Abstract:
An improved fishhook that inhibits or maintain live bait on the bend of the fishhook as well as inhibiting or preventing a fish from “throwing the hook”. To retain live bait, such as a minnow, on the bend of the fishhook a bend stop can be used in conjunction with the bend stop to form a bait confiner to limit the travel of the live bait along the length of the fishhook thus enhancing the ability of a bait fish such as minnow to be presented in an attractive condition on the bend of the fishhook. Also to inhibit a fish from throwing the hook, the conventional sharp edges of the barb can be rounded. While the inhibiting features of bend stops or round edge barbs can be used individually they can also be used in combination to provide a fishhook with enhanced inhibiting characteristics.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to fishhooks and more specifically to an inhibitor fishhook that confines the bait and inhibits a fish from “throwing the hook”. 
       CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0002]    None 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0003]    None 
       REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0004]    None 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Generally fishhooks contain three main regions, a shank with an eye for attaching a fishing line thereto, a bend that curvedly connects the shank to the front length, which contains a sharp barb and a point, with the distance from the bottom of the bend to the point known as the bite/throat. When fishing with live bait, such as a minnow, the point of the fishhook is inserted through the skin on the back of the minnow thus forming a fishhook hole in the minnow&#39;s skin. This does not kill the minnow but allows the minnow to generate a swimming motion while held on the fishhook to thereby entice fish to bite the minnow. When so attached the minnow oftentimes swim sideways onto the front length of the fishhook which is proximate the barb. The minnow can then lay on its side and resist being submerged especially if the fisherperson uses a light weight line or a light weight sinker. While the barb is for the purpose of making it difficult for the minnow or the fish to get off the fishhook, unfortunately, as the minnow rides up against the barb it can also injure or tear the minnow&#39;s skin thereby enlarging the fishhook hole in the minnow&#39;s skin. With an enlarged fishhook hole it is easier for the minnow to slide over the barb and off the fishhook all because the minnow was able to leave the bite/throat region of the fishhook and move into the front length of the fishhook where the minnow can enlarge or tear the fishhook hole with the barb. 
         [0006]    Oftentimes the fisherperson doesn&#39;t notice that the minnow is on the front length of his or her fishhook, especially if one casts the fish rig far away from the boat. Also a fisherperson adds sinkers to a fishing line by placing weights, usually about 12 to 18 inches above the fishhook, which causes the fishhook and minnow to immediately submerge when the fishhook and weights hit the water thereby limiting a fisherpersons observation of the location of the minnow on the fishhook. When the fisherperson reels up the line the fisherperson discovers that there is no minnow on the fishhook since the minnow has been able to free itself from the fishhook using the sharp point on the barb to cut the flesh of the minnow. The present invention provides an improved fishhook that inhibits the tendency of a minnow to free itself from the fishhook and by carrying the live bait in a more friendly and natural position. 
         [0007]    The problem also occurs with fishhooks having rounded barbs such as shown in Perez U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,628 as well as barbless fishhooks since it is easier for the minnow to slip completely off the fishhook if there is no barb to impede the minnow from sliding. That is, once the minnow gets on the front length of the fishhook and out of the bend of the fishhook it becomes easier for the minnow to slip off the end of the fishhook since the minnow can slide unimpeded straight off the end of the fishhook. The present invention provides an improved fishhook that inhibits or prevents a minnow from sliding off the fishhook even if the fishhook is barbless. 
         [0008]    Another problem that occurs with conventional fishhooks is that once the fish is caught it can free itself by a process called “throwing the fishhook”. Typically, when a fisherperson has a successful day of fishing he or she may tell others “I caught a bunch of fish”. They don&#39;t point out how the fish was hooked but simply say “I caught a bunch of fish.” Fish can be snagged, which isn&#39;t often, but most fish are caught by a hook which is either in the gullet, which is at the back of the throat, the roof of the mouth or the lip. In general, most fish are caught on the lip. Just behind the lip of the fish is a soft lining of flesh that gets penetrated by the point of the fishhook as the fisherperson sets the hook. When the fishhook is set the point of the fishhook penetrates the lip as the lip of the fish is pulled onto the bend into the bite/throat area of the hook. Once the fishhook is set most fish start to struggle. As the fish struggles the lip of the fish can easily enter the front length of the fishhook where it engages the sharp barb, which can cut or tear the soft flesh thus enhancing the ability of the fish to “throw the hook” and escape being caught. If the fishhook is barbless the fish can more easily slide off the fishhook since there is nothing to impede the fish from sliding off the fishhook as the fish darts about. The present invention provides a fishhook that inhibits a fish from “throwing the hook”. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    Briefly, the present invention comprises an inhibitor fishhook. In one embodiment a bend stop inhibits or maintains live bait on the bend of the fishhook as well as inhibiting or preventing a fish from “throwing the hook”. To inhibit live bait from sliding off the bend of a hook, such as a minnow, opposing bend stops can be used in conjunction to limit the travel of the live bait along the length of the fishhook thus enhancing the ability of the minnow to remain in an attractive condition on the bend of the fishhook. Also to inhibit a fish from throwing the hook, the conventional sharp edges of the barb can be rounded. While the inhibiting features of bend stops or round edge barbs can be used individually they can also be used in combination to provide a fishhook with enhanced inhibiting characteristics. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is side view of a fishhook with a stop; 
           [0011]      FIG. 1A  is a cross sectional view take along lines A-A of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a fishhook with a cone shaped stop; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a fishhook with a spherical shaped stop; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a barbless fishhook with a confiner thereon; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4A  is an enlarged view of a bend stop of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of a head of a fish hook of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a partial sectional view of a non-cutting barb on the head of the fishhook of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0018]    Conventional fishhooks generally have a shank, which can be curved or straight, with an eye for tying a line thereto, a bend for retaining the bait or the fish and a front length with a head having a point and a barb for piercing the bait or the fish. Still other hooks have no barbs or multiple barbs on the head of the hook. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of a one-piece barbed fishhook  10  having an elongated cylindrical straight shank  12  with an eye  11  formed thereon for engaging a fishing line. Shank  12  has a length designated by L, a bend or curved portion  13 , which is designated by B, and a front length designated by FL. Front length FL includes a head H and a portion of the bend B. The head H includes a point or tip  14  and a barb  15  with the H located at the end of the bend B. Shank  12  has a diameter designated by D 1  with the fishhook formed from a single piece of wire. Generally, fishhooks are made from a wire or the like and are bent into a J-shape with one end formed into the eye and the other end formed into a head with a point, sometimes with a barb and other times without a barb. 
         [0020]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  the bend  13  of the fishhook has been modified by grinding to include a shank facing bend stop  13   b  and a point facing bend stop  13   a  with the surface distance between stops denoted by the X with the bend stop  13   a  and  13   b  extending radially inward toward a radius of curvature of the bend. The embodiment of  FIG. 1  is well suited for manufacture by grinding away unwanted portions of the wire to thereby form a fishhook with integral stops. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  shows the fishhook  10  has a front length with the front length FL and the bend B overlapping each other with the bend stop  13   b  located on the overlapping region of the front length FL and the bend B with the bend stop  13   b  located proximate the head H to inhibit or prevent bait from sliding off the hook. Bend stop  13   b  is designed to impede the bait or a lip of a caught fish from sliding therepast without tearing the flesh of a fish like occurs with a conventional barb. Bend stop  13   a  is particularly useful in preventing live bait such as leeches from sliding up the shank  12 . 
         [0022]    While fishhooks with various cross sectional shapes can be used, fishhook shank  12  has a circular cross section with a diameter D 1  and with an inner radial portion of bend  13  which has been removed by grinding or the like to form the bend stop  13   b  and the bend stop  13   a.    FIG. 1A  shows a cross sectional view of the fishhook taken along lines A-A showing a top hemispherical portion of the fishhook has been removed to leave a lower hemispherical portion  13  of dimension Y 1  that extends a distance X along the bend B with a surface  13   a  extending upward forming a bend stop  13   a.  That is, the removal of an inner radial portion of the bend B by grinding or the like creates a bend stop  13   a  to inhibit the bait fish such as a minnow or the like from moving onto the shank  12  and a bend stop  13   b  to prevent the bait fish from leaving the bend B of the fishhook  10 . In this embodiment the diameter of the fishhook can be reduced to provide a region on the bend for confining bait in an active upright condition. Thus, the use of the two bend stops, which face each other and are located on the bend of the hook, forms a bait confiner  13   c  that can confine bait in a bait confining region located between the bend stops on the bend of the fishhook. A further feature of the invention is that the bait confiner  33  can comprise a contrasting color or finish with the rest of the hook. The use of a contrasting color allows the fisherperson to more easily select the fishhook from his or her fishing box. In addition contrasting the bait container  13   c  with the rest of the fishhook  10  provides the fisherperson with a visual indication of the permitted limits of movement of the bait on the hook. In some instance the bait confiner  13   c  can extend a short distance along the bend B while in other embodiments the bait confiner  13   c  can extend a longer distance along the bend B. By providing a visual distinction of the bait confiner  13   c  on the fishhook the fisherperson can quickly select the fishhook with the proper length bait confiner. For example, the bait confiner  13 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , has a cross section area that is less than the cross section area of the shank of the fishhook and the bait confiner can be visually distinguishable from the rest of the fishhook by color as well as by shape. 
         [0023]    Although two stops are used to confine bait in a selected portion of the bend of the fishhook a feature of the invention is that a single shank facing stop located proximate the head H of the fishhook  12  can be used as both a stop to inhibit or prevent bait from sliding off the fishhook as well as inhibiting or preventing fish caught on the fishhook from sliding off the fishhook or “throwing the hook”. That is, in some instance one might not be concerned with bait sliding up the shank or confining the bait to a bait confining region but one might be more concerned with a caught fish sliding off the fishhook i.e. “throwing the hook”. By providing a stop  13   b  in conjunction with a head H having a barb  15  one makes it more difficult for a fish to throw the fishhook since the stop  13   b  maintains the lip of the fish on the bend of the fishhook where it is more difficult for the fish to throw the hook. In one embodiment the barb  15  and the stop  13   b  are of the same dimension so as to have stop  13   b  provide a first resistance to a fish throwing the hook and barb  15  providing a second equal resistance to a fish throwing the hook. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , located on the bend B of the fishhook and spaced from the barb  15  is a bend stop  13   b  that inhibits or prevents bait such as minnows, leeches and the like from sliding off the fishhook as well as inhibiting a caught fish from slipping off the hook. As pointed out, bend stop  13   b  inhibits bait, such as a minnow, from sliding off the bend B and up to the barb  15  on the head H of the fishhook  10  where the barb  15  can tear or cut the minnow or the like. By having stop  13   b  positioned on the bend B so that a minnow or the like is retained from accessing the head H one can inhibit the minnow from slipping off the hook. That is, it is preferred to retain the minnow on the lower portion of the bend B of the fishhook  10  since it makes it more difficult for a minnow to slide off the pointed end of the fishhook  10 . While stop  13   b  inhibits a minnow from sliding off the fishhook it provides a dual purpose in that stop  13   b  also inhibits a fish, once caught on the fishhook from freeing itself from the hook. In fisherperson&#39;s terminology when a fish frees itself from the fishhook by thrashing about it is referred to as “throwing the hook”. Stop  13   b  inhibits a fish from “throwing the hook” by inhibiting or preventing the lip of the fish from slipping off the bend B and onto the head H of the fishhook  10 . Thus, a fishhook with a single bend stop, such as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , can be used to inhibit or prevent a fish from “throwing the hook” as well as inhibiting or preventing bait such as a minnow or fish from slipping off the end of the fishhook by providing an impediment on the bend B of the fishhook. 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  shows bend stop  13   b  located on the bend portion B of fishhook  10  with bend stop  13   b  spaced from the barb  15  of the hook. By keeping a minnow on the lower portion of the bend B (designated by X) of the fishhook  10  and away from the head H of the fishhook where the barb  15  and point  14  are located makes it more difficult for the minnow to slip off the fishhook  10  since the minnow has to rotate 90 degrees to get from the bait confiner region  13  to the straight portion of the front length FL. Consequently, even if the fishhook is barbless having the bend stop  13   b  on a curved portion of the bend proximate the head H can inhibit a minnow from slipping off the hook. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , when bend stop  13   b  is used in conjunction with a second bend stop  13   a  the two stops coact to provide a bait confining region therebetween that inhibits a minnow from moving from the bend portion of the fishhook up to the barb on the head H where the minnow can free itself through engagement with the barb  15 . In addition the bend stop  13   a  inhibits the live bait such as minnow or leeches from sliding onto the shank  12 . Also by retaining a minnow in the bait-confining region  13  one increases the likelihood that when a fish bites the minnow the point of the fishhook will pierce the lip of the fish. Thus when a shank facing bend stop  13   b  and a point facing bend stop  13   a  are used in conjunction it not only inhibits or prevents a minnow from slipping toward the point  14  but it also inhibits or prevents the minnow on the fishhook from sliding up the shank  12 . Consequently, the minnow is confined in an upright natural swimming condition with the back of the minnow secured in the bait confining region  13  on the fishhook  10 , which is more likely to provide a presentation that will induce a fish to bite. While a one-piece fishhook has been described the invention could be used with fishhooks made from multiple parts or could be used in other types of hooks including treble hooks or the like. 
