Abstract:
A fishing bait suspension assembly for submerging fishing bait while preventing the bait from contacting a bottom of a body of water while fishing includes a rod member having a pair of outwardly extending top flanges, a buoyant member coupled to the rod member proximate said top flanges, and a lead line having opposite ends extending through distal ends of the top flanges. The bottom of the rod member is designed to contact the bottom of the body of water while the buoyant member holds the rod member in an upright position. The bait is attached to the top flanges.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to fishing lures and more particularly pertains to a new fishing bait suspension assembly for submerging fishing bait while preventing the bait from contacting a bottom of a body of water while fishing. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of fishing lures is known in the prior art. More specifically, fishing lures heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,995,985; 4,823,501; 4,450,645; 5,412,899; 4,794,721; 5,930,941; 5,253,446; 4,201,008; 1,019,926; 5,138,789; 4,428,144; 2,170,067; and Des. 375,137. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new fishing bait suspension assembly. The inventive device includes a rod member having a pair of outwardly extending top flanges, a buoyant member coupled to said rod member proximate said top flanges, and a lead line having opposite ends extending through distal ends of the top flanges. 
     In these respects, the fishing bait suspension assembly 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 submerging a fishing lure while preventing the fishing lure from contacting a bottom of a body of water while fishing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of fishing lures now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new fishing bait suspension assembly construction wherein the same can be utilized for submerging fishing bait while preventing the bait from contacting a bottom of a body of water while fishing. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new fishing bait suspension assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the fishing lures mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new fishing bait suspension assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art fishing lures, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a rod member having a pair of outwardly extending top flanges, a buoyant member coupled to said rod member proximate said top flanges, and a lead line having opposite ends extending through distal ends of the top flanges. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter. of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new fishing bait suspension assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the fishing lures mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new fishing bait suspension assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art fishing lures, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new fishing bait suspension assembly that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new fishing bait suspension assembly that is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new fishing bait suspension assembly which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such fishing bait suspension assembly economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new fishing bait suspension assembly which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new fishing bait suspension assembly for submerging fishing bait while preventing the bait from contacting a bottom of a body of water while fishing. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new fishing bait suspension assembly which includes a rod member having a pair of outwardly extending top flanges, a buoyant member coupled to said rod member proximate said top flanges, and a lead line having opposite ends extending through distal ends of the top flanges. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new fishing bait suspension assembly that is weighted such that the assembly will sink in water. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new fishing bait suspension assembly that provides a buoyant member for holding the assembly in an upright position while submerged in water. 
     Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a new fishing bait suspension assembly that includes a coupler for holding a baited hook above a ground surface of a body of water in which the assembly is submerged. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new fishing bait suspension assembly according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one end of the line member of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of the clip member coupled to the line member of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a front view of the bottom loop of the rod member of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new fishing bait suspension assembly embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the fishing bait suspension assembly  10  generally comprises a rod member  20 , a buoyant member  30 , and a coupler  40  for attaching the rod member  20  to a fishing line  2 . 
     The buoyant member  30  is coupled to the rod member proximate a top  22  of the rod member  20 . Thus the buoyant member  30  is designed for holding the rod member  20  in a substantially upright position when the rod member  20  is submerged in water. The rod member has a weight sufficient to submerge the rod member and buoyant member such that a bottom  24  of the rod member  20  contacts a bottom of a body of water in which the rod member  20  is submerged. 
     The coupler  40  is attached to the rod member  20 . In an embodiment, the coupler  40  includes a first portion  42  designed for coupling the coupler  40  to the fishing line  2  and a second portion  44  designed for coupling to a baited hook  4 . The coupler  40  is designed such that the baited hook  4  is positioned generally between the top  22  and the bottom  24  of the rod member  20  during use. Thus the coupler  40  is designed for suspending the baited hook  4  above the bottom of the body of water in which the rod member  20  is submerged. 
     In an embodiment, a pair of extension arms  26  and  28  extend outwardly from the top  22  of the rod member  20 . Each of the extension arms  26  and  28  includes a respective distal loop portion  27  and  29 . 
