CA1277537C

CA1277537C - Fishing lure

Info

Publication number: CA1277537C
Application number: CA000611308A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Tibor Kadet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-09-13
Filing date: 1989-09-13
Publication date: 1990-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 2009-09-13

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Disclosed is a semi-artificial fishing lure that resembles natural bait in scent, taste, shape, colour and texture. The lure is composed of a foamed and gelled urethane polymer having incorporated therein liquefied natural bait. The lure is adapted to release a natural scent over a period of time upon immersion in an aqueous medium, due to a milking action caused by the swelling of minute pores within the polymer. The lure has a substantial shelf life and an indefinite freezer life.
Also disclosed is a process for the preparation of the lure.

Description

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This invention relates to a synthetic fish lure that resembles live bait in scent, taste, shape, colour and texture.
Commonly, anglers have employed small animals 5 either dead or alive, e.g. minnows, worms, crayfish, bugs, etc., as bait to attract fish. These live baits have the advantage of releasing a fish-attractant scent into water, as do other natural baits made from preparations of animal or vegetable matter, such as liver, thickened blood, corn, 10 cauliflower, marshmallows, dough, etc. A disadvantage of both these types of baits lies in the fact that they decompose rapidly and therefore can only be stored for short periods. Furthermore, these baits are sometimes difficult to obtain.
Artificial baits have been used as an alternative to, and are generally similar to, live baits in at least one of the qualities of shape, size, colour, swimming action, and texture, however they lack the scent and taste associated with live or natural baits. Artificial baits 20 are advantageous in that they can usually be stored indefinitely, are easier to control than live or natural baits during retrieval through the water, and often have a more attractive swimming action.
Several processes are currently employed in order 25 to provide bait that resembles live or natural bait in taste and scent, but that can be stored for longer periods of time than live or natural bait before spoiling. One such process is disclosed in Canadian Patent No. 819,665, and comprises heating a protein gel in admixture with a 30 humectant, opacifying material, and hardening agent, after which the resulting substance is molded into a fish-attractive form and cured. The bait is slightly soluble, so that, in water, a diffuse but detectable trail of scent is released, which serves as a fish-attractant.
Other processes involve incorporating fish products (e.g. fish oil, fish meal, or fish glue) into moldable fish baits. The fish products are generally contained in a polymeric matrix, or are chemically treated ' .

