Abstract:
A multiple hook fishing lure has three hooks, the shank portions of which extend in a parallel spaced-apart configuration from a weighted head member. In a preferred embodiment, the shank members lie in a common plane with the outer most two hook members also lying in the same plane. The hook portion of the central hook and the eyelet lie in a second plane that is substantially normal to the plane of the shank members. The three hooks are capable of flexing independently from each other. Accordingly, the fishing jig is set more easily and is more difficult for the fish to throw.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to fishing lures, more specifically, to weighted fish hooks often referred to as fishing jigs.  
         [0002]     Artificial lures are man made objects used by sport fishermen to attract sport fish and entice them to bite a hook that is embedded in or attached to the lure. The majority of artificial lures are designed to imitate some sort of natural prey of the sport fish, however, some simply mimic an action that triggers a feeding response or other instinct that causes the fish to strike. Lures are manufactured in many shapes, sizes and styles and are constructed from a variety of materials including plastic, metal, feathers and string.  
         [0003]     One popular lure is known as a jig. A jig consists essentially of a hook, a weighted head attached to the shank portion of the hook and an eyelet for securing the jig to a fishing line. The jig may be rigged in many different configurations, however, the most popular is to engage a soft plastic worm or other artificial lure over the shank portion of the hook. The weighted head of the jig serves a functional purpose as a sinker as well as providing a more life-like appearance to the rig. As it is commonly understood in the art, a lure must be provided with a certain amount of weight so that it is capable of being cast and will sink to the appropriate depth. When fishing with a jig, the fisherman creates the action of the lure in the water. Some fish such as bass are attracted to a crayfish assuming a defensive posture with claws raised or making a break for cover. Consequently, bass will often strike a jig that has been fouled on rocks or weeds just as the jig is freed from the obstruction. Crappie, on the other hand, instinctively strike at a jig moving past them at a steady speed at the appropriate range.  
         [0004]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,373 to Braswell discloses a double-hook jig comprising a weighted head with eyelet and a pair of hooks that diverge outwardly from the weighted head. The ends of the hooks are then bent parallel to the axis of the weighted head. According to the inventor, the parallel hook configuration is optimal for hooking fish that strike the lure, particularly those fish striking from behind. U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,559 discloses a jig comprising a weighted head with eyelet, a single hook and a rubber band for retaining bait on the hook. U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,775 discloses a jig in which the weighted head is removable from the hook and eyelet portions of the jig.  
         [0005]     As most sport fisherman know, crappie and other sport fish are quite capable of striking, then throwing the hook before the angler has an opportunity to set the hook to catch the fish. As noted in U.S. Pat. 4,998,373, conventional multiple hook jigs tend to pivot in relation to the rest the rest of the line. A fish striking a line having a conventional double or triple hook is often able to throw the hook by pivoting it with respect to the line. Accordingly, what is needed is a fishing jig having multiple hooks with parallel flexible shanks that cause the hooks to be set rather than being thrown by the fish as it pivots in an attempt to throw the hook.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention comprises a multiple hook fishing lure having three hooks, the shank portions of which extend in a parallel spaced-apart configuration from a weighted head member. In a preferred embodiment, the shank members lie in a common plane with the outer most two hook members also lying in the same plane. The hook portion of the central hook and the eyelet lie in a second plane that is substantially normal to the plane of the shank members. By providing three hooks that flex independently from each other, the fishing jig of the present invention is set more easily and is more difficult for the fish to throw than prior art fishing jigs. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0007]     The present invention will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings figures in which like references designate like elements and, in which:  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art jig lure;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a fishing lure incorporating features of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side cross-sectional view of the fishing lure of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a top cross-sectional view of the fishing lure of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a fishing lure incorporating features of the present invention; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is an end view of another alternative embodiment of a fishing lure incorporating features of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     The drawing figures are intended to illustrate the general manner of construction and are not necessarily to scale. In the detailed description and in the drawing figures, specific illustrative examples are shown and herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawing figures and the detailed description are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but are merely illustrative and intended to teach one of ordinary skill how to make and/or use the invention claimed herein and for setting forth the best mode for carrying out the invention.  
         [0015]     As noted hereinbefore, one of the more popular types of fishing lures is the jig. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the essential components of a jig are the weighted head  10 , the hook  12  which protrudes from the weighted head and the eyelet  14 , for securing the jig to a fishing line. A conventional jig is typically rigged with a soft plastic worm or other artificial bait over hook  12 . As can be observed from the configuration of the prior art jig, a fish that strikes hook  12  from behind can easily throw the hook by pivoting downwards causing the hook to rotate downward relative to eyelet  14 .  
         [0016]     With reference to  FIGS. 2-4 , a fishing lure  20  incorporating features of the present invention comprises a weighted head  22 , a first hook member  24 , second hook member  26  and third hook member  28 , each of which extends outward from weighted head  22 . First hook member  24 , second hook member  26  and third hook member  28  each comprise shank portions  30 ,  32  and  34  respectively and terminate in curved hook portions  36 ,  38  and  40  respectively.  
