Patent ID: 7140146

Claim:
A jig and bait system comprised of: a body including an exterior surface; a neck having a proximate end connected to the body and a distal end, said neck including an annular collar positioned between said neck proximate end and said neck distal end; a fishhook including a shaft with a fishhook extension section connected to and extending from the neck distal end, a fishhook curved return section connected to the fishhook extension section, said fisbhook return section terminating at a fishhook pointed distal end; a bait keeper including a keeper proximate end connected to said body exterior surface above said neck proximate end, said keeper further including and terminating at a keeper distal end said keeper being adapted to receive bait thereon; a line connector connected to said body exterior surface and extending outwardly therefrom; a skirt comprising a plurality of flexible strands; an annular skirt retainer encircling said skirt and said neck between said neck proximate end and said collar, said skirt being retained on said neck by said skirt retainer and said collar with said skirt extending from said neck distal end and at least partly covering said fishhook extension section; a latch having a latch proximate end, a latch distal end, an open position and a closed position; the latch proximate end extending outwardly from the body exterior surface; the latch distal end being pivotally connected to said latch proximate end, said latch distal end adapted for receiving the fishook pointed distal end; said latch being biased upward with said latch distal end being urged towards the fishhook pointed distal end when said latch is in the closed position; said latch being deformed downward with said latch distal end being separated from said fishhook pointed distal end when said latch is in said open position such that said latch is biased toward the closed position when in the open position; said latch is internally received by an artificial lure; said lure includes a cylindrical flexible trailer simulating live bait said cylindrical flexible trailer further including a slotted section connected to a solid section said slotted section adapted for receiving said latch, a reinforcing filament threaded through the solid section, said solid section adapted for receiving the bait keeper; and said reinforcing filament adapted for securing the trailer on said bait keeper.