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to harden the surface area of the bait to form a skin, and are slowly leached out of the matrix or through punctures in the skin when in water, where they are detected by the fish. Heating or freezing processes may be involved in the 5 production of these baits, and the molding or shaping process may be complex and costly. Moreover, such baits do n~t possess the texture of natural bait and do not give rise to a steady milking action ~or release of scent in water. Processes of this type are disclosed in Canadian 10 Patents Nos. 980,035, 1,045,445 and 1,232,539.
Another product disclosed in Canadian Patent No.
1,185,429, comprises a fish bait made entirely from edible substances, which is substantially shelf-stable, but which is a pliable substance which must be formed around the hook 15 by the fisherman and lacks the shape and action necessary to simulate live bait.
All the above prior products, are to some extent, soluble in water and thus slowly dissolve, resulting in change in shape and swimming action after a period of time.
It is an object of this invention to provide a~
semi-artificial fish bait or lure which closely resembles a live bait in scent, taste, shape, size, colour and texture.
A further object of this invention is to provide a method of preparation of a bait or lure that avoids 25 costly procedures such as heating or freezing, avoids long curing times, and provides an easily moldable bait substance.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a bait or lure that resembles live or natural bait 30 closely in scent and taste, and that has a shelf-life of over a year and an indefinite freezer life.
These objects are accomplished by the present invention which provides a semi-artificial lure comprising a foamed and gelled urethane polymer selected from a 35 polyurethane hydrophilic foam, a polyurethane hydrogel and mixtures thereof, and having incorporated therewith a liquefied natural fish bait capable of slowly diffusing out from the polymer when placed in an aqueous medium, the - , - ~ , , .
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-lZ7~3`7 diffusion being due to a milking action caused by the swelling of minute pores contained in the polymeric matrixO
Preferably, the polymer is derived from a foamable polyurethane prepolymer or a gel-forming 5 polyurethane prepolymer of toluene diisocyanate or methylene diisocyanate. The particular type of natural bait liquefied for use as a component of the artificial lure is not critical. Examples of suitable bait include fish eggs, fish oil and worms. Colouring dyes, 10 preservatives and modifying resins (e.g. aliphatic glycols) may also be incorporated into the lure.
However, fish possess a very sensitive sense of smell and may be able to distinguish between various baits by scent alone. Accordingly, the product of the invention 15 can be tailored to exhibit the scent of the precise bait that the lure is imitating.
Preferably, the lure is molded into a shape and coloured with a dye such that it simulates a preferred food for fish, e.g. minnows, worms, frogs, leeches, maggots, 20 salmon eggs, etc.
Also provided by the present invention is a process for preparing an artificial fishing lure comprising liquefying a natural fish bait, mixing said liquefied bait with a foamable and gellable urethane prepolymer selected 25 from a hydrophilic foamable urethane prepolymer, a urethane hydrogel and mixtures thereof, disposing the mixture in a mold and causin~ the prepolymer to foam and gel to produce a foamed and gelled molded product having the liquefied bait impregnated therein.
Preferably, the process is carried out at room temperature. Also preferably, the liquefied bait is diluted with water, and colouring dyes and/or preservatives may be added prior to admixture with the prepolymer. A
modifying resin may also be added to the liquefied bait 35 prior to admixture with the prepolymer in order to adjust the consistency of the final product.
In a preferred embodiment, from 1 to 80 weight percent of liquefied natural bait, from 1 to ~5 weight ~ '~77S3~7 percent of polyurethane prepolymer, from o to 75 weight percent of modifying resin and from 5 to 75 weight percent of water are employed. Particularly preferred ranges of ingredients are from 20 to 45 weight percent of liquefied 5 natural bait, from 8 to 23 weight percent of polyurethane prepolymer, from 10 to 20 weight percent of modifying resin and from 15 to 40 weight percent of water.
Also provided by the present invention is a composition comprising a dry mixture of a foamable 10 prepolymer and a dried extract of a liquefied natural bait.
Optionally, dry modifying resin and colorants and preservatives in dry form may be included in this mixture.
Preferably, the prepolymer is a foamable polyurethane prepolymer. The mixture may be activated by the addition 15 of water in order to produce a foamed artificial lure material or a foamed molded product thereof.
Also provided by the present invention is an artificial bait substance comprising a polymeric foam having incorporated therein a liquefied natural fish bait.
20 The composition may be made available in any shape or form.
From large sheets or masses of the composition, pieces may be cut or broken off to serve as bait or chum to attract fish. Preferably the polymeric material is a foamed polyurethane. Optionally colouring dyes, preservatives and 25 modifying resin may be included in the composition.
The product of the invention differs from prior products in the fact that it does not dissolve in water and, for example, after prolonged use, can be dried out and further used as a simple artificial bait (without a 30 liquefied bait content).
Furthermore, the prior products contain some fish by-products in a solid form which slowly dissolves. In contrast, the attractant in the product of the invention is - in a liquefied form, which can diffuse into water more 35 rapidly then a solid requiring prior dissolution, there~y affording a superior milking action.
One embodiment of the invention provides a room temperature process for preparing a semi-artificial fishing ;3~

lure comprising liquefying bait in a blender, mixing the liquefied bait with water and optional coloring dyes or preservatives, and optionally adding to the mixture Chempol, a modifying resin (1,2-propanediol) manufactured 5 by Freeman Chemical Corporation of Wisconsin, in order to achieve a desired consistency of the final product. After stirring for 15-30 seconds to achieve a homogenized solution, either Hypol, a foamable hydrophilic polyurethane prepolymer manufactured by W.R. Grace & Co. of Lexington, 10 Mass., or Aquapol, a gel-forming polyurethane prepolymer manufactured by Freeman Chemical Corporation of Wisconsin, or a mixture thereof, is added to the solution. Water in the solution activates a foaming reaction with the Hypol and/or Aquapol, and the reacting mixture is injected into a 15 mold having the desired shape. The reacting mixture sets in about 45-90 seconds, after which the polyurethane lure may be removed from the mold and used or packaged.
The lure thus produced will contain minute pores which will swell when placed in water and will cause the 20 liquid bait to be slowly released from the lure due to a milking action. The diffuse trail released into the water acts as a fish attractant.
The liquefied natural bait appears to be incorporated into the matrix of the foamed and gelled 25 polymer. When the polymer gel is placed in water, slight swelling occurs due to water absorption and this causes the liquefied bait to be gradually milked out.
The ranges in weight-percent of the various components comprising the semi-artificial lure of the 30 invention can advantageously be as follows: Liquefied bait 1 to 80%; polyurethane prepolymer 1 to 25%; modifying resin 0 to 75%; water 5 to 75%.
The preferred ranges in weight-percent of the various components comprising the artificial lure are:
-35 Liquefied bait 20 to 45%; polyurethane prepolymer 8 to 23%;
modifying resin 10 to 20%; water 15 to 40%.
- By adding optional preservatives to the reaction mixture, or by vacuum packing, the shelf-life of the :, ~ 27~53~

