WO1997017845A1 - Fishing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A rod and line fishing apparatus (11) incorporates means (13) operable to provide a flowing trace (19) of substantially any length, within the capacity of the reel attached to the rod (17) whilst, for the purpose of landing a catch, permitting the flowing trace (19) to be contracted to a length at which the catch is readily accessible to the angler.

Description

FISHING APPARATUS

This invention relates to a fishing aid for use with rod and line fishing apparatus.

The aid is particularly, though not necessarily

exclusively, for use in the context of sea, loch or lake fishing from a boat. It is the purpose of the aid to enable the angler readily to select the length of flowing trace, however long, to be employed in any given set of

circumatances, without the penalty, attendant upon the use of such long traces, of rendering the landing of a catch a matter of some difficulty, especially within the confines of boats of a relatively small size, such as are commonly used by anglers in fishing in waters as above mentioned.

The line of rod and line fishing apparatus may be

considered, customarily, to comprise two parts, there being a major line portion stored, largely, on a reel attached to the rod, and a minor line portion, being a tail piece to the major line portion, and at the free end of which the fishing hook is tied, the two said line portions being, almost invariably, coupled together by means of a swivel joint permitting the minor line portion rotational movement with respect to the major line portion, under movements of a catch.

Upstream of the swivel joint there is, for certain types of fishing, such, for example, as bottom fishing, weight means, which may be merely a lead weight suspended from the major line portion, but which usually comprisea a combination including a lead weight and a weight carrier, the latter being composed, usually, of a plastic material, the weight carrier being suspended from the major line portion with a lead weight supported, suspended from the weight carrier.

The weight or, where a weight and weight carrier

combination, as aforesaid, is employed, the weight carrier, is slidably coupled to the line, there being, typically, provided, on the weight carrier, spaced-apart, axiallyaligned, eyelets which project from a body portion thereof and through which line discharged from the rod extends.

The weight or, as the case may be, weight carrier, being free to run on line discharged from the rod, migrates under gravity until prevented from further such movement by encounter with stop means, a function almost invariably performed by the aforementioned swivel joint.

The tail end portion and the line segment extending from the hook position to the weight or to a weight carrier thus positioned at the swivel joint are, therefore, in use, one and the same in length, for all practical purposes. The length of line extending between the hook position end the weight is commonly referred to as the "flowing trace".

The flowing trace, being a terminal portion of the line, may experience substantially unimpeded movement in response to movement, particularly tidal movements, of the surrounding water, such movement constituting an attraction for fish.

Apart from its convenience in permitting the ready change of weights according to requirements, the weight carrier, where provided, being, in use, at a position upstream from the swivel joint, the likelihood of entanglement of the tailend line portion with the weight is lessened.

The foregoing is concerned with rod and line fishing apparatuses in which discharged line is weighted. Such apparatus configurations are, perhaps, the most commonplace, being used not only in a nominally static role such, for examples, in fishing for bottom-feeding fish varieties, or in rod and line fishing at the sites of wrecks, but in dynamic roles such, for example, as trolling for fast-moving game fish, Merlin and other ocean varieties, also; fish that seek their prey generally at mid-ocean depths. In fishing for game fish, bait is trolled, being towed from a boat moving at a substantial speed through the water, at the end of

discharged line.

However, instead of the length of line discharged from the rod being weighted, in fishing with rod and line for certain fish species, notably shark fishing, a buoyancy device, a a partially inflated balloon, for example, is attached to the discharge line. Although in shark fishing the baited hook is supported well clear of the sea bed, it shares with fishing for bottom feeding varieties the characteristic of being, eβsβntiβlly, of a static nature, static in the sense that the boat is permitted to drift, rather than being driven under power, through the water.

With this mode of fishing, the buoyancy device gives local uplift to the discharged line. As with the weight means, the position along the line, from the stop means, of the buoysncy device constitutes a flowing trace.

In each of the previously described rod end line fishing configurations, the swivel joint, upstream along the line from the hook, acts, as previously mentioned, as a stop

Means, preventing the closer approach to the hook position of the weight means or, as the case may be, the buoysncy device. It determines the limit to which discharged line may be wound in, with or without a catch.

For relatively modest tail-piece lengths, the netting of a catch may present no great problem. It is a matter of experience, however, that, given the presence of fish, of course, the use of β lengthy tail-piece, of, perhaps, six metres or even more in length, contributes, significantly, to the prospects for fish to take the baited hook and, hence, to the expectation, during a fishing session, of catches in greater number than might be expected were shorter flowing traces to be employed.

The reason for such greater success stems from the fact that greater lengths in the baited tail-piece permits the tail-piece and the bait correspondingly greater freedom of movement, such movement serving to attract fish to an even greater extent than is the case where tail-pieces of more modest length may have been employed.

As indicated above, the desire to employ long flowing traces, of any desired length that circumstances or the whim of the angler may require, clearly has heretofore

necessitated changing the minor line portion, the tail-piece, that is to say. The need for such replacement of the minor line portion may occur more than once during a fishing session, changes, for example in tidal conditions, demanding this.

Failure to make such replacement as conditions may demand is, sometimes, doubtless, due to inertia on the part of the angler, frequently arising from the tedium of having to wind in the line end to sever, from the swivel joint, perhaps on more than one occasion during a fishing session, the current minor line portion, tying in at each such occasion, a new minor line portion of different length.

More important, however, is the reluctance to employ flowing traces, tail-pieces, that is to say, o f a length significantly greater than about two metres, such reluctance arising from the deterrent, previously briefly indicated, that is to say, the difficulty of netting a catch, where tail end portions of length substantially greater than about a metre or so, are utilised, this difficulty arising from the inaccessibility of the catch, after the line has been wound in to the fixed stop position, the swivel joint.

The present invention provides a means whereby whilst employing a minor line portion of modest length, such as are customarily used, a flowing trace of any desired length may be formed in line discharged from the rod, without incurring the penalty, attendant upon the use of long tail end portions, of being unable to land a catch once made, without assistance from others, or perhaps at all.

According to the present invention, there is provided a fishing aid device, for use with rod and line fishing apparatus, being a device which incorporates: coupling means by which the device is adapted to be coupled, by the angler, to line discharged from the rod, said coupling means being such as to permit relative sliding movement between the device and such discharged line; and line gripper means adapted frictionally locally to engage said discharged line at, at the discretion of the angler, substantially any position therealong, and, whilst remaining coupled, by said coupling means, to discharged line, to be released from frictional engagement, as aforesaid, therewith upon

development in discharged line of a tension having a certain magnitude, thereby to permit relative sliding movement, as aforesaid, between said device and discharged line to which the device shall have been coupled.

The foregoing and other features of fishing aids in accordance with the invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig.1 shows, in side elevation, a fishing aid combination comprising a fishing aid and a separate weight carrier;

Fig.2 shows an end view of the combination of Fig.1;

Fig.3 shows, on a greatly enlarged scale, an end view of the fishing aid of Fig.1 from one end thereof;

Fig.4 shows, similarly enlarged, an end view of the fishing aid from the other end thereof;

Fig.5 depicts, schematically, the several separate

elements from which a first unitary fishing aid may be constituted;

Fig.6 depicts, schematically, the fishing aid capable of being produced using the several elements of Fig.5;

Fig.7 is a diagram illustrating the mode of use of the fishing aid of Fig.6 as part of a rod and line fishing apparatus;

Fig.8 is a pictorial diagram of a device for use in trolling or other fishing activities in which discharged line is under tow;

Fig.9 is a pictorial diagram of the device of Fig.8 in the sort of attitude adopted by it when under tow;

Fig.10 is a pictorial diagram depicting the device of Figs.8 and 9, under tow; and,

Fig.11 is a pictorial diagram depicting a device

appropriate for use in fishing for shark.

A rod and line fishing apparatus 11, such as are depicted in Fig.7 or 10, incorporates a fishing aid device 13

operable, in use of the apparatus, to form in line 15 discharged from the rod 17, at the election of the angler, a flowing trace 19 of substantially any desired length greater than the length of a minor line portion 21, being a tail portion connected to the end of the major line portion 23 of the discharged line 15, by stop means, such for example, as swivel joint 25, whilst, for the purpose of landing a catch, permitting the flowing trace 19 so chosen to be contracted to the position of said stop means 25, being a position at which a catch made is readily accessible to the angler.

More particularly, and as shown in the several

embodiments, the fishing aid 13 is a device which

incorporates: coupling means 27 by which the device la adapted to be coupled, by the angler, to discharged line 15; and line gripper means 29 adapted frictionally locally to engage discharged line 15 at, at the discretion of the angler, substantially any position therealong.

The coupling means 27 is such as to permit relative sliding movement between the device and the major portion 23 of the discharged line 15; and the device, when frictionally engaged, as aforesaid, with discharged line 15, forms, in such discharged line, the aforementioned flowing trace 19.

The line gripper means 29 of the fishing aid 13 is such as, with the device 13 remaining coupled to the discharged line 15, to be releasible from frictional engagement

therewith, upon the development, in tee flowing trace 19 formed, of a tension of magnitude, such as might be expected from a catch, such as to produce in line 15, at the

position 31 currently frictionally engaged by the line gripper means 29, a force such as to overcome such frictional constraint, thereby to free the device 13 for relative sliding movement relative to discharged line 15.

The fishing aid 13 comprises a pert 33, a portion 37 of which has a slit 39 therein, the confronting surfaces 41a, 41b, respectively, of opposed contacting walls 43a, 43b, respectively, of said portion 33 constituting the line gripper means 29.

More particularly, in the example, the part 33 is in two parts, an elongate body part 45, one end portion of which, being the portion 35, is bifurcated; within the bifurcated end portion 35 there is an insert 47 composed of an

elastomeric material, such, for example, as rubber, under compression between said confronting surfaces 41a, 41b, of the opposed walls 43a, 43b, of the transversely-extensive open-ended channel 49 defined by said bifurcated end

portion 35; and said slit 39 is a transverse slit in said elastomer insert 47, being a slit contained substantially in a plane intermediate said opposed wall surfaces 41a, 41b.

The elongate body part 45 is a one-piece plastic moulding of, for examples, polythene or polypropylene, and has, at the end 51 thereof remote from the bifurcated end portion 41, a portion 53 having a longitudinally extending passage 55 therethrough, through which, in use, discharged line 15 is to pass, the portion 53 and its passage 55, constituting the coupling means 27.

Weight means comprising, in the example of Fig.1, a weight carrier 57 and a weight, as 59 (Fig.7), is adapted to be held, suspended from discharged line 15. In the example, the weight carrier 57 has a passage 61 therethrough, through which, in use, is to extend discharged line 15.

The portion 53 of the elongate body part 45 has a rearwards-facing surface 63 of such shape and form, being, in the example, a flat surface, that when, in use of the

device 13 in a rod and line fishing apparatus 11 having, inter alia, weight means 49, being weight means not

incorporated into the device 11, suspended from discharged line 15, free for sliding movement therealong. With the device 13 coupled to the discharged line 15 at the end 27 thereof, and with the line gripper means 29 in frictional engagement therewith downstream of the weight means 49, contact between a forward-facing flat surface 65 of the weight carrier 57 and the rearwards-facing flat surface 63 of the elongate body part 45, causes said body part to be rocked to s position such as to be supported out-standing from the weight means 49 at an angle such as to assist in maintaining the flowing trace 19 clear of the weight means thereby to reduce the risk of entanglement of the flowing trace with the weight means. To assist in maintaining the elongate body part 45 in a certain relationship with the weight carrier means 57, the latter has, along the upper edge thereof, a channel 67 to receive the rounded contour 69 of the rear end portion, the coupling means 53, of the elongate body part 27, the passages 55 and 61 through the portion 53 and the weight carrier 57, respectively, being, with the pairs 63, 65; 67, 69, respectively, in contact with one another, in axial alignment.

As a further feature, the portion 53 has longitudinal closely abutting walls, 71a, 71b, defining a two-part straight slit 73, the slit parts 73a, 73b, respectively, of which are interrupted by a part cylindrical projection 79 formed on one 71b of said walls and a part-cylindrical recess 81 formed in the other 71a of said walls. The two-part slit 73 permits ready engagement of discharged line 15 with the device 13, the line being entered sideways through the slit 73 into the aligned passages 55, 61, thereby avoiding the need for its threading from the end of said passages. A void 80 facilitates operation of the fastener 79, 81.

Beyond the matters addressed above, the elongate body part 45, having a relatively smooth material, has a lineconstraining surface formation such as to assist in the winding of discharged line spirally therealong, this to provide a relatively long contact path between discharged line end the surface of the elongate body part, thereby enhancing the frictional force therebetween.

More particularly, the elongate body part 45 is of substantially serpentine form, the undulations 83 thereby provided in the surface of the body part 45 constituting the line-constraining surface formation referred to.

The undulations 83 are of diminishing amplitude in the direction along the elongate body part 45 toward the

bifurcated end portion 35 thereof. The purpose of this, is to facilitate the shedding of line from the elongate body part 45 at the release of the device from frictional engagement with discharged line 15. In the foregoing description of en embodiment of the invention, the weight means, whether of a unitary nature or in two parts, a weight carrier and a weight, the weight means of the device 13 being separate from the elongate body part 45. The weight means, if such are called for might, however, be incorporated into the elongate body part 45.

Examples of a device 13 incorporating, inter alia, weight means 27 are shown, firstly, in Figs.5, 6 end 7, secondly in Figs.9, 10 and 11.

The elaatomeric insert 47 is, as a practical matter, in two parts 47a, 47b, respectively; and the bifurcated end of the elongate body part 45 is such that inner end portions of the two elaatomeric parts are set into a blind recess 85 extending inwardly beyond the lateral surfaces 87a, 87b, 15 respectively, of the channel 49 of the bifurcation.

The purpose for this is to prevent the sideways insertion of line into the slit 39 beyond the level of said lateral surfaces, thereby avoiding the possibility of the line being trapped behind the inner surface of the elastomeric insert.

In the arrangement depicted in Figs.5, 6 and 7, the elongate body part 45 is in three portions, 89, 91 and 93, respectively, the line gripper means 29 being found in the portion and the coupling means 27 end weight carrier 57, at least, of weight means 45 being incorporated in the 25 portion 89.

The portion 91 constitutes an extension piece for the device. As shown, the portions 89 and 93 have axial receptacles 95, 97, respectively, each with a circumferential internal rib, as 99; and the extension piece 91 has, at least along end portions thereof, a succession of circumferential ribs 101. The ends of the extension piece 91 make push fits with the receptacles 95, 97, the ribs 99 and the rib

formations 101 engaging to resist separation of the several portions 89, 91 and 93.

The device 13 of Figs.8 to 10 which is for use in

trolling for game fish at mid-ocean depths, in addition to features described previously, incorporates weight means 59 and means operative when, the device being towed from a boat 103, to contribute to stable motion of the device. In the example, the device motion-stabilizing means comprises an arrangement of stabilizing fins 105. As may be seen, the elongate body portion 45 of the device of Fig.8, projects, in use of the device, behind the stabilising fins 105, the device being coupled to discharged line 15 at coupling means 27. In operation, the stabilising fins, whilst

directing the device to move with a controlled motion, constrains the device to adopt a pitch attitude determined by the length of discharged line 15 and the speed at which the device is being towed.

Whereas the device 13 of Figs.1 to 4, of Figs.5, 6 and 7, and of Figs.8, 9 end 10, being or, as the case may be, being adapted to be weighted are intended, primarily, for use in fishing, with rod and line, either in bottom fishing, or in trolling. As previously mentioned, the device 13 might, instead of having associated therewith, weight means, incorporate means 107 adapted for connection to a buoyancy device 109; it might, even, incorporate such a buoyancy device. Such device (Fig.11) finds application in the context of shark fishing. Fishing for shark resembles fishing for bottom feeders in that the fishing is, essentially, static, the boat being allowed to drift, rather than being driven, under power through the water. It resembles fishing for marlin and other game fish in that the species is to be sought, in the main, at mid-ocean depths. It is for this reason that the

discharged line 23 is buoyed-up locally, a running trace of, heretofore, fixed length, extending from the balloon to a swivel joint, as 25, at the junction with a tail-end portion, as 21, of the line. It has been the practice, in the course of winding in line, a shark having been captured, to remove the buoyancy device, perhaps by releasing the balloon, thereby to enable the line to be wound-in the position of the swivel joint 25, rendering the catch, as before, accessible to the angler. The device 13, in an arrangement such as depicted in Fig.11, whilst giving buoyancy to discharged line at a localized position, is nevertheless releasible, in the manner previously described, enablinn discharged line 23 to be wound-in to a stop position, the swivel joint 25, at the minor line portion 21.

Claims

CLAI MS

1. A fishing aid, for use with rod and line fishing

apparatus, being a device (13) characterized by: coupling means (27) by which the device (13) is adapted to be coupled, by the angler, to line (15) discharged from the rod (17), said coupling means (27) being such as to permit relative eliding movement between the device and auch discharged line; end line gripper means (29) adapted frictionally locally to engage said discharged line (15) at, at the discretion of the angler, substantially any position thorealong, and, whilst remaining coupled, by said coupling means, to discharged line, to be released from frictional engagement, as

aforesaid, therewith upon development in discharged line of a tension having a certain magnitude, thereby to permit

relative sliding movement, as aforesaid, between said device (13) and discharged line (13) to which the device shall have been coupled.

