximal end portion of the arm is pivotably mounted to the diving lip for fore-and-aft movement relative to the diving lip and so that the arm extends away from the top surface of the diving lip. The catch releasably holds the lure positioning arm in a fixed aft position, thereby orienting the diving lip so as to cause the lure to dive downwardly when pulled through a body of water by a fishing line attached to the lure positioning arm. When the arm is not held by the catch and is oriented in a fore position, the arm is substantially aligned with the diving plane when the lure is pulled through a body of water, thereby negating the tendency of the lure to dive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    In the accompanying drawings that form part of the specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of the lure with the lure positioning arm in the aft position. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the lure with the lure positioning arm released from the aft position. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the lure with the lure positioning arm in the aft position. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the lure with the lure positioning arm in the fore position. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the lure of  FIG. 3  taken along plane  5 - 5 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of the diving lip of the lure of  FIG. 3  taken along plane  6 - 6 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating an embodiment that utilizes an adjustable catch for receiving a lure positioning arm. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]    A deep diving fishing lure embodying the present invention has a diving lip extending from an elongate lure body. Within the diving lip is situated a latch with a catch and a pivotable lure positioning arm. In the latched position, the lure positioning arm facilitates the lure diving downward in the water upon trolling; in the released position, the lure positioning arm positions the lure to negate the tendency to dive thereby facilitating retrieval of the lure from the water. 
         [0016]    Referring to the drawings and particularly to  FIG. 1 , an elongate lure body  10  is depicted having a first end portion or head portion  12 , a second end portion or tail portion  14 , a top side  16 , and a bottom side  18 . A diving lip  20  extends from the first end portion  12  of the lure body  10 . Diving lip  20  has a top surface  22 , a convex bottom surface  24 , a front portion  26 , and rear portion  28 . A latch located within diving lip  20  includes lure positioning arm  36  which is pivotably mounted to the front portion  26  of diving lip  20  for fore-and-aft movement, and is adapted for attachment to a fishing line at the proximal end portion  37 . When in the latched position, lure positioning arm  36  facilitates the lure diving downward in the water upon trolling. A fin  30  protruding from the bottom surface  24  of the diving lip  20  extends longitudinally along the centerline of the lure from approximately the midpoint of the underside of the diving lip  20  to the rear portion  28  of the diving lip. Eyelets  40  and  42  extend from the underside of the lure body  10  for respective attachment of fish hooks  41 ,  43  or the like. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , lure positioning arm  36  is depicted released from the aft position. In the preferred embodiment, lure positioning arm  36  is provided with an offset portion  39 . This offset is desirable to avoid a change in the profile of the diving lip and thus its diving characteristics. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , top views of fishing lure  10  are depicted. Catch  34  is located in groove  32  within the body of diving lip  20  and includes a pair of upstanding, tapered cusps  35  and  37  spaced from one another to receive lure positioning arm  36  therebetween. Cusps  35  and  37  are configured for back-and-forth movement relative to one another. As shown in  FIG. 3 , catch  34  is made of a flexible material and releasably holds lure positioning arm  36  in the aft position during trolling. In the latched aft position, lure positioning arm  36  facilitates the downward diving motion of lure  10 . In response to the strike of a fish, catch  34  releases lure positioning arm  36 , permitting the arm to move to the fore position, thereby facilitating retrieval of the lure and, if the fish is caught, prompt setting of the hook and landing the hooked fish.  FIG. 4  depicts lure positioning arm  36  in the released, fore position. Preferably, catch  34  does not project above the top surface  22  of diving lip  20  but is flush with top surface  20  when in the latched aft position. 
         [0019]    Cross-sectional views of lure  10  are depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , in the preferred embodiment catch  34  is located entirely within groove  32  thereby reducing drag through the water. The pivot axis about which lure positioning arm  36  pivots is defined by pin  38 , also located within groove  32  and at or near the front portion  26  of diving lip  20 , preferably about one-tenth of the length of the diving lip away from the leading edge  27  of the lip. All or nearly all of lure positioning arm  36  is located within groove  32  further reducing drag as the lure moves through the water. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a cross-sectional view of the diving lip  20  is depicted. Catch  34  releasably holds lure positioning arm  36  in the aft position. In the preferred embodiment, catch  34  is responsive to the strike of a fish and releases lure positioning arm  36  so that arm  36  can move to the fore position, facilitating removal of the lure from the water. 
         [0021]    The tapered cusps of the catch releasably holding the lure positioning arm can be situated at a fixed spacing from one another, as shown in  FIGS. 3-6 , or the spacing thereof can be adjustable as shown in  FIG. 7 . In particular, cusps  35  and  37  of catch  34  are spaced from one another and the spacing therebetween can be adjusted by a fastener connecting cusps  35  and  37  and passing through the cusps, such as socket cap screw  40  threadedly received in nut  42  which, in turn, is embedded in cusp  35 . Socket head  44  of socket cap screw  40  abuts outboard side  46  of cusp  37 . As socket head  44  is turned clockwise, socket cap screw  40  is threaded into nut  42 , cusps  35  and  37  are drawn toward one another, reducing the spacing therebetween, and thereby tightening the grip on lure positioning arm  36  situated between cusps  35  and  37 . Similarly, as socket head  44  is turned counterclockwise, cusps  35  and  37  seek to return to their original positions, the space therebetween is increased, and grip on lure positioning arm  36  is loosened. 
         [0022]    Socket head  44  is situated in channel  48  defined in diving lip  20  and is provided with a socket adapted to receive a drive such as an Allen drive. If desired, the socket can be chosen to receive other drive types such as slotted, Phillips (“crosshead”), Robertson (“square”), and the like. 
         [0023]    The contour of diving lip  20  preferably is such that the width of lip  20  gradually increases in a direction from leading edge  27  of front portion  26  to a maximum at a point intermediate the length of diving lip  20  and then decreases as the rear portion  28  approaches and ultimately adjoins lure body  10  at the head portion  12  thereof. 
         [0024]    The foregoing specification and the drawings are intended as illustrative but are not to be taken as limiting of the present invention. Still other variations and rearrangements of parts are possible without a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention.