Abstract:
A lure for attracting and engaging a fish includes a main body shaped so as to resemble a crab. A bill extends from a forward end of the body. A keel extends from a bottom of the body and terminates at one side at the bill to maintain stability of the lure when in motion. Swim fins and/or legs extend from a lateral edge of the body for increased stability and for more realistically simulating an actual crab. A hook extends from a rear of the body for engaging a fish attracted to the lure. A wire harness extends between the forward end and the rearward end of the body to strengthen the body.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to fishing lures, and more particularly pertains to a simulated crab lure for attracting and engaging a fish.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     The use of fishing lures is known in the prior art. Two prior patents concern lures with a crab-like shape. U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,422 shows a crab-like artificial lure that is legless and weighted toward one end. Two metal eyes are screwed into the crab-body shaped lure at spaced apart locations. A hook is attached to one of the eyes and a reel line is attached to the other eye. The crab-like lure preferably is formed of wood or alternatively is of molded plastic. In one embodiment, a plastic bill or bow plane is attached to the same end of the crab-like lure where the reel line is attached.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,694 describes a simulated crab lure with a crab-shaped main body that has a bill extending from a forward end and a hook extending from a rear end. A keel extends from the bottom of the body to help maintain stability of the lure in the water. The keel is spaced apart from the bill and no structure resembling crab legs extends from the crab body.  
         [0006]     While crab-like shaped lures have achieved success for fishing in waters known to contain crab, improvements in stability and maneuverability are still sought. In these respects, the simulated crab lure according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of attracting and engaging a fish.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     [Pat will complete summary of invention once claims are satisfactory.] 
         [0008]     Other objects of the invention will be clear from the following description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The invention will be better understood when consideration is given to the following detailed description. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a left side elevational view of a simulated crab lure of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view thereof;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a rear elevational view thereof;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view thereof;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a right side elevational view thereof;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional plan view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view in elevation taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 2 , showing optional weights; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view in elevation similar to  FIG. 7 , but showing optional fluid reservoir and optional rattle chamber. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1-8 , a new simulated crab lure embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described.  
         [0019]     The simulated crab lure  10  comprises a crab body  12  shaped so as to substantially simulate or imitate an appearance of a crab. A hook (or series of hooks)  14  extends from an eyelet  15  at a rearward end  16  of the crab body  12  for engaging a fish attracted to the lure  10 . A bill or spoon  18  projects from a forward end  20  of the crab body  12  for hydrodynamically biasing the crab body in response to movement of the lure  10  through a fluid, such as water. When the line  24  attached to the line anchor  22  on the bill  18  is cranked, or the fishing rod associated with the line  24  is twitched, the lure  10  will dive. If the retrieve is stopped, depending upon the weights within the lure  10 , the lure  10  will surface, suspend or sink.  
         [0020]     Preferably, the bill  18  is formed from a clear plastic or other transparent material so that when the lure  10  enters the water, such bill or spoon  18  will almost disappear from sight. Suitable plastic transparent materials include polypropylene and ABS plastic, and other transparent materials that will withstand exposure to customary water and temperature conditions encountered when fishing may be used. A line anchor  22 , such as an eyelet, is secured to the bill  18  proximal to a center thereof and permits attachment of a fishing line  24  to the lure  10 . Optionally, the bill  18  may include one or more attached weights  19  to compensate for a weight of the hook(s)  14  and to assist in orienting the lure  10  to an upright position when in a fluid, such as water.  
         [0021]     The crab body  12  is desirably formed of a substantially buoyant material and optionally may include one or more weights  26  positioned therein ( FIG. 7 ) which compensates for the weight of the hook(s)  14  so as to substantially balance the crab body  12  about a transverse axis directed between the forward end  20  and the rearward end  16  of the lure  10 . Weights  26  also assist in orienting the lure  10  to an upright position when in a fluid such as water. Weights  26  may be added or removed to cause the lure  10  to float, suspend, or sink to a desired depth within the water to adjust to differing fishing conditions.  
         [0022]     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the crab body  12  according to the present invention  10  is shaped so as to define a domed upper surface  28  having an outer peripheral edge extending between the rearward end  16  and the forward end  20 . The outer peripheral edge of the domed upper surface  28  is shaped so as to define an arcuate lateral edge  30  extending between the forward end  20  and the rearward end  16  along a first side of the crab body  12 . The arcuate lateral edge  30  has an approximately constant radius of curvature and is therefore somewhat semi-circular in shape. The lateral edge  30  preferably has scalloped or pointed projections extending therefrom to more accurately simulate the shape of an upper crab shell.  
         [0023]     In contrast to the lateral edge  30 , a periphery of the domed upper surface  28  along a second side of the crab body  12  is shaped to define an involute forward edge  32  integrally continuing into an arcuate lateral edge  34  which intersects an involute rear edge  36  terminating at the rearward end  16  of the crab body  12 . Such configuration of the outer periphery of the domed upper surface  28  causes the crab body  12  to assume the appearance of a crab so as to attract fish naturally attracted to such prey.  
         [0024]     A through-wire harness  56  ( FIG. 6 ) extends between the eyelet  15  at the rearward end  16  of the lure  10  and the line anchor  22  extending from the bill  18 . The through-wire harness  56  strengthens the lure  10  so that the lure  10  is better able to withstand hits from large fish. The through-wire harness  56  takes the stress of the tension forces applied between the hook  14  and line anchor  22  when a fish lands the hook  14 . Preferably, the through-wire harness  56  is a metal, such as stainless steel, but any material suitable to increase the tensile strength of the crab lure  10  may also be used. Preferably, as best shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the line anchors  15  and  22  are formed or molded at each end of a single wire of stainless steel, which wire also then forms the through-wire harness  56 .  