         [0017]     Shank portions  30 ,  32  and  34  lie in a substantially common plane (i.e., within +/−10° of planar, preferably within +/−5° of planar and most preferably +/−2° of planar). Shank portions  30 ,  32  and  34  are also substantially parallel to each other (i.e., within +/−10° of parallel, preferably +/−5° of parallel and most preferably +/−2° of parallel). In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , curved hook portions  38  and  40  also lie in the plane common with shank portions  30 ,  32  and  34 , while curved hook portion  36  lies in a plane substantially normal to the plane containing shank portions  30 ,  32  and  34 . Curved hook portions  36 ,  38 , and  40  all extend approximately the same distance from lower surface  16  of weighted head member  22 .  
         [0018]     With particular reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , first hook member  24 , second hook member  26  and third hook member  28  are of substantially conventional construction being formed from a hardened steel wire or other suitable material having a high tensile strength and a high yield point such that the hook members themselves are substantially rigid, yet flexible. Eyelet  42  is formed as an extension of shank  30  of first hook member  24 , which is formed by making a 90° bend  44  in shank portion  30 . Hook members  26  and  28  also include eyelets  46  and  48  however, eyelets  46  and  48  are embedded in weighted head  22 , which itself is formed by casting molten lead around hook members  24 ,  26  and  28  in the form of a quasi-pentagonal solid prism as shown in  FIG. 4 . The quasi-pentagonal solid prism shape of weighted head  22  assists in reducing snags as the jig is moved forward by deflecting the side hooks. Although in the illustrative embodiment, weighted head member  22  is cast lead, other materials having the appropriate weight and strength such as die cast zinc alloys, thermoset plastics, high strength thermoplastics, or other materials having the appropriate weight and strength to retain embedded eyelets  46  and  48  are considered within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0019]     As is well known in the art, fishing jigs are made in various sizes, with the hook size and the size of the weighted head being changed in order to target different species of fish and to accommodate different sizes of bait. Accordingly, the distance  17  between shank portions  30  and  32  and the distance  18  between shank portions  30  and  34  vary with the absolute size of the fishing lure  20 . Preferably, the distance  17  and the distance  18  is from 10% to 60% and most preferably from 20% to 40% of the throat dimension  19  of curved hook portions  32 ,  34  and  36  of hook members  24 ,  26 , and  28 . Similarly, the lengths of shank portions  30 ,  32  and  34  that extend out of weighted head  22  vary with the absolute size of the fishing jig. Preferably at least 70% of the straight portion of shank portions  30 ,  32 , and  34  extend outside of weighted head  22  (i.e. no more than 30% of the shank portions are embedded in weighted head  22 ). Most preferably, at least 85% of the straight portion of shank portions  30 ,  32 , and  34  extend outside of weighted head  22  (i.e. no more than 15% of the shank portions are embedded in weighted head  22 ).  
         [0020]     With reference to  FIG. 5 , an alternative embodiment of a fishing lure  50  incorporating features of the present invention comprises a weighted head  52 , a first hook member  54 , a second hook member  56  and a third hook member  58 , extending outward from weighted head  52 . First hook member  54 , second hook member  56  and third hook member  58  comprise shank portions  60 ,  62  and  64  and curved hook portions  66 ,  68  and  70  respectively. Shank portions  60 ,  62  and  64  are substantially and in a substantially common plane that also includes curved hook portions  68  and  70 . Curved hook portion  66  lies in a plane that is substantially normal to the plane containing shank portions  60 ,  62  and  64 . Curved hook portions  68  and  70  extend approximately the same distance from lower surface  72  of weighted head  52 . Curved hook portion  66 , however, extends beyond curved hook portions  68  and  70 , with shank portion  60  being preferably from 10 to 30% longer than shank portions  62  and  64 .  
         [0021]     With reference to  FIG. 6 , another alternative embodiment of a fishing lure  80  incorporating features of the present invention comprises a weighted head  82 , a first hook member  84 , a second hook member  86  and a third hook member  88  which extend outward from weighted head  82 . As with the previous embodiments, the shank portions of first hook member  84 , second  86  and third hook member  88  all lie in substantially a common plane  90  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Unlike the prior embodiments, however, curved hook portions  92 ,  94  and  96  all lie outside the plane  90  containing the shank portions of first hook member  84 , second hook member  86  and third hook member  88 .  
         [0022]     By providing a fishing jig having a weighted head with three hook members extending such that their shanks are in a substantially parallel spaced-apart configuration, a fishing lure incorporating features of the present invention provides an artificial lure that is highly effective for its intended purpose. The three hook configuration increases the probability of hooking the fish while at the same time the parallel shanks allow the hooks to flex independently of each other thereby significantly decreasing the probability of a thrown hook, for the motion that would tend to throw one hook only results in the other hooks being set into the fish.  
         [0023]     Although certain illustrative embodiments and methods have been disclosed herein, it will be apparent from the foregoing disclosure to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of such embodiments and methods may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention should be limited only to extent required by the appended claims and the rules and principals of applicable law.