2. A fishing aid as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that said coupling means (27) has a aide wall portion formed with a slit or slot (73a, 73b) such as to permit discharged line (15) to be coupled to the device (13) by entry, sideways through said side wall portion, by way of said slit or slot, of a chosen segment of the discharged line. 3. A fishing aid as claimed in claim 1 or 2 characterized in that said line gripper means (29) is such as to be released from frictional engagement, as aforesaid, with discharged line (15) upon development in said discharged line,

downstream of the device (13), of a tension having a

magnitude such as to cause line currently frictionally engaged by said line gripper means to overcome the

frictional constraint acting thereon.

4. A fishing aid as claimed in claim 3 characterized in that said device (13) comprises a part β portion of which has a slit (39) therein, opposed contacting walls (Ala, 41b) of said slit (39) constituting said line gripper means.

5. A fishing aid as claimed in claim 4 characterized in that said slitted part comprises:

(a) an elongate body portion (45) having a bifurcated end (35):

(b) within said bifurcated end (35), there is an insert (47) of elastomeric material which is under compression between opposed surfsces of the walls (43a, 43b) of the transversely-extensive open-ended channel defined by said bifurcated end (35); and,

(c) said slit (39) is a transverse slit in said elastomer body, being a slit contained substantially in a plane

intermediate said opposed well surfacea.

6. A fishing aid as claimed in claim 5 characterized in that: said elongate body portion (45) has, at the end thereof remote from said bifurcated end (35), a portion (53) having a passage (55) therethrough, being a passage through which, in use, discharged line (15) is to pass, said portion (53) end its said passage (55), constituting said coupling means (27).

7. A fishing aid as claimed in claim 6 characterized in that said body part has, at the end thereof remote from said bifurcated end portion, a surface of such shape and form that when, in use of the device (13) in a rod and line

fishing apparatus (11) having, inter alia, weight means

(57, 59) independent of the device, suspended from discharged line and free for sliding movement therealong, and were the device to be coupled with discharged line, in frictional engagement therewith, downstream of said weight means, contact between a surface of said weight means and said end portion surface would then cause the body part to be rocked to a position such as to be supported, out-standing from said weight means (57, 59), at an angle with respect thereto such as to assist in maintaining the line (15) clear of said weight means, thereby to reduce the risk of entanglement of line (15) with said weight means.

8. A fishing aid as claimed in claim 7 characterized in that said weight means comprises a weight carrier (57) adapted to be coupled to discharged line (15) for relative sliding movement therewith, said elongate body part being rocked, as aforestated, under contact between co-operative surfaces of said body part and said weight carrier, respectively.

9. A fishing aid as claimed in claim 6 characterized in that aaid body part (57) has a weight integral therewith.

10. A fishing aid as claimed in claim 6 in which said body part (57) is adapted to have a weight secured thereto.

11. A fishing aid as claimed in any of claims 5 to 10

characterized in that said elongate body part has a line-constraining surface formation (83) such as to assist in the winding of discharged line spirally therealong.

12. A fishing aid as claimed in claim 11 characterized in that said elongate body part is of substantially serpentine form, the undulations in the surface thereof constituting said line-constraining surface formation (83).

13. A fishing aid as claimed in claim 12 characterized in that said undulations are of diminishing amplitude in the direction along the elongate body toward the slotted end portion (47) thereof.

14. A fishing aid as claimed in any of claims 1 to 13 characterized by means operative when, the device being, in use, towed, to contribute to stable motion of the device.

15. A fishing aid as claimed in claim 14 characterized in that said motion stabilizing means comprises an arrangement of stabilizing fins (105). 16. A fishing aid as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 or claims 12 or 13 when appendant to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized by means adapted to have attached thereto buoyancy means (107). 17. A fishing aid as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 or to claims 12 or 13 when appendant to any of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that it incorporates buoyancy means.

16. A rod and line fishing apparatus and, coupled to

line discharged from said rod, a fishing aid as characterized in and by any of claims 1 to 17.

19. A kit which comprises a multiplicity of parts adapted to be used together and being such as, when so used, to

constitute a fishing aid as characterized in and by any of claims 1 to 17.