Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Fishing – Line-attached bodies – hooks and rigs
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-29
2002-11-26
Rowan, Kurt (Department: 3643)
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Fishing
Line-attached bodies, hooks and rigs
C043S043140, C043S044870, C043S044950
Reexamination Certificate
active
06484435
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sinker devices and more specifically it relates to a fishing sinker device for maintaining the fishing line and attached fishing lure at the desired water level regardless of the terrain.
Individuals that troll for fish often times desire to position the lure at a specified depth within the water above the lake bottom. Fishermen are capable of controlling this depth of the lure by providing a specified length of fishing line and controlling the velocity of the boat within the water. Unfortunately, it is very difficult for the fisherman to maintain a constant lure level within the water and the lure engages debris at the bottom of the lake including rocks and weeds. Hence, there is a need for a fishing system that maintains the lure at a desired water depth regardless of the terrain encountered.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bottom bouncers and other sinker devices have been in use for years. Typically, a conventional bottom bouncer comprises a weight, an upper shaft, and a lower shaft. The upper shaft includes an attachment structure for securing to a fishing line a finite distance before the fishing lure. The lower shaft engages the lake bottom thereby supporting the fishing lure a finite distance above the lake bottom while the fisherman is trolling.
The main problem with conventional bottom bouncers is that they often times tip over during usage thereby causing the fishing lure to become lower within the water thereby catching debris such as weeds and rocks. Another problem with conventional bottom bouncers is that they are extremely difficult to attach to a fishing line often times requiring the fisherman to tie knots within the fishing line. Another problem is that conventional bottom bouncers often times collect debris such as weeds during usage thereby contributing to them tipping over and reducing the overall action of the fishing system.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for maintaining the fishing line and attached fishing lure at the desired water level regardless of the terrain. Conventional bottom bouncers simply do not provide a consistent level for the fishing lure and often times result in the fisherman having to reel in their fishing lure to clean debris from thereof.
In these respects, the fishing sinker device 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 maintaining the fishing line and attached fishing lure at the desired water level regardless of the terrain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of bottom bouncers and weight devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new fishing sinker device construction wherein the same can be utilized for maintaining the fishing line and attached fishing lure at the desired water level regardless of the terrain.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new fishing sinker device that has many of the advantages of the bottom bouncers and weight devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new fishing sinker device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art bottom bouncers, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a buoyant member having a first end and a second end, a first engaging member attached to the first end of the buoyant member for engaging a fishing line, and a second engaging member attached to the second end of the buoyant member for engaging a weight. The buoyant member is preferably an elongate structure and is constructed of a buoyant material such as a foam rubber material or the like. The first engaging member includes a first slot for receiving the fishing line and the second engaging member includes a second slot for receiving a loop from the weight. The buoyant member maintains the fishing line at the desired height above the surface of the body of water during fishing regardless of the obstacles encountered during usage of the present invention.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof 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 that 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 the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a fishing sinker device that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
A second object is to provide a fishing sinker device for maintaining the fishing line and attached fishing lure at the desired water level regardless of the terrain.
Another object is to provide a fishing sinker device that is almost impossible to tip over during usage.
An additional object is to provide a fishing sinker device that maintains a consistent height above a terrain surface during trolling and other fishing activities.
A further object is to provide a fishing sinker device that reduces the likelihood of the fishing lure catching upon debris such as weeds and rocks.
Another object is to provide a fishing sinker device -that does not catch upon weeks and rocks.
A further object is to provide a fishing sinker device that easily attaches to various sizes of sinker weights.
An additional object is to provide a fishing sinker device that easily attaches to a fishing line.
A further object is to provide a fishing sinker device that is comprised of a foam rubber material that is capable of breaking apart when a force is applied thereby salvaging the fishing lure attached to the fishing line.
An additional object is to provide a fishing sinker device that allows noodling or slipping through debris such as rocks and brush.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.
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patent: 3670447 (1972-06-01), Wohead
patent: 4649662 (1987-03-01), Tharp et al.
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patent: 4941279 (1990-07-01), Swanson
patent: 5555668 (1996-09-01), Brasseur.
patent: 5970649 (1999-10-01), Alain et al.
patent: 6079147 (2000-06-01), Mosher
patent: 6145240 (2000-11-01), Adams et al.
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