GB2450623A

GB2450623A - Coated fish bait

Info

Publication number: GB2450623A
Application number: GB0811726A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Preston
Original assignee: Preston Innovations Ltd
Current assignee: Preston Innovations Ltd
Priority date: 2007-06-26
Filing date: 2008-06-26
Publication date: 2008-12-31
Also published as: GB0811726D0; GB0712348D0

Abstract

Fishing bait 10 and a method for producing the same. Bait is shaped into a ball or ball-like form (a boilie) 12, hardened by boiling and then coated with an attractant 14. The coating is formed by tumbling the uncoated hardened balls in a drum with a liquid, and passing warmed air through the drum to make the balls tacky. An attractant powder is subsequently introduced into the drum and further warmed air is used to dry the balls. In use, the coating disperses more readily in water than the underlying hardened bait ball.

Description

1 2450623 Fishing Bait This invention relates to fishing bait,

particularly but not exclusively so-called Boilie' baits.

Anglers are increasingly using a type of bait referred to as boilies'.

These baits are typically made from a paste, which is rolled into a ball and then boiled in water to harden each ball. The paste is usually in the form of ground food stuffs combined with liquids, and often, a binder such as egg.

When hardened after boiling, this known bait is large and tough enough to withstand the attentions of small fish, so that when a big fish comes along there is still enough bait on the hook to catch it. However, the inventor has now realised that a significant disadvantage of these known baits is that they do not give off sufficient fish attracting scents and so it is often difficult for a fish to locate the bait, particularly in muddy water. It is thought that the boiling process seals in or reduces the scent or flavour of the bait that appeal to fish.

According to the invention there is-provided a shaped fishing bait material which is hardened and subsequently substantially coated with a fish attractant * ** * ,* coating.

: *. In an embodiment the shaped bait material is in the form of balls.

Preferably the fish attractant coating is more soluble or dispersible in water than the hardened ball of bait material, for providing fish attractants into S. S. : * . the water more quickly than they would otherwise be provided if no coating were used.

Conveniently the fish attractant coating dissolves or is dispersible slowly in water for providing a sustained release of attractant into the water around the bait in use, during which the remainder of the bait ball substantially holds together.

In an embodiment the bait balls are hardened by means of heating the balls in water.

In a further embodiment the attractant may include a base such as a wheat gluten or other binder, possibly in the form of a flour and optionally one or more of oils, and sugars, flavourings, taste enhancers, food powders or foods in liquid form.

The invention extends to a method for producing fishing bait including the steps of: shaping a fish bait material to provide a plurality of balls; hardening said balls; and coating said balls with a substance which attracts fish.

Said hardening may comprise heating the balls in a liquid.

Said hardening may include forming only hardened outer skin on the balls.

Said coating may include the step of tumbling the balls together with said * ** S..,.. substance. * Se.

In an embodiment said tumbling includes a liquid phase where the balls are tumbled with a liquid to produce adherent balls and a powder phase where *. S * 20 powder is subsequently introduced and adheres to said adherent balls. S...

Said tumbling may include the passage of warmed air or other heated gas S. Si * over or through the balls during said tumbling.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the drawings wherein, Figure 1 shows a bait according to the invention; and Figure 2 shows apparatus for manufacturing the bait shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1 a boilie bait 10 is shown generally in section. The bait consists of a piece of bait 12, shaped into a generally spherical ball, having a coating 14 which is attractive to fish. Coating 14 is soluble or dispersible slowly in water, whereas the bait ball 12 is generally less soluble/dispersible, or non-soluble/dispersible in water. This characteristic provides a readily dispersible attractant into the water around the bait whilst the remaining underlying bait ball stays together for a fish to take.

Referring additionally to Figure 2 the apparatus used for coating the bait balls 12 is illustrated. Prior to coating, the bait balls 12 are manufactured by known techniques, for example hand rolling the bait balls into shape, or tumbling the bait balls until they form balls or pieces approximately 10 to 20 mm in diameter or size. Purpose made equipment to roll the bait balls 12 could also be employed. The balls are air dried to reduce their water content and to further harden them. The balls 12 are then boiled in water to harden them. The * S. hardening provides a firm ball, or at least a ball with a firm skin, so that the ball S...

can withstand the attentions of small fish pulling at the bait. The bait balls 12 are * ..

formed from a base material such as wheat flour, soya flour, maize flour, or the *55 like, and a binder such as egg. Once the bait baIts 12 have been hardened they S...

are placed in a drum 22 and revolved slowly using an electric motor 24. A batch *S *S * of about 30 kg is processed, and in this example the bait balls are about 14 mm in diameter. In this case, a glutinous solution of an amount sufficient to thinly cover the balls is also added to the drum 22. The bait balls 12 are tumbled in the revolving drum and are thinly coated with the glutinous liquid. Warmed air is introduced into the drum 22 via a blower and nozzle 26 and is thus blown over the wetted bait balls. As the glutinous solution dries, under the influence of the warm air current within the drum, the balls become tacky.

