A Novel Game of Angling, and Means for Playing same.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1898-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Novel Game of Angling, and Means for Playing same.
We, JOHN JAQUES, and PERCY NATHANIEL JAQUES, trading as Jaques & Son,
of 102, Hatton Garden, in the County of London, Manufacturers, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to a novel game of skill in imitation of angling, adapted
for playing on lawns and especially if a pond or sheet of water is available. The
apparatus we employ for playing the game comprises one or more models of fish
made either of floatable material such as cork or wood if intended for use in water,
or of wood, tin or other material if only for lawn use, and in such case they may
be made flat. Each model has a number of projecting hooks fixed to its nose and
we provide also rods, lines (and reels if desired) and also a special kind of imitation
bait or
fly" for attachment to the line. The game consists in two or more
players each with a rod and fly competing with one another to first hook and secure
a model fish or to secure the greatest number of fish in a given time. The game
not only affords an amusing and interesting trial of skill, but affords also excellent
practice in casting the line with accuracy. We will fully describe our invention
in reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan or top view
of a model fish with hooks attached; Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate two forms of imitation
bait, and Fig. 4 shows the means we adopt of filling out such bait and fixing
same to the line.
A represents a dummy or model of a fish from the nose of which project a
number of plain or barbed hooks a a. An ordinary, or it may be a comparatively
short rod with line and reel are provided, and to the end of the line is attached the
imitation bait or "fly" B; this consists of a piece of netting, canvas or other
suitable reticulated material formed to a conical shape as shown in Fig. 2, or its
larger ends may be clipped off to such shapes as are shown in Figs. 3 and 4. For
use in combination with such a bait and for the purpose of filling same out we
find it advantageous to provide a tassel such as T of soft material attached to a
short piece of line L, the free end of which is passed through the apex of the
coned part of B as in Fig. 4 and then drawn up as in Figs. 2 and 3 and fixed to
the fishing line, or equivalently the fishing line may be passed through the cone
and fixed to the tassel. The tassel serves to maintain the shape, slightly augment
the weight and generally to render more efficient the coned bait.
One or any
number of persons may compete in the game and the winner may be the player
landing the first fish or the greatest number of fish in a given time.
An obviously equivalent arrangement would be to cover the models wholly or
in part with some soft material such as felt or to have loops fixed about them,
adapted to catch and hold the hook which would in such case be fixed to the fishing
line in the usual manner, but we do not prefer such an arrangement owing to the
danger of the hook during casting, catching objects or individuals, especially when
used by children and inexpert players, and we consider the means above indicated
to be the safest, best and most suitable for the purpose.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
A novel game of skill in imitation of angling played as above explained with
apparatus comprising for each player a dummy or model of a fish having hooks
projecting therefrom, an imitation bait or "fly" of soft reticulated material and
substantially of the forms specified and preferably combined with a filling out
tassel affixed to a line operated by a rod, as herein described and illustrated in the
drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1898.
For the Applicants,
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Chartered Patent Agent, 70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,