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US-12616178-B2 - Lure

US12616178B2US 12616178 B2US12616178 B2US 12616178B2US-12616178-B2

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an artificial bait having certain physical characteristics that allow for it to remain forward-facing in the water to be quickly detected location- and direction-wise using sonar techniques. The characteristics of the bait also allow for it to engage in erratic darting action and remain in the water during retrieval for an extended period of time. Typically, the bait can include a body having a head portion, a tail portion, and a middle portion therebetween. A first attachment structure configured to receive a line can be located on or near the head portion. A hook structure can be inserted behind the first attachment structure, for example, on or near the middle portion of the body. The head portion can further include a portion of dense material therein.

Inventors

  • Kyle Jacob Peterson
  • Daniel Eric Spengler

Assignees

  • PURE FISHING, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20240313

Claims (6)

  1. 1 . An artificial bait comprising: a body having a first end and a second end; a hook protruding from the body; an attachment structure protruding from the body; wherein the body extends a first length from the first end to the second end; wherein the attachment structure is positioned and located between about 10% to about 20% of the first length from the first end of the body; and wherein the body is arched such that a first height of the body proximate to the first end and a second height of the body proximate to the second end are both less than a third height of the body positioned and located between the first end and the second end.
  2. 2 . The artificial bait of claim 1 , wherein the attachment structure is positioned and located within about 10% of the first length from a center of gravity of the artificial bait.
  3. 3 . The artificial bait of claim 1 , wherein the artificial bait is configured such that a longitudinal axis is oriented substantially horizontally when the artificial bait is supported by the attachment structure, and wherein the longitudinal axis extends from the first end of the body to the second end of the body.
  4. 4 . The artificial bait of claim 1 , wherein the body further includes: a first portion composed of a first material; a second portion composed of a second material; wherein the first material is denser than the second material; and wherein between about 10% to about 30% of a total volume of the body is made up of the first portion.
  5. 5 . The artificial bait of claim 4 , wherein the attachment structure is coupled to the first portion of the body.
  6. 6 . The artificial bait of claim 4 , wherein the first portion extends a second length, and wherein the attachment structure is positioned and located between about 50% to about 75% of the second length from a front end of the first portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/490,433, filed on Mar. 15, 2023, entitled “LURE,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates to an artificial bait having a dense and sonar-readable material in its head portion. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Fishing baits are used to help anglers catch fish. They are typically attached to an end of a fishing line and are designed to attract a fish to bite on a hook attached to the fishing bait. Anglers use one of a natural bait or an artificial bait to attract fish. Natural, or live, baits are effective because they have a familiar texture, odor, and color to fish. Further, especially when live, natural baits can mimic movements that are natural to fish prey. Anglers use many sources for natural baits, including but not limited to: earthworms, minnows, grubs, maggots, grasshoppers, crickets, bees, aquatic snails, small frogs, tadpoles, crayfish, and even ants. Unfortunately, natural baits have some downsides. First, they can be a hassle to obtain. They require either foraging for live bait or finding a store that sells live bait. In both cases, the natural bait must be acquired shortly before fishing. This can be inconvenient or even challenging at times. Furthermore, natural baits are inherently “single use” products. Natural bait can be consumed by fish (whether caught or not), or it can fall off a hook during the repetitive cast and reel fishing process, at which time it needs to be replaced. As a result of some of the inconveniences associated with natural baits, many anglers have turned to artificial baits. Artificial fishing baits are designed to simulate or resemble a natural food source (e.g., a bait fish) for fish both in appearance and in movement as the baits move through the water. The artificial baits are often made of a plastic or a rubber material and thus can be used multiple times over. While artificial baits are made to imitate prey or prey characteristics such as color, flash, or shape, it is quite difficult to reproduce the natural movements of natural bait. Artificial baits include undulations, recesses, and projections that may interact with water to simulate natural movement. However, such movement is dependent on the bait's surrounding, and it cannot independently move. Some baits have incorporated electronics to simulate movement, but those baits are subject to breaking easily and often generate noise that is unnatural and makes fish skeptical. Furthermore, artificial fishing baits are conventionally difficult to detect on sonar and distinguish from other objects, making it hard for anglers to locate their lures in water. The present disclosure seeks to address these disadvantages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes many of the shortcomings and limitations of the prior art devices discussed above. The present invention relates generally to an artificial bait (lure) that may provide erratic darting action, an adjustable sink rate, and retrieval vibrations due to certain aspects discussed herein. In particular, the bait shape including its arching back, the location of a pull point, and/or the relative density of portions of the bait contribute to these advantageous aspects of the bait. These aspects of the bait allow anglers to better control where the bait is placed in water and the particular actions which are presented by the bait. For example, anglers are better able to fish on the bottom or mid-water column while working the bait in a single location. The bait allows for switching of presentations, actions, and techniques on a single cast. Furthermore, the bait described herein can be particularly advantageous when used with sonar. The aforementioned aspects allow the bait to remain forward-facing in the water, where it can easily be picked up by sonar techniques due to the lead present in the head portion of the bait. Thus, the bait comprises a body having a head portion, a tail portion, and a middle portion between said head and tail portions. The head portion includes a first attachment structure for a line or lead thereon. Typically, a hook is present behind the first attachment structure on the head portion or the middle portion and angled respective to both the first attachment structure and a longitudinal axis of the bait. The head portion can include a portion of dense material therein. These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side plan view of a lure according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a transparent side plan view of the lure of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a semi-transparent side view of the head portion of the lure of FIG. 1. Wh