Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Bait – attractant – or process of preparation
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-22
2004-01-13
Corbin, Arthur L. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Bait, attractant, or process of preparation
C426S002000, C426S643000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06676981
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the present invention relates to a method, apparatus and bait per se for trap fishing of crustaceans. More particularly, the field of this invention relates to techniques of dicing and/or grinding fish parts, and then drying, modularizing and dry storing same as a bait product substitute for wet bait.
Further, and more specifically, the field pertains to a method having the steps of mixing ground fish parts dehydrated by virus-destroying heat into a blend of hot water and high bloom number gelatin. Such gelatin-based blend acts as a binding agent with the dehydrated fish parts for producing a porous—but solid—dry bait with both an internal and outer finished surface hardness. This bait—when fished in crustacean-bearing waters—results in a naturally eroding bait module which provides a slow release of small fish particles for chumming purposes, while larger rehydrated fish pieces remain at work in a bait bag for several days.
Explanation of Terms
Certain terms are used to introduce and explain the background of the art and the invention; and, for convenience and completeness sake, such terms are summarized in this section. These terms shall not supersede the claims nor the definition of terms as defined within the four corners of the specification; but, rather, serve to further the understanding of the invention and briefly introduce the technical art for an improved detailed teaching of the improvement in the art as provided by this invention.
Gelatin
A tasteless, odorless, natural, environmentally compatible substance extracted by boiling bones, hoofs, etc., or a similar vegetable substance. When dissolved and cooled, it forms a jellylike substance used in foods, photographic film, etc. (A household comparison is Jello®.)
Bloom Number
Any number used in the trade from small lower numbers progressing up to a high of about 300. This number is used as an indicator of hardness when dried. For my purposes the bloom number is selected from a range of about 250 to 300 and it affects the rehydration characteristics of my bait. Such gelatin is mixed with high temperature water in the range of 120 to 140 degrees fahrenheit. The higher the water temperature and bloom number the harder the set for a finished bait.
Dehydration
The process whereby liquid, most notably, water is removed by heat from natural fish bait substances such as fresh herring, salmon racks and/or other fish parts with the result being a dried form of the original organic material. In the case of my Betta Bait™, this drying is done at about 125 degrees Fahrenheit or higher temperature together with low relative humidity in order to remove up to 80% of the water content. If any fish virus are being carried by the fish parts, such as, for example, the Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) virus—that virus is killed by the proper time and temperature of my dehydration heat. The resulting heat-dehydrated fish parts of this invention are virus free and may (regulations providing) be fished with safety.
Rehydration
The process whereby liquid is returned to the dehydrated product with the result being the dried product returns towards its original raw/fresh state. In the case of Betta Bait™, this rehydration occurs slowly and naturally at cold temperatures of the fishing waters. Only as bait particles are being exposed by the slowly eroding gelatin binder do fish odors release and attract lobsters and crabs to a trap which is being fished with my Betta Bait™. Such rehydrated bait has a “stay on” time of several days because the dehydrated fish parts are bound together with an internal protein encased bond and exterior surface hardness that causes the rehydrated bait to “stay on” in the fishing waters. (See below.)
Bait Modules or Cakes
A dry compact unit of manufactured bait using my inventive method of combining high bloom number gelatin with virus-free dehydrated fish parts with an internal protein encased bond and an exterior surface hardness at a selected amount which promotes ease of handling, long term dry storage and appropriate fishing time (See “rehydration” above.). These non-fibrous bait modules rehydrate when placed in bait bags within traps resting on the ocean floor. Fishing ground conditions, water temp, depth and currents all play a major part in the rehydration process, and my method allows adjustments tailored to accommodate such varying conditions.
Bait Factors
There are many factors which combine to dictate the best bait. One issue is its interest in attracting bottom feeders. Ideally one would like to find something that only lobsters or crabs like. Raw fish is favored by lobsters and crabs which eat my rehydrated fish parts when properly presented, just as they will eat any form of fresh bait. The virus-free feature afforded by my high heat dehydration assures that no further propagation of fish virus will be introduced to other marine creatures.
Fish Parts as Rehydrated Bait
Although a variety of raw fish and fish products can be used, the preferred bait for lobsters remains herring. Unlike typical hook and line fishing, lobster or crab bait must have a surface hardness and internal binder consistency that will withstand the elements—that is “stay on” for several days, and still “fish”. In rehydrated form my bait still attracts the target crustacean after several days under water.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For purposes of this invention, certain specific details of lobstering or lobster fishing are outlined. Lobsters (and crabs as well) are “trapped” within baited underwater traps connected on long tethers and buoyed below the water surface. The time between fisherman visits to the trap may range from a day to a week, depending on time of year and weather conditions, with the average trap tending being in the range of two to three days.
The bait contained within the trap must survive the initial drop from the fishing boat, and then survive the water and wave elements for extended time periods, and still be capable of attracting lobster. Hence, scent, size or consistency and resistance to other natural ambient conditions are all critical to the economics of lobster bait.
Further, and more importantly, unlike most other types of fishing, lobsters are native to the New England and Canadian coast, and hence, must at times be fished in harsh environments. These harsh environmental conditions include: shallow to very deep water (5 to 300 feet); cold water temperatures (down to low 40 degrees, F); strong currents, and rough wave action. Additionally, the traps are often deployed during medium to high sea and the vigorous swell conditions of the open Atlantic.
Although a variety of mixtures and combinations of raw fish have been used for marine bait, the present consensus opinion among lobster fisherman is that fresh herring “fishes” the best. The preferred form is that of small whole herring—usually in the physical range of eight to ten inches being best, with three to six fish in the trap bait bag.
The availability of herring and other so-called ground fish (cod, red fish, haddock, etc.) is volatile, thereby making the economics of purchasing bait highly variable. More importantly of late, newly instituted government ground fish limit regulations have rather dramatically lowered the catch limits. Such factors have thus reduced the availability of fresh bait products. This bait scarcity is especially true when the sardine market is up, which market consumes more of the herring for sardine packaging. The end result being that lobstermen are often forced to substitute a less preferred bait.
As an alternative to herring—when prices are high and bait is scarce—lobstermen try to use other less desirable fish parts such as salmon tails, racks and heads. But due to size these fish parts are harder to work with and difficult to handle. Virus-carrying salmon viscera, trimmings, etc. from a slaughter process are highly contagious.
Aquaculture or salmon farms often yield virus-carrying or infected “crops”. In such an event, a whole bay (the size of some aquaculture farms) of such virus-i
Corbin Arthur L.
Stan Jones Patents
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