Patent Publication Number: US-2012036760-A1

Title: Fishing lure

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/401,382, filed on Aug. 13, 2010. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a fishing lure, and more particularly, to a fishing lure adapted to receive bait. 
     BACKGROUND 
     This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art. 
     Fishermen often use lures to attract fish while fishing as an alternative to live bait. When fishing with live bait, fishermen are concerned with keeping the bait alive in an easily transportable container until use. Then, assuming the bait stays alive until it is placed on a hook, the bait must stay alive in the water with a hook impaling its body for a long enough period of time to effectively attract fish. Furthermore, it is possible for a fish to bite a portion of the baitfish and/or remove the baitfish from the hook without becoming caught on the hook itself, effectively “stealing” the bait. 
     Lures can be brightly colored and shaped to resemble baitfish, and are often designed to withstand multiple bites from larger fish. Therefore, a single lure can be used over and over and on multiple fishing trips. Lures may alleviate concerns for keeping an ample supply of bait alive during a long fishing trip. However, typical fishing lures lack the scent and feel of an actual baitfish. 
     SUMMARY 
     This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. 
     The present disclosure provides a fishing lure that may include a body portion shaped to generally resemble a body of a baitfish. The body portion may include a front portion corresponding to a head of the baitfish and an aft portion corresponding to a tail of the baitfish. A cavity may be formed through an outer surface of the body portion for receiving at least a portion of a live or dead fish, or any other quantity of any other animal tissue, therein. 
     In another form, the present disclosure provides a fishing lure that may include a body portion that may have a front end corresponding to a head of a baitfish and an aft end corresponding to a tail of the baitfish. The body portion may include a one-piece construction. An elongated slot may be formed in the body portion and may extend through an outer surface of the body portion and along a longitudinal axis of the body portion. The elongated slot may extend through the aft end of the body portion from an intermediate location between the front and aft ends of the body portion. A first aperture may extend laterally through an entire lateral width of the body portion and the elongated slot. A hook may extend from the body portion proximate the elongated slot. 
     In another form, the present disclosure provides a method that may include securing a lure to a fishing line. The lure may be shaped to resemble a baitfish and having a hook connected thereto. At least one portion of at least one of a live baitfish or a dead baitfish may be provided and secured to the lure. The lure may be placed in a body of water, and relative motion between the water and the lure with the at least one portion of the at least one of the live baitfish or the dead baitfish secured to the lure may simulate a swimming motion of a live fish. 
     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a body of a fishing lure according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the body of the fishing lure of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the fishing lure of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic representation of the fishing lure and a strip of fish tissue; and 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic representation of the fishing lure having the strip of fish flesh secured thereto by a piercing member according to the principles of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed. 
     When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
     Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments. 
     Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature&#39;s relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated  90  degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-5 , a fishing lure  10  is provided. The fishing lure  10  may include a lure body  12 , one or more hooks  14 , a connecting member  16 , and a piercing member  18 . A user may attach the fishing lure  10  to a fishing line  20  ( FIG. 3 ), which in turn may be connected to a fishing rod and reel (not shown). As will be subsequently described, the user may cut a fillet  22  from a baitfish and attach the fillet  22  ( FIG. 4 ) to the fishing lure  10 . With the fillet  22  attached, the fishing lure  10  may be used to attract and catch fish in a body of water. While the fishing lure  10  is described herein as receiving the fillet  22  of the baitfish, it will be appreciated that the any piece or portion of flesh or tissue of the baitfish or any other fish or animal can be used in addition to or in the place of the fillet  22 . Alternatively, an entire baitfish (live or dead) could be received in or attached to the fishing lure  10 . 
     The lure body  12  may be an elongated member formed to generally resemble or formed generally in the shape of a body of a baitfish, for example, or any other aquatic animal. The lure body  12  may include a front portion  24  that may generally correspond to a head portion of the baitfish and an aft portion  26  that may generally correspond to a tail portion of the baitfish. The lure body  12  may include coloring and/or markings that resemble the coloring and/or markings of a baitfish to attract larger fish. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , fish eye decals or stickers  28  may be adhered to the front portion  24  of the lure body  12 . Alternatively, fish eyes could be painted onto the lure body  12 . 