At this stage atiractant coating material 14 is also introduced into the drum in a quantity sufficient to cover all the balls, and the attractant material 14 adheres to the tacky, adherent baIls 12 as the balls are tumbled within the drum.

Further warm air is introduced into the drum 12 until the now coated bait balls are no longer tacky, but are evenly coated with approximately 0.4 mm of attractant coating 14.

The process can be repeated to add yet another coating to the coated balls 10 for increasing the thickness of the coating 14.

In this embodiment the glutinous solution is a wheat flour and wheat gluten solution and the attractant coating 14 is wheat flour mixed with approximately 10 to 30% fishmeal, together formed into a dry powder having a particle size such that it will adhere readily to the tacky balls 12. * ..

Whilst one embodiment of the invention and one method of production have been described, it will be apparent that many variations, modifications and alternatives are possible within the ambit of the invention. For example, the coating 14 is described above as a two-step process wherein a liquid is formed around the bait balls 12 and a dry powder adheres to the liquid, however the coating may be a single stage process for example, wherein the freshly boiled bait balls 12 are immediately coated with an attractant 14. The attractant could also be introduced into the water of the boiling process. Other coating techniques are possible, for example pan coating including the steps of cooling a liquid introduced into a pan, either preheated or heated in the pan, and allowing the liquid to congeal or set around the balls to provide the attractant coating. The introduction of powder prior to congealing or setting of the liquid is possible.

The attractant 14 irrespective of the method of its application may include additional, or alternative attractant substances such as sugars, for example in the form of molasses, flavourings, for example artificial flavourings, dyes, for example food colorants and flavour enhancers, for example monosodium glutamate, and combinations of the above. The additional or alternative attractant can be in liquid and/or powder form.

The coating 14 is intended to be water-soluble or dispersible such that it gradually disperses in the water to attract fish. The coating in the above example is about 0.4 mm but other thicknesses of coating can be produced, for example, 0.2 mm to 2 mm thicknesses can be applied. The dispersal or dissolving rate can be altered to achieve a release of attractants over any period, for example a short period of just a few minutes, or a much longer * SI *1, period, for example up to 6 hours. Even a dispersal rate of say 6 hours will S... * .

release more attractants than an uncoated bait ball.

The bait has been described and illustrated as being formed into balls. It S..

* 20 will be apparent that the word ball or balls should be interpreted broadly to 5.5 include any shape lump(s) of bait. For example, regular, or polygonal shapes * could be used, for example chopped extruded shapes, or irregular shaped pieces or clumps, which may or may not resemble a ball.

Claims

Claims 1. A shaped fishing bait material which is hardened and

subsequently substantially coated with a fish attractant coating.
2. A shaped fishing bait material as claimed in claim I wherein bait material is in the form of balls or ball-like pieces.
3. A shaped fishing bait material as claimed in claim I or 2 wherein the fish attractant coating is more soluble or dispersible in water than the hardened bait material or said ball.
4. A shaped fishing bait material as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the fish attractant coating dissolves or is dispersible slowly in water for providing a sustained release of attractant into the water around the bait in use, during which the remainder of the shaped bait material or ball substantially holds together.
5. A shaped fishing bait material as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the shaped bait material or balls are hardened by means of * .* heating the material or balls in water. *.**
6. A shaped fishing bait material as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the attractant substance includes a base such as a flour and one S..

20 or more of oils, and sugars, flavourings, taste enhancers, food powders or foods in liquid form. .
7. A method for producing fishing bait including the steps of: shaping a fish bait material to provide a plurality of balls; hardening said balls; and coating said balls with a substance which attracts fish.
8. A method for producing fishing bait as claimed in claim 7 wherein said hardening comprises heating the balls in a liquid.
9. A method for producing fishing bait as claimed in claim 8 wherein said hardening includes forming only hardened outer skin on the balls.
10. A method for producing fishing bait as claimed in claim 7,8 or 9 wherein, said coating includes the step of tumbling the balls together with said substance.
11. A method for producing fishing bait as claimed in claim 10 wherein said tumbling includes a liquid phase where the balls are tumbled with a liquid to produce adherent balls and a powder phase where powder is subsequently introduced and adheres to said adherent balls.
12. A method for producing fishing bait as claimed in claim 10 or 11 wherein, said tumbling includes the passage of warmed air or other heated gas over or through the balls during said tumbling.
13. A fishing bait or method for producing a fishing bait, substantially as described, with reference to the drawings. * S. * I S * S. I... * . I... * S. S. S S... **. * * S... a. ** * . .