Downrigger Trolling Apparatus

An underwater reciprocating trolling device for downrigger trolling wherein a fishing line and attached lure are releasably clipped to a weighted cable and lowered from a boat by a reel to a desired depth into the water for trolling, said reciprocating trolling device being non-floating and being adapted to be lowered to said desired depth on a cable, the reciprocating trolling device comprising:

• a mounting frame attached to the cable and having a vertical frame member and horizontal frame member wherein the vertical frame member and horizontal frame member form a first generally planar orientation;
• a draw line extending between the mounting frame and the fishing line;
• a reciprocating member movably mounted on the vertical frame member, the reciprocating member including a plurality of fin members and line engaging member for engaging a draw line, the fin members and line engaging members of the reciprocating member being movable with respect to the mounting frame such that the line engaging member is caused to reciprocate forward and backward with respect to the mounting frame generally in the direction of movement of the mounting frame as the reciprocating device is towed through the water, the reciprocation of the line engaging member imparting forward and backward movement to the draw line and fishing line as the reciprocating trolling device is towed through the water;
• and
• the fin members are not aligned with the planar orientation of the vertical frame member and horizontal frame member.

An underwater reciprocating trolling device for downrigger trolling wherein a fishing line and attached lure are releasably clipped to a weighted cable and lowered from a boat by a reel to a desired depth into the water for trolling, said reciprocating trolling device being non-floating and being adapted to be lowered to said desired depth on a cable, the reciprocating trolling device comprising:

• a mounting frame attached to the cable and having a vertical frame member and horizontal frame member wherein the vertical frame member and horizontal frame member form a first generally planar orientation;
• a draw line extending between the mounting frame and the fishing line;
• a reciprocating member movably mounted on the vertical frame member, the reciprocating member including a plurality of fin members and line engaging member for engaging a draw line wherein the fin members and line engaging member of the reciprocating member being movable with respect to the mounting frame such that the line engaging member is caused to reciprocate forward and backward with respect to the mounting frame generally in the direction of movement of the mounting frame as the reciprocating device is towed through the water, the reciprocation of the line engaging member imparting forward and backward movement to the draw line and fishing line as the reciprocating trolling device is towed through the water;
• the fin members are not aligned with the planar orientation of the vertical frame member and horizontal frame member;
• and
• a generally cylindrical line capture device extending from the horizontal frame member to releasably engage the draw line prior to engagement of the draw line with the reciprocating member.