Patent Publication Number: US-2012030991-A1

Title: Floating fishing lure supporting a dancing bait on the water surface

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to floating fishing lures, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,113,614, 5,560,141, 7,082,711 and Des. 559,940, and which include flotation members or floats or bobbers which maintain the fishing lure adjacent the water surface. Many of such fishing lures support a bait or hook below the water surface, such as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,614, and many fishing lures maintain the bait or hook adjacent the water surface, such as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,141. The bait may be a natural bait such as a live worm as shown in the &#39;614 patent or the bait may be an artificial bait or fly with a hook, as shown in the &#39;141 patent. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a floating fishing lure which supports a live or artificial bait or a plurality of baits adjacent the water surface and provides the effect of each bait bouncing or dancing on the water surface in response to any movement of the water and/or movement of the fishing lure. The fishing lure of the invention includes a buoyant body which floats and bobs on the water surface. An elongated flexible element or spring wire has an inner portion connected to the body and projects upwardly and laterally outwardly from the body above the surface of the water. An outer portion of the flexible element are spring wire supports a bait adjacent the surface of the water when the body is floating on the water, and the bait comprises a fish hook. The buoyant body and the flexible element or spring wire cooperate to produce a dancing effect of the bait on the surface of the water or the appearance of a bait or fly landing on the water surface in response to movement of the water and/or the floating body. The buoyant body may support a plurality of angularly arranged flexible elements or spring wires and corresponding baits each of which has an independent dancing effect on the water surface. 
     Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a floating fishing lure constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating a floating body supporting a plurality of flexible spring wires supporting and corresponding baits adjacent the water surface; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of the floating fishing lure shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  is a fragmentary axial section of the fishing lure shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT 
     A fishing lure  10  includes an elongated buoyant body  12  which functions as a float or bobber and is constructed of a floating material such as balsa wood or polyurethane foam or a hollow molded plastic material, commonly used for the construction of a fishing lure float or bobber. However, as illustrated, the body  12  is constructed of balsa wood as shown in  FIG. 3  and has a length of about 4 inches, a diameter at the center of about 1 inch and a diameter at each end of about ⅞ inch. As also shown in  FIG. 3 , the elongated body  12  has an axially extending center hole  14  of about ⅛ inch. A set or plurality of elongated flexible elements in the form of stainless steel spring wires  16 ,  18  and  20  project upwardly and curve outwardly from the top center of the body  12  and are preferably spaced at equal angles around the body. Each of the stainless steel spring wires has a length of about seven inches and a diameter of about 0.025 inch and has an integrally formed wire fastener  24  at the outer end portion of the wire. Each fastener  24  may be in the general form of a safety pin with a hook end portion for releasably engaging the wire, but other connector means may be formed from each wire such as a simple eyelet. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the spring wire  16  and  18  are formed from a single piece or section of spring wire by bending a center portion of the wire to form an elongated U-shaped loop  26  which is inserted into the upper portion of the center hole  14 . The third wire  20  extends downwardly completely through the center hole  14  within the body  12  and forms a circular eyelet  28  at the bottom end of the body  12 . The wire  20  extends further to form a releasable fastener  30  similar to each of the fasteners  24  and generally similar to a safety pin. The fastener  30  and each of the fasteners  24  has an integrally formed hook-shaped end portion  32  so that the hook portions  32  releasably engage the corresponding wire  16 ,  18  and  20 . After the loop portion  26  of the wire  16  and  18  is inserted into the upper end portion of the hole  14 , and the lower end portion of the wire  20  with the formed eyelet  28  and fastener  30 , is extended through the hole  14 , a charge of water resistant liquid adhesive or epoxy  35  is inserted or injected into the upper end portion of the hole  14 , and another charge of adhesive or epoxy  38  is inserted or injected into the lower end portion of the hole  14  for securing the spring wires  16 ,  18  and  20  within the float body  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a fine flexible leader line  45  in the form of a plastic or nylon leader connects the outer end portion or fastener  24  of each spring wire to a bait  50  having a fish hook  52 . The bait  50  may be in the form of an artificial fly as commonly used for fly fishing or the bait  50  may be a live bug or worm attached to the hook  52 . The upper end portion of each leader line  45  may have a tied loop which hooks onto the fastener  24 , and the lower end portion of the leader line may be connected or attached to the bait  50  in a conventional manner. While three spring wires  16 ,  18  and  20  are illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  for the lure  10 , one or two or more than three spring wires may be connected to the float body  12 , whatever may be desired for fishing. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 &amp; 3 , a weight member  55 , such as a lead sinker, is attached or connected to the fastener  30  formed from the lower end portion of the spring wire  20 . The size of the weight  55  is selected so that when the lure  10  is placed in a body of water  60 , the center portion of the float body  12  is located at the water surface  62 , and each of the baits  50  is touching or adjacent the water surface, as shown in  FIG. 1 . However, a suitable weight  55  may also be incorporated in the lower portion of the float body  12  if a fixed weight is predetermined and it is not necessary to provide for selecting a specific weight  55 . As also shown in  FIG. 1 , a flexible fishing line  65  extends from a fishing pole (not shown) and is connected to the eyelet  28  at the bottom of the float body  12 . However, the fishing line  65  may be connected or attached to another location on the float body  12  or to one of the fasteners  24 . 
     As apparent from the drawings and the above description, it is apparent that a fishing lure constructed in accordance with the invention provides desirable features and advantages. For example, by connecting the top of the float body  12  to a bait  50  by the elongated flexible element or spring wire  16  so that the bait  50  is touching the water surface  62  when the float body  12  is floating on still water, any movement of the lure  10  or movement of the water causes the bait  50  to bounce or dance on the water surface  62  which provides the appearance of a live bait or fly caught or resting on the water surface. The movement of the lure may be caused by a slight pull on the fishing line  65  extending from the fishing pole or movement of the water due to wind on the water surface. When a plurality of flexible elements or wires  16  extend from the float body  12  and support corresponding baits or flies  50 , the fishing lure provides the appearance of a swarm of flies touching the water surface and then flying away from the surface and returning to the surface. 
     While the form of fishing lure herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of the invention, and that changes made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.