GB2281684A

GB2281684A - Fishing hooks

Info

Publication number: GB2281684A
Application number: GB9318997A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Allan Bramley
Original assignee: PARTRIDGE OF REDDITCH Ltd
Current assignee: PARTRIDGE OF REDDITCH Ltd
Priority date: 1993-09-11
Filing date: 1993-09-11
Publication date: 1995-03-15
Also published as: GB9318997D0

Abstract

A fishing hook, which is capable of indicating to a fisherman that a fish has been attracted to his bait or fly and could have been "hooked" but which results in minimal, or even no, damage to the fish, comprises a shank portion (1) having formed at one end a curved hook portion (3) which incorporates an unpointed free end. The unpointed free end may be an eve (7), a rounded or substantially flat head (9), (Figure 3) a bead (13) (Fig. 5) or a tube (15), (Fig. 6) which, being blunt and unpointed, is unable to penetrate the fish thus causing minimal damage. Furthermore, a conventional hook may be converted by placing a bead or sleeve over its pointed portion. <IMAGE>

Description

FISHING HOOK The present invention relates to a fishing hook and more particularly is concerned with a fishing hook in which a fish is not "hooked" in the conventional sense and which results in minimal damage to the fish. The term "hooked" and like terms are used herein to indicate that a fishing hook has penetrated into the fish.

Conventional fishing hooks comprise a shank portion and a hook portion formed at one end of the shank portion. The other end of the shank portion may be formed with an eye if desired. In order to catch and retain a fish, the hook portion is formed with a sharpened point at its free end in order to penetrate the flesh of the fish and with a barb which prevents the fishing hook accidentally coming free.

It is becoming increasingly common for fish, once caught, to be returned to the water so that they may be subsequently caught by other anglers; the sport for the fisherman being directed to the skill of "hooking" and landing the fish. However, the sharpened point of the hook damages the fish on entry and the barb, when present, causes further damage on removal of the hook.

There is an increasing awareness among fishermen that the skill in fishing lies primarily in attracting the fish to the bait or fly rather than in "hooking" and landing the fish. We have appreciated that it should therefore not be necessary to damage a fish with either a pointed hook or with a barb provided a fisherman can establish to his own satisfaction that he would indeed have been able to "hook" and land the fish.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fishing hook which is capable of indicating to a fisherman, for example as a result of movement of a float or as a result of the sensations transmitted to the fisherman by way of the fishing line, that a fish has been attracted to his bait or fly and could have been "hooked", but which results in minimal, or even no, damage to the fish.

According to the present invention there is provided a fishing hook comprising a shank portion and a curved hook portion formed at one end of the shank portion, the curved hook portion incorporating an unpointed free end.

The fishing hook may incorporate an eye formed at that end of the shank opposite the curved hook portion.

The unpointed free end of the curved hook portion may be formed with an eye. Alternatively, the unpointed free end of the curved hook portion may be formed with a rounded or substantially flat head, for example by deforming the material of the hook. As a further alternative, the curved hook portion may have a substantially constant cross section and the unpointed free end of the curved hook portion may be substantially flat or rounded.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the free end of the curved hook portion may be provided with a bead which encompasses the free end. The bead may be made, for example, of metal, wood or rubber, or of vitreous, plastics, elastomeric or resin material. The bead may be moulded around the free end of the curved hook portion or may be formed with a recess in which the free end of the hook portion is received and may be secured to the free end of the hook portion with an adhesive. The free end of the curved hook portion encompassed by the bead may be pointed and/or barbed.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, a tube may be positioned over the free end of the curved hook portion. The tube may be secured to the free end of the curved hook portion, for example by means of an adhesive.

Alternatively, where the free end of the curved hook portion is pointed and barbed, the tube may be retained on the free end due to engagement between the internal surface of the tube and the barb. The tube may be made of plastics or like material, for example a resilient plastics material.

The term "unpointed" as used herein is intended to encompass all means for eliminating or rendering harmless to a fish the conventional pointed end of a fishing hook and which results in the hook having an unpointed or blunt end that is capable of causing no damage or only minimal damage to a fish that takes the hook. Thus, "unpointed" includes reference to fishing hooks that are constructed with an unpointed free end and to conventional fishing hooks that are modified so as to render the pointed end and any barb ineffective.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an elevational view of one embodiment of a fishing hook according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the fishing hook shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modification of the fishing hook shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of another modification of the fishing hook shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 5 is an elevational view of a second embodiment of a fishing hook according to the present invention; and Figure 6 is an elevational view of a third embodiment of a fishing hook according to the present invention.

The fishing hook shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a shank portion 1 having formed at one end thereof a curved hook portion 3 and at the other end thereof an optional eye 5.

The configuration of the curved hook portion 3 is such that the hook portion where it is adjacent to the shank 1 initially extends substantially coaxially with the shank portion 1. The hook portion thereafter curves progressively away from the axis of the shank portion 1 until it extends in a direction approximately 180 degrees to its initial direction. Fishing hooks of this nature are well known to the skilled person with or without the optional eye 5. At the free end of the curved hook portion 3 of the fishing hook shown in Figures 1 and 2, the hook portion 3 is formed with a further eye 7 in place of the point and barb that would conventionally be provided.

The eye 7 provides a rounded blunt or unpointed end to the fishing hook within the mouth of the fish and therefore causes no damage or at most minimal damage to the fish because the eye 7 is unable to penetrate the flesh of the fish. The configuration of the fishing hook, however, results in the fish taking the hook into its mouth and giving an indication to the fisherman due to movements of a float or due to "feel" as a result of sensations transmitted along the fishing line to the fisherman.

Although it would appear that the curved hook portion 3 is unnecessary, we have found this is not the case and that the curved hook portion 3 is indeed necessary to provide the correct balance, stability and function to the fishing hook according to the present invention. This applies to all forms of fishing, such as fly fishing where the curved hook portion facilitates orientation of the fly on the surface of the water, and conventional angling where the curved hook portion carries the bait in known manner.

Additionally, the curved hook portion 3 allows the fishing hook according to the present invention to hold the fish for a short while before it is able to free itself from the hook and swim away, thus creating additional "feel" for the fisherman.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 3, in place of an eye at the free end of the hook portion 3 there is provided a rounded or substantially flat head 9 which may be formed by deforming the material of the hook in the manner of a nail. The head 9 functions in the same manner as the eye 7 of the fishing hook of Figures 1 and 2.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 4, in place of the eye at the free end of the hook portion 3 the curved hook portion has a substantially constant cross-section and is provided with a substantially flat or rounded end 11.

The end 11, being blunt and unpointed, is unable to penetrate the fish thus causing minimal damage to the fish and therefore functions substantially in the same manner as the eye 7 of the fishing hook of Figures 1 and 2.

The fishing hook shown in Figure 5 is similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2, and comprises a shank portion 1 having formed at one end thereof a curved hook portion 3 and at the other end thereof an optional eye 5. At the free end of the curved hook portion there is provided a bead 13, for example, of metal, wood or rubber, or of vitreous, plastics, elastomeric or resin material, which encompasses the free end of the hook portion. The bead 13 may be moulded around the free end of the curved hook portion 3 or may be formed with a suitable recess to receive the free end of the hook portion and may be secured thereto with a suitable adhesive. It will be appreciated that the bead 13 can be provided either over the free end of a blunt or unpointed hook portion 3 or can be provided over the free end of a conventional pointed and optionally barbed hook, as illustrated by the dashed lines in Figure 5, so as to convert a conventional fishing hook into a fishing hook according to the present invention.

The fishing hook shown in Figure 6 represents a similar concept to that shown in Figure 5 in that a tube 15 of plastics or like material, for example a resilient plastics material, is positioned over the free end of the curved hook portion 3 so as to provide a suitable blunt or unpointed end. The tube 15 may be secured to a blunt or unpointed end of the curved hook portion 3 if desired, for example by means of a suitable adhesive, but the primary intention behind the embodiment of Figure 6 is to provide a means of converting a conventional pointed and barbed fishing hook into a fishing hook according to the present invention. The tube 15 is dimensioned relative to the barb illustrated in dashed lines in Figure 6 such that it is a tight fit over the barb and when applied over the barb is retained thereon because any attempt to remove the tube from the barb will merely result in the barb becoming embedded into the tube so as to retain the same more firmly of the free end of the hook.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A fishing hook comprising a shank portion and a curved hook portion formed at one end of the shank portion, the curved hook portion incorporating an unpointed free end.

2. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 1, wherein an eye is formed at that end of the shank opposite the curved hook portion.

3. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the unpointed free end of the curved hook portion is formed with an eye.

4. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the unpointed free end of the curved hook portion is formed with a rounded or substantially flat head.

5. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 4, wherein the head is rounded or flattened by deforming the material of the hook.

6. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the curved hook portion has a substantially constant crosssection.

7. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 6, wherein the unpointed free end of the curved hook portion is substantially flat or rounded.

8. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 1, wherein the free end of the curved hook portion is provided with a bead which encompasses the free end.

9. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bead is made of metal, wood or rubber.

10. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bead is made of vitreous, plastics, elastomeric or resin material.

11. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the bead is moulded around the free end of the curved hook portion.

12. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the bead is formed with a recess in which the free end of the hook portion is received and is secured to the free end of hook portion with an adhesive.

13. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the curved hook portion encompassed by the bead is pointed and/or barbed.

14. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 1, wherein a tube is positioned over the free end of the curved hook portion.

15. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 14, wherein the tube is secured to the free end of the curved hook portion by means of an adhesive.

16. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 14, wherein the free end of the curved hook portion is pointed and barbed and the tube is retained on the free end due to engagement between the internal surface of the tube and the barb.

17. A fishing hook as claimed in claim 14, 15 or 16, wherein the tube is of plastics or like material.

18. A fishing hook substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.