product can be extended to well over one year. Without taking measures to preserve the product, the shelf-life is approximately three to four months. The lure can be stored in a freezer indefinitely. This mode of storage is ideal 5 as the product does not freeze in a home freezer and so is ready to be used immediately upon removal from the freezer.
This non-freezing property also serves as an advantage to ice fisherman when fishing in extremely cold temperatures.
When the lure is exposed to the air during 10 storage, it will lose moisture and gradually shrink.
However, when placed in water, it will swell to a size larger than the original. When sealed in air-tight bags, the lure will not lose moisture and so will retain its original size.
The rate of release of the liquefied bait depends on the amount and size of the pores in the lure produced during foaming. This level of porosity can be adjusted by altering the relative proportions of the reactants, or by altering the reaction temperature. The consistency of the 20 final product can also be adjusted by altering the ratios of the reactants. The potency of the bait can be adjusted by altering the relative proportion of the liquefied fish product in the reaction mixture.
The following Example illustrates the invention.
EXAMPLE
Fish egg juice was obtained by homogenization of fish eggs in a blender. 10.0 g of this juice was mixed with 4.0 g of water and 9.0 g of Chempol 35-0030 modifying resin. The mixture was stirred for 30 seconds until the 30 solution appeared homogeneous. Then 2.4 g of Aquapol 30-0019 was added to the mixture and stirred for 15 seconds.
During the resultant reaction~ the mixture was injected into the molds having the shape of fish eggs. The mixture was allowed to set for 90 seconds to produce a foamed 35 product having the shape of fish eggs.
In a laboratory test, the polyurethane eggs were found to continuously release the fish egg juice for a period of over 2.5 hours.

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Further compositions in weight percent giving satisfactory results are as follows:

Example 2Example 3 Aquapol 30-0019 24 9.5 Chempol 30-0030 12 35.4 Liquefied salmon roe 26.6 39.4 Water 37.3 15.7 10 On molding, each product exhibited a desirable texture similar to the feel of human flesh, which resembles the feel of live bait.

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Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A semi-artificial fishing lure resembling natural fishing bait in shape, texture and scent, comprising a foamed and gelled urethane polymer selected from a polyurethane hydrophilic foam, a polyurethane hydrogel and mixtures thereof, molded to a desired shape, and having incorporated therein a liquefied natural fish bait capable of slowly diffusing out from the molded polymer when placed in an aqueous medium.

2. An artificial lure according to claim 1, wherein the polymer is a foamed polyurethane.

3. An artificial lure according to claim 2, wherein the prepolymeric units are toluene diisocyanate or methylene diisocyanate.

4. An artificial lure according to claim 3, wherein the prepolymer is an Aquapol or Hypol.

5. An artificial lure according to claim 1, having incorporated therein a modifying resin.

6. An artificial lure according to claim 5, wherein the modifying resin comprises an aliphatic glycol.

7. An artificial lure according to claim 6, wherein said glycol is 1,2-propanediol.

8. An artificial lure according to claim 5, wherein the modifying resin is Chempol.

9. An artificial lure according to claim 1, 2 or 3, having incorporated therein one or more colouring agents and/or preservatives.

10. An artificial lure according to claim 1, 2 or 3, molded in such a fashion as to simulate a natural fish food.

11. A process for preparing an artificial fishing lure comprising liquefying a natural fish bait, mixing said liquefied bait with a foamable and gellable urethane prepolymer selected from a hydrophilic foamable urethane prepolymer, a urethane hydrogel and mixtures thereof, disposing the mixture in a mold and causing the prepolymer to foam and gel to produce a foamed and gelled molded product having the liquefied bait impregnated therein.

12. A process according to claim 11, wherein the said prepolymer comprises toluene diisocyanate or methylene diisocyanate.

13. A process according to claim 12, carried out at room temperature.

14. A process according to claim 12, wherein, water, modifying resin, colouring agent, and/or preservative is added to the liquefied bait prior to admixture thereof with the prepolymer.

15. A process according to claim 14, wherein the modifying resin is an aliphatic glycol.

16. A process according to claim 15, wherein the glycol is 1,2 propanediol.

17. A process according to claim 14, 15 or 16, wherein from 1 to 80 weight percent of liquefied natural bait, from 1 to 25 weight percent of polyurethane prepolymer, from 0 to 75 weight percent of modifying resin and from 5 to 75 weight percent of water are employed.

18. A process according to claim 14, 15 or 16, wherein from 20 to 45 weight percent of liquefied natural bait, from 8 to 23 weight percent of polyurethane prepolymer, from 10 to 20 weight percent of modifying resin and from 15 to 40 weight percent of water are employed.

19. A process according to claim 11, wherein the prepolymer is a Hypol or an Aquapol and a Chempol modifying resin is added thereto for the polymerization step.

20. An artificial bait substance comprising a polymeric foam or gel based on a urethane polymer selected from a polyurethane hydrophilic foam, a polyurethane hydrogel and mixtures thereof, having incorporated therein a liquefied natural fish bait.

21. A substance according to claim 20, wherein the polymer is a foamed polyurethane.

22. A substance according to claim 20 or 21, having incorporated therein a modifying resin, a colouring agent, and/or a preservative.