     The lure body  12  may be formed from a single, solid piece of material, such as a substantially rigid foam or other polymeric material. In some embodiments, the lure body  12  could be formed from a softer, compressible material that generally resembles the compressibility of a live baitfish. It will be appreciated that the lure body  12  could be formed from virtually any material. The lure body  12  may include an elongated cavity or slot  30  formed therein. As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the slot  30  may extend generally along a longitudinal axis (A) of the lure body  12 . The slot  30  may extend through the aft portion  26  from an intermediate location between the front portion  24  and the aft portion  26 . An opening  32  of the slot  30  may be disposed in a portion of the lure body  12  that corresponds to an underside or belly of the baitfish, as shown in the figures. In other embodiments, however, the slot  30  and opening  32  could be formed in an upper portion of the lure body  12  corresponding to a dorsal region or spine of the baitfish. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the fillet  22  may be received in the slot  30 . An end  33  of the fillet  22  may extend out of the slot  30  beyond a rear tip of the aft portion  26  of the lure body  12 . 
     Each lateral side  34 ,  36  of the lure body  12  may include one or more first apertures  38  extending laterally through the lure body  12  and communicating with the slot  30 . The first apertures  38  on each lateral side  34 ,  36  of the lure body  12  may be substantially aligned with each other. The piercing member  18  may be received through the first apertures  38  and pierce the fillet  22  to secure the fillet  22  within the slot  30 . The piercing member  18  could be a wooden or plastic toothpick or a plastic or metallic pin, for example, or any other elongated member adapted to be received in the first apertures  38  and pierce through the fillet  22 . In some embodiments, the fillet  22  may be secured to the lure body  12  by any suitable additional or alternative means. For example, the fillet  22  could be tied to the lure body  12  with thread or fishing line. 
     A second aperture  40  may extend through the front portion  24  of the lure body  12 . In some embodiments, the second aperture  40  may be disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis (A), as shown in  FIG. 3 . The connecting member  16  may extend through the second aperture  40  and may connect the hooks  14  to the fishing line  20 . The connecting member  16  may include a flexible metallic or polymeric cable or thread and may include a plurality of spherical metallic weights  42  thereon. A first end  44  of the connecting member  16  may include a first eyelet  46  to which the fishing line  20  may be tied. A second end  48  of the connecting member  16  may include a second eyelet  50 . A ring  52  having a larger diameter than the second aperture  40  may be removably attached to the second eyelet  50 . In the particular embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , a first one of the hooks  14  is connected directly to the ring  52 , and a second one of the hooks  14  is connected to the ring  52  via a connecting line or cable  54 . It will be appreciated that the hooks  14  and/or the fishing line  20  could be secured to the lure body  12  in any suitable manner. For example, the first and second eyelets  50  could be mounted directly to lure body  12 . 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 1-5 , operation of the fishing lure  10  and a method of fishing will be described. As described above, a user may insert the fillet  22  into the slot  30  such that the end  33  of the fillet  22  is protruding outward from the aft portion  26  of the lure body  12 . The user may then insert the piercing member  18  through the first apertures  38  and the fillet  22  to retain the fillet  22  within the slot  30 . The user may then trim off the ends of the piercing member  18  with scissors, wire cutters or a knife, for example, so that the length of the piercing member  18  is substantially equal to or closer to the width of the lure body  12 . 
     With the lure body  12  secured to the fishing line  20  and the fillet  22  secured to the lure body  12 , the user may cast or drop the fishing lure  10  into a body of water. The user may troll with the fishing lure  10 , i.e., leave the fishing lure  10  in the water while a boat in which the user is situated moves through the water. Additionally or alternatively, the user may repeatedly cast and reel-in the fishing lure  10 . Trolling and/or casting and reeling-in the fishing lure  10  will cause the fishing lure  10  to move in the water and simulate motion of a live baitfish. 
     When the fishing lure  10  is moving in the water, the end  33  of the fillet  22  may sporadically undulate or flap back and forth, making the end  33  of the fillet  22  appear to larger fish like a tail fin of a live baitfish. In some embodiments, the shape of the end  33  of the fillet  22  and/or the speed in which the fishing lure  10  is moving through the water may make the motion of the end  33  of the fillet  22  look like the motion of a wounded fish, which may be more attractive to some fish species. Furthermore, the solid, structural foamed plastic construction of the lure body  12  may provide a desired level of buoyancy and a desirable level of stiffness that further improves the live-baitfish-motion of the fishing lure  10  as it moves through the water. In addition to the realistic motion of the fishing lure  10  as it moves through the water, the fillet  22  or other piece of tissue provides a scent in the water that attracts larger fish to the fishing lure  10 . 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.