         [0027]    To illustrate a fishhook with a single bend stop reference should be made to  FIG. 4 , which shows an embodiment having a single bend stop as well as a barbless fishhook  40 . In this embodiment a cone shaped protrusion  48  has been formed in the bend of the fishhook  40 . The protrusion on the fishhook can be formed in a number or ways for example, by cold forming or by press fitting a collar onto the fishhook. 
         [0028]    Fishhook  40  has a shank  42  with an eye  41  located at one end of shank  42 . Located on bend  43  of fishhook  40  is bend stop  48  that comprises a cone shaped protrusion. A reference to  FIG. 4A  shows that the cone shaped bend stop  48  has a diameter D 3  that is larger than the diameter D 1  of the rest of the body of fishhook  40 .  FIG. 4  shows bend stop  48  is located on the bend portion  43  and spaced from the point  44  a distance L 2  where L 2  is sufficiently long so as to bring the bend stop onto the bend of the fishhook. As a result both a bait which is mounted on fishhook  40  and a fish that is caught on fishhook  40  are inhibited or prevented from sliding off the fishhook by the shank facing surface  48   a  of bend stop  48 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of a fishhook  20  with two cone shaped bend stops. Fishhook  20  comprises a shank  22  of diameter D 1  which tapers downward to a diameter D 2  at the tip of the cone  23   a  with the cone having a base with a diameter D 3  which larger than the diameter D 1  of the fishhook and a bait confining region  23  comprising a shank facing cone shaped stop  23   b  and a point facing cone shaped stop  23   a.  In the embodiment shown the stops  23   b  and  23   a  have been formed as a protrusion on the diameter with the bend stop  23   b  and the further bend  23   a  stop extending 360 degrees around the bend. 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  shows a further embodiment of a fishhook  30  with two spherical shaped bend stops  33   a  and  33   b  forming a bait confiner  33   b  wherein the barb and the bend stop project inward substantially an equal amount to deter a fish from sliding along the bend and up to the barb. Fishhook  30  comprise a shank  32  of diameter D 1  with the bend stops having a diameter D 3  which is larger than the diameter D 1  of the shank  32  and a bait confiner  33   c  including stops  33   a  and  33   b.  In the embodiment shown the stops  33   b  and  33   a  have been formed as a protrusion on the peripheral surface of the fishhook and the bait confiner  33   c  is visually distinguishable from the rest of the fishhook by color as well as by shape. In this embodiment the shank  32  of the fishhook tapers down from a diameter D 1  to a diameter D 2  proximate the stop  33   a.  Thus the bend stop provides an inhibitor that inhibits a fish from “throwing the hook”. 
         [0031]    Another embodiment of an inhibitor that inhibits a fish from throwing the hook is illustrated in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  which shows an enlarged view of head H of fishhook  10  revealing a barb  15  comprising a rounded non-cutting peripheral surface  15   b  and a barb point  15   a.  Conventional barbs on a fishhook are cut from the wire stock and include sharp corners or lateral edges that extend longitudinally along the length of the barb.  FIG. 6  shows a cross sectional view taken along lines  6 - 6  to reveal the fishhook barb  15  does not have the lateral conventional sharp cutting edges. That is, while the barb point  12   a  can pierce a fish or the bait the lateral edges of the barb do not cut the flesh of the mouth of the fish since the conventional sharp edges of the barb  15  have been replaced with a rounded non cutting edge  15   b  and a rounded non-cutting edge  15   c  that extend along the length of the barb  15  so as to provide a non-cutting edge surface. 
         [0032]    Thus. in one embodiment the inhibitor fishhook comprises a conventional fishhook without bend stops wherein the edges of the barb have been rounded so as to prevent the edges of the barb from cutting the mouth of the fish. In a further embodiment a fishhook with a sharp edge barb or a barbless fishhook can be used with a bend stop to inhibit a fish from “throwing the hook”. In still another embodiment the inhibiting features can be combined wherein a fishhook with a barb having non-cutting edges is used in conjunction with a bend stop or bend stops to enhance the ability of the fishhook to prevent a fish from throwing the fishhook. 
         [0033]    Thus the invention comprises a fishhook to inhibit a fish from throwing a hook wherein the fishhook includes an inhibitor for preventing a fish from throwing the hook wherein the inhibitor is either a bend stop or a barb having a pair of longitudinally extending non-cutting edges. 
         [0034]    While the invention is shown as use as a single hook it is envisioned that the invention can be used with multiple hooks on the same shank as well as with a trailer hook.