     In an embodiment, the coupler  40  is a line member  46  that includes a first end  47 , a second end  48  and a medial loop  49 . The medial loop  49  is designed for coupling to the fishing line  2 . The first end  47  of the line member  46  is inserted through the distal loop portion  27  of a first one of the extension arms  26  and the second end  48  of the line member  46  is inserted through the distal loop portion  29  of a second one of the extension arms  28 . 
     A first end coupler  52  is attached to the first end  47  of the line member  46 . Thus the line member  46  is coupled to the first one of the extension arms  26 . The first end coupler  52  is further designed for coupling to a first baited hook  4 A. 
     A second end coupler  54  is coupled to the second end  48  of the line member  46 . Thus the line member  46  is coupled to the second one of the extension arms  28 . The second end coupler  54  is further designed for coupling to a second baited hook  4 B. 
     In an embodiment, each of the first and second extension arms  26  and  28  includes a flattened portion  56  and  58 . The flattened portions  56  and  58  are angled with respect to each other. Thus the flattened portions  56  and  58  urge the rod member  20  to spin about a longitudinal axis of the rod member when the rod member is pulled through water. 
     A plurality of beads  66  are coupled to the line member  46 . Each of the beads  66  is positioned proximate a respective one of the first end  47  and the second end  48  of the line member  46 . Thus the first and second ends  47  and  48  of the line member  46  are designed for attracting fish. 
     In an embodiment, a pair of spinner blades  67  and  68  are coupled to the line member  46  proximate an associated one of the first and second ends  47  and  48  of the line member  46 . 
     In an embodiment, the rod member  20  is formed by a pair of coextensive wire members  20 A and  20 B. The coextensive wire members  20 A and  20 B are twisted together to form a helical shape for enhancing an appearance of movement by the rod member  20  as the rod member  20  spins when the rod member  20  is pulled through water. 
     In an embodiment, the coextensive wire members  20 A and  20 B are integrally joined to form a bottom loop  69  at the bottom  24  of the rod member  20 . 
     In an embodiment, a clip member  38  is coupled to a medial portion  45  of the line member  46  for forming the medial loop  49  in the line member  46  such that the first and second ends  47  and  48  are equidistant from the medial loop  49 . 
     In an embodiment, a length of the first extension arm  26  is equal to a length of the second extension arm  28 . Thus the medial loop  49  is positioned in alignment with a longitudinal axis of the rod member  20  when the rod member  20  is pulled through water by the fishing line  2 . 
     The rod member  20  passes through the buoyant member  30 . In an embodiment, the rod member  20  includes a broadened portion  23  proximate the buoyant member  30  such that the buoyant member  30  is positioned between the first and second extension arms,  26  and  28 , and the broadened portion  23  for preventing the buoyant member  30  from sliding along the rod member  20 . A first washer member  72  is coupled to the rod member  20  between the buoyant member  30  and the first and second extension arms  26  and  28 . A second washer member  74  is coupled to the rod member  20  between the buoyant member  30  and the broadened portion  23 . 
     Alternately the buoyant member  30  is frictionally engaged to a collar  76  passing through the buoyant member  30  and the collar  76  is slidably coupled to the rod member  20 . The collar  76  ideally has a width only slightly greater than a width of the rod member  20  such that the collar  76  is snugly engaged to the rod member  20  for holding the collar  76  in a static position relative to the rod member  20  during use. 
     In use, baited hooks are attached to the ends of the line member and the medial loop is attached to a fishing line. The rod member is then cast into a body of water and sinks. The buoyant member holds the rod member in a substantially upright position under the water. Slack is taken up to facilitate positioning the baited hooks such that the hooks are suspended above a bottom of the body of water when the bottom of the rod member contacts the bottom of the body of water. The rod member may be left in the water without providing additional movement or the fishing line may be jigged to attract fish. When a bite is felt, the baited hook is set by pulling on the fishing line. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     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. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.