GB2205021A - Fishing - Google Patents

Abstract

Fishing tackle includes an anchor line 15 on a store such as a rod (16), and a fishing line 21 extending line 21 extending from its own reel. Anchor line has a heavy weight 18 which causes it to hang vertically even in a current such as a tide, and the fishing line is connected to the anchor line by a clip 20 which forms a connection which can be broken by fishing line tension due to a "bite". A clip which can be used in this tackle and with other tackle for forming a releasable connection between a fishing line and an anchor, may comprise opposed jaws having grooves 44 for engaging fishing lines of different diameter, and urged together by a resilient ring or rings engaging in outer recesses 45. Rings of different strength are provided whereby the tension needed to effect release of the line can be varied. <IMAGE>

Description

FISHING This invention relates to fishing.

When fishing in strongly flowing water, such as a powerful tide, it is often difficult for a fisherman to ensure that his lure is disposed at a selected depth. In sea fishing the problem is particularly acute, because fish often feed in shoals at a certain depth. A fisherman, once he has found that depth wants to reach it repeatedly to maximise his catch. Additionally, a fisherman often needs to start fishing at or near the bottom and then raise his fishing depth gradually in a search for the fish feeding level. In a strong tide such actions are difficult or impossible because conventional fishing tackle, of its nature as light as possible for portability and sensitivity, gets carried downstream by the tide. Thirty feet of line may only reach to twenty feet depth.

To add a large weight to the line to cause it to sink nearly vertically makes it so insensitive that bites cannot easily be detected.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of and apparatus for fishing.

The invention provides a method of fishing wherein a weighted anchor line is lowered into water with a fishing line secured thereto, at a predetermined position, in such a manner that the fishing line can be subsequently detached from the anchor line.

The anchor line can be of substantial strength, being of steel cable or wire carrying a weight sufficient to cause it to drop vertically in even a very strong tide. Normally the anchor line will be dropped until the weight hits bottom, but this is not absolutely essential.

The fishing line will be conventional, and will have a line at its lower end. The fishing line can be releasably secured by a clip, by a loose pin, or by a slit on a member secured to the anchor line at a position which can be varied in accordance with the users wishes.

The anchor line can be storable on a reel adapted to be attached to a structure such as a boat. An arm extending outwardly from the reel can carry a pulley over which the anchor line runs.

The reel can have a handle and can be provided with a brake and a counter to measure depth paid out.

This invention also provides aclip for forming a connection in fishing tackle between a first member and a second member in the form of a line, the clip having a body secured to the first member and a pair of jaws resiliently urged to grip the line, the jaws being adapted to break the connection when a predetermined tension is reached in one of the members.

The body of the clip can be attached to an anchor line, or to a fishing line. In the first case the clip remains attached to the anchor after a 'bite', and in the second case the clip remains attached to the fishing line after a bite.

The jaws of the clip can be inherently resilient and/or urged together by resilient means. The resilient means can be spring clips, or one or more resilient rings embracing the jaws. The jaws can have one or more pairs of opposed grooves spaced along the jaws. The various pairs can be of different sizes to provide different gripping characteristics.

The body of the clip can have an aperture through which a first member in the form of an anchor line or a fishing line can pass. The aperture can have a smaller slot connecting with it to enable the body to be introduced laterally onto the line.

Alternatively, the body can be attached to an anchor such as an outrigger or outrigger line by means of a pair of spaced apertures or comparable second attachment means.

The jaws can extend outwardly from the body on one side thereof.

Alternatively, the jaws can be disposed centrally of the clip and the body can be disposed about the clip to place the jaw nip close to the centre of gravity of the clip.

There can be two or more sets of jaws giving different release strengths.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of fishing prior to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a comparable view illustrating fishing in accordance with the invention; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of preferred apparatus of the invention; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the apparatus of Figs.3 and 4; Fig. 6 is an enlarged view illustrating a connector of the apparatus; Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view on line VII-VII of Fig.

6; Fig. 8 is an elevation of a modified connector.

Fig. 9 shows a first improved connector for use with the method and apparatus; Fig. 10 shows a second improved connector; Fig. 11 shows a modified form of the clip of Fig.9; Fig. 12 shows a further modified form of clip; and Fig. 13 shows an additional form of clip.

Referring now to Fig. 1 (Prior Art) there is shown a sea-fishing boat 10 anchored above a sea-bottom 11 over which is flowing a strong tide indicated by arrow 12. Fish 13 are shown feeding at a distance 'd' above the bottom 11. In an ideal, tideless condition the angler in boat 10 might lower a line 14 virtually to the level of the shoal (found by trial and error) and then fish at that depth. However, in a tide his line is swept away to a position 14a. If he lowers more line, not only is he releasing a long line, but he has no knowledge of where he is fishing, a slight slackening of the tide may cause his line to sink as at 14c. Additionally, fishing with long lines as at 14e can cause interference and snagging between lines of an angling group in a boat.

Fig. 2 shows how the invention overcomes this problem.