         [0025]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the crab body  12  further comprises a depending keel  38  extending from the bottom surface  37  of the crab body  12  and below the domed upper surface  28 . The depending keel  38  extends downwardly (e.g., oppositely) from the domed upper surface  28 . Preferably, the keel  38  extends from the bottom surface  37  of the crab body  12  substantially between the forward end  20  and the rearward end  16 . In this embodiment, the keel  38  terminates at one side at the bill  18 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the side of the keel  38  is connected or attached to or is contiguous with the bottom side of the bill  18 .  
         [0026]     As an improvement over the crab lure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,694, the keel  38  extends along substantially the entire length of the crab body  12  from forward end  20  to rearward end  16 , and the side connected or contiguous with the bill  18  has a side length substantially equal to the length of the bill  18  (see  FIG. 1 ) such that the keel  38  extends to the tip of the bill  18 . In this preferred embodiment, the side length of the front side of the keel  38  connected to the bill  18  is longer than the side length of the rear side of the keel  38 . The bottom edge of such preferred keel  38  adopts a slight convexly shaped curve. Such keel  38  configuration helps to stabilize the lure  10  in the water so that the crab body  12  remains upright, and also helps cause the lure  10  to track straight on retrieve.  
         [0027]     The keel  38  preferably is formed of a clear plastic or other transparent material so that when the lure enters the water, such keel  38  will almost disappear from sight. However, such keel  38  optionally may be embellished with representations of one or more crab legs  39  (see  FIG. 1 ) or other fish attracting designs, such as by painting thereon or applying a decal thereto or laminating a layer thereto. Such embellishments  39  preferably are applied to both the front and rear side of the keel  38  in mirror image to give the appearance of legs suspended under the crab body  12 .  
         [0028]     Preferably, the crab body  12  is comprised of molded plastic, such as ABS plastic or polypropylene, but may also be comprised of any conventionally known material, such as balsa or cedar wood, rubber, elastomers, or the like, that may withstand the water and temperature conditions customary when fishing. The crab body  12  is preferably constructed of a substantially buoyant material which tends to rise in fluids such as water so as to attain the orientation illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 5 . The crab body  12  may be embellished with representations of eyes or crab shell striations to better simulate an actual crab. In one embodiment, eyes and crab claws are painted onto the surface of the crab body  12  (see  FIG. 1 ).  
         [0029]     As a further improvement over the crab lure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,694, swim fins  50  may extend from the involute forward edge  32  and the involute rear edge  36  to more realistically simulate an actual crab. The swim fins  50  can help to stabilize the lure  10  in an upright orientation when tracking. Such swim fins  50  further act as outriggers, like outriggers found on canoes. Such swim fins  50  may be integrally molded with the crab body  12  or may be separately attached thereto, such as by inserting one end into a receptive port opening, bore or cavity  52  and held therein with an adhesive, or may be removably attached thereto, such as by inserting one end into a receptive port opening  52  by force fit.  FIG. 5  shows a lure  10  wherein a swim fin  50  is inserted into one port opening  52 , whereas the other port opening  52  remains open.  
         [0030]     In one embodiment, the end of the swim fin fitted into the receptive port opening  52  is keyed or shaped in a manner to deter rotation of the swim fin  50  with respect to the crab body  12 . Preferably, the swim fins  50  have a flat proximal end that fits within the receptive port opening  52  so that the swim fins  50  do not spin with respect to the crab body  12  when in water or otherwise under pressure.  
         [0031]     To make the lure  10  more attractive to fish, preferably such swim fins  50  are formed of rubber, flexible plastic or other flexible material so that the tips of the swim fins  50  may move independently with reference to the crab body  12 . In addition, the swim fins  50  optionally may be impregnated with a scent that is attractive to fish. Other legs (not shown) made from the same materials may also be attached to or glued to the crab body  12  as desired.  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , one or more optional weights  26  may be incorporated into the crab body  12  to balance out the weight of the hook  14 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 1 , an optional weight  19  may be included in or on the bill  18  for this same purpose. A single lure  10  might include a combination of weights  26  and weight  19 .  
         [0033]     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the simulated crab lure  10  of the present invention may further comprise a dispensing means for selectively dispensing a scented fluid from the crab body  12 . To this end, the crab body  12  can be shaped so as to define a fluid reservoir  42  positioned therewithin which fluidly communicates through a fluid conduit  44  with a dispensing aperture  46 . By this structure, a scented fluid commonly known in the art can be positioned within the fluid reservoir  42  through the dispensing aperture  46  and the fluid conduit  44 , whereby an immersion of the lure  10  and a movement thereof through a body of water will result in dispensing of the scented fluid from the fluid reservoir  42  out the dispensing aperture  46  as a result of fluid passing over the crab body  12 .  
         [0034]     With reference to  FIG. 8 , the crab body  12  of the lure  10  may be additionally shaped so as to define a rattle chamber  48  formed therewithin. A plurality of rattle members such as steel balls or the like (not labeled in  FIG. 8 ) can be positioned within the rattle chamber  48  so as to create a sound during movement of the device  10 , which simulates a sound of impacting claws against a shell of a natural crab. By this structure, a more realistic simulation of an actual crab is obtained.  
         [0035]     In use, the simulated crab lure  10  according to the present invention can be easily utilized for attracting and capturing fish which normally feed on crabs. The present invention, when constructed with the dispensing means  42 ,  44 ,  46  within the crab body  12  can be further utilized to dispense a scented fluid so as to increase effectiveness of the device  10  in capturing fish attracted to such scented fluid.  
         [0036]     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.  
         [0037]     Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. Therefore, the specification and examples are to be considered as exemplary, and the scope and spirit of the invention shall be indicated by the following claims.