An anchor line 15 is lowered from a reel 16 over a pulley 17. A heavy weight 18 keeps the line 15 vertical or nearly.

so. At a desired distance above the sea bed 19 (level of weight 18) is a connector 20 (to be described in detail later) which is secured to line 15 at a selected and variable distance above weight 18. Connector 20 serves to hold a lower part of a fishing line 21 having a lure, as a hook with bait, at 22. The attachment of line 21 to connector 20 is a releasable connection and can be broken by a tug on the line as by the angler feeling a catch, or by a tug from a fish at the lure 22. After detachment the angler plays and catches (or loses!) his fish in conventional manner.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 which describe the apparatus in more detail, it will be seen that the reel 16 is part of an assembly which includes a base plate 23, a counter 24 on an arm 25, counter pegs 26, a brake 27 and a handle 28.

Brake 27 locks the line 15 at a desired depth and counter 24 measures the depth of the line, usually coincident with the depth of water.

Base plate 25 is detachably securable to a mounting plate 29 secured to the boat. An arm 30 extends outwards from plate 23 and carries a pulley 17 which deflects the line from the horizontal to the vertical. Arm 30 will, in use, extend outboard over the gunwale of a boat.

Connector 20 is adapted to be detachably fixed to the line 15 at a distance above the sea bed selected by the angler. The preferred connector 20 is shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and comprises a buoyant body having a central aperture 31 rendering the connector 20 slidable along line 15. A lead shot 32 crimped to line 15 limits the position of connector 20 along the line 15. Body 20 has a tapered aperture 33 therein and a tapered grooved pin 34 is connected to the body by a tether 35. Fishing line 21 is passed around the grooved pin 34 and the combination pushed into the aperture 33 to releasably secure the line 21. When a fish or the angler tugs at line 21 the connection is released and the line 21 thereafter acts independently.

Fig. 8 illustrates two possible variations (not necessarily related) which can be made to connector 20. Here a body 36 of connector 20 has a through-aperture 31, and has a thumbscrew 37 in a threaded aperture 38. The thumbscrew can be tightened to grip the line 15 at any desired position.

The body 36 has a tapered slit 39 and is slightly resilient.

This allows line 21 to be pushed into the slit tightly enough to be held, but in a manner in which it can be released by a tug from a fish or the angler. A vertical slit is shown in Fig.8a.

The method and apparatus of the invention can greatly facilitate fishing as commerce or for sport in a strong tide.

Figs. 9 to 13 illustrate various forms of clip which can be used to make the connection between a first member to which it is secured and a second member which is releasably connected to it. The first member can be an anchor such as an anchor line or an outrigger or outrigger line, the second member being a fishing line. Alternatively, the first member can be a fishing line and the second member can be an anchor line. In the second case the clip remains attached to the fishing line ater a 'bite'.

The clips of Figs. 7,8,9 and 11 are best used with an anchor (line) as the first member and the clips of Figs.

10,12 and 13 are best used attached to a fishing line as first member. The clips of Figs. 10,12 and 13 can be used with a fishing line as the first member and an anchor line as the second member.

Referring specifically to Fig. 9 the clip or connector 40 is a moulding of plastics material (e.g. glass filled nylon) to which weight (not shown) can be attached at eyes 41 and which can engage the anchor line by a hole 42. Connector 40 is annular and resilient and has separated outwardly (e.g.radially) extending separate limbs constituting jaws 43 which can grip a fishing line (not shown) between them. The jaws 43 have several grooves 44 for engaging lines of different diameters (i.e. strength) and can be urged together by a selected number of resilient rings (not shown) engaging around outer recesses 45 in jaws 43. There can be provided a number of identical rings, in which case line grip tension can be varied by varying the number of rings, or rings of different strength can be provided and be interchangeable.

This connector 40 is used in the same way as connector 20 except that it is weighted to rest above a stop shot on the anchor line.

Fig. 10 shows a modified connector 47 which has a body with a through hole 48 for a fishing line (not shown) being located thereto by upper and lower shots. The body has a lug 49 or the like for attachment of a weight for fishing (not shown). The connector 47 also has means for encircling and connecting with an anchor line 40. Such means is in the form of a pair of pins 51 which extend from the body, cross closely to form a resilient line entry 52 and define with the body an aperture 53 for loosely embracing the anchor line 50.

When a fish bites, connector 47 is pulled from anchor line 52 and raised as the fish is "landed" (or lost!). To re-lower the tackle, the anchor line need not be raised but the connector 20 clipped on again and allowed to fall to a shot or like datum clipped to the anchor line.

Referring to Fig. 11, there is shown a connector clip 45 similar to clip 40. The clip 45 differs from clip 40 in that clip 45 has a pair of apertures 47 disposed one on each side of the jaw axis 48. This enables the clip 45 to be secured to a line depending from an outrigger.

Referring to Fig. 12, a clip 50 is shown which has resilient jaws 51,52 in a central position and surrounded partially by a body 53. Weight such as lead 54 is secured to the clip 50. The jaws 51,52 have a series of three groove pairs 55 of varying size like groove pairs 44. The grooves 55 are of differing sizes (as best seen in Fig. 9a) and the jaws 51,52 can be urged together (in addition to their inherent resiliences) by all or some of a group of two resilient rings as ring 56 engageable with selected ones of the pairs of outer recesses 57 in a manner comparable to that used in connection with grooves 45.

Fig. 13 shows a variation wherein instead of added lead, the body includes weighting material within itself as by moulding in.

In the embodiments of Figs. 9, 9a, 11, 12 and 13 the detachment tension of the jaws from the line/anchor line or fishing line) can be varied considerably by selecting which set of grooves is engaged by the line and how many rubber rings are engaged with which outer recesses. This enables the angler to vary the equipment to suit a wide range of fish and/or conditions.

The embodiment of clip 50 of Figs. 12 and 13 is particularly useful for use with a vertical anchor line as in Fig. 2, The clip 50 being attached to a fishing line by its body and the angler clipping the jaw 51,52 to the anchor line using a pair of grooves 55 so large as to allow the clip 50 to slide down the fixed anchor line to a reference depth.

This avoids the need to raise the anchor line after each catch, and is particularly useful in fishing when a dense shoal of feeding fish has been found, or when fishing for fish (such as skate) which are very sensitive to tension resistance from a lure.

Claims (36)

1. A method of fishing wherein a weighted anchor line is lowered into water with a fishing line secured thereto, at a predetermined position, in such a manner that the fishing line can be subsequently detached from the anchor line.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the anchor line carries a weight sufficient to cause it to hang substantially vertically.

3. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the anchor line is lowered until the weight reaches the bottom.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the fishing line is releasably secured to the anchor line at a position which can be varied along the anchor line.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the fishing line is secured to the anchor line by a clip.

6. Fishing apparatus including a store for an anchor line, a weight, attached to the anchor line, of mass sufficient to cause the anchor line to hang substantially vertically in a current, a fishing line, a lure attached to the fishing line, and means capable of attaching the fishing line to the anchor line at a selected position on the anchor line, said means being adapted to release the fishing line from the anchor line when the fishing line is placed under tension.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein respective reels serve to store the anchor line and fishing line.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein the store for the anchor line is securable to structure such as a boat, and has a part adapted to project outwardly of the structure to space the anchor line from the structure.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said part carries a pulley over which the anchor line passes.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9 wherein the weight has a mass of from 0.5 to 3 Kg.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6 to 10, wherein said means is a clip.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the clip includes a pair of jaws urged together and retaining the fishing line against release up to a predetermined tension.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 or 12 wherein the predetermined tension can be varied to suit different lines and conditions.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, 12, or 13 wherein the clip has a central body securable to the anchor line and has said jaws extending outwardly therefrom.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the jaws are of spring wire and arranged in a cross disposition, the junction being such as to release a line at the predetermined tension.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6 to 14, wherein the jaws of the clip are urged together by a resilient member.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the resilient member is a rubber ring.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 or 17 wherein the release tension can be varied by changing the resilient member.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 or 17, wherein the release tension can be varied by varying the position of the resilient member.

20. Fishing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. A method of fishing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. A clip for foming a connection in fishing tackle between a first member and a second member in the form of a line, the clip having a body secured to the first member and a pair of jaws resiliently urged to grip the line, the jaws being adapted to break the connection when a predetermined tension is reached in one of the members.

23. A clip as claimed in claim 22 wherein the first member is an anchor line and the second member is a fishing line.

24. A clip as claimed in claim 22 wherein the first member is a fishing line and the second member is an anchor line.

25. A clip as claimed in claim 22 wherein the first member is an outrigger line and the second member is a fishing line.

26. A clip forming a releasable connection in fishing tackle between a first member and a second member in the form of a line, the clip having a body secured to the first member and jaws which are resiliently urged to grip the line and are adapted to release the connection when a predetermined tension is exceed in one of the members.

27. A clip as claimed in any of claims 22 to 26, wherein the jaws have internal gripping formations for engaging the line.

28. A clip as claimed in claim 2. wherein the formations are a series of pair of opposed grooves.

29. A clip as claimed in any of claims 22 to 28 wherein the jaws have external recesses whereby they can be resiliently urged together by selected ones of a group of resilient rings.

30. A clip as claimed in any of claims 22 to 28 wherein the jaws can be urged together by one or more resilient clips applied thereto.

31. A clip as claimed in any of claims 22 to 30 wherein the jaws extend radially outwardly of the body.

32. A clip as claimed in any of claims 22 to 30 wherein the jaws are centrally disposed in the clip and partially surrounded by the body.

33. A clip as claimed in claim 32 and having attached or incorporated weight.

34. A clip as claimed in any of claims 22 to 33 wherein two or more sets of jaws are provided on the body.

35. A clip as claimed in claim 34 wherein each set of jaws has a different grip strength.

36. A clip in or for fishing tackle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.