Downrigger fishing system and releasable connection

A downrigger fishing system, comprising:

• a rudder plate which in use is submerged in water;
• an upper downrigger line which in use extends downwardly from a boat to the rudder plate;
• upper connector means for connecting the lower end of the upper downrigger line to an upper portion of the rudder plate;
• a lower downrigger line extending downwardly from the rudder plate to a downrigger weight or kite located below the rudder plate;
• lower connector means for connecting the upper end of the lower downrigger line to a lower portion of the rudder plate;
• wherein in use, tension in the upper and lower downrigger lines will hold the rudder plate substantially vertical;
• said rudder plate including a downwardly opening blind slot in a lower rear portion of the rudder plate, and a downwardly extending finger positioned immediately rearwardly of the slot, said finger having a generally straight forward edge;
• a fishing line which in use extends downwardly from the boat to the fishing hook;
• an eye member having a forward connector eye and a rearward connector eye;
• said fishing line extending through the rearward connector eye, and said fishing line being twisted at a location spaced from the hook, in the immediate vicinity of the eye member, for preventing relative sliding movement of the fishing line through the rearward connector eye;
• and
• said forward connector eye being bounded at its front by a bight portion of the eye member which is sized to loosely fit within the slot in the rudder plate, said bight portion including a rearwardly directed inner surface which makes contact with the forward edge of said finger when the bight portion of the forward connector eye is within said slot and the finger is within the forward connector eye.

A downrigger release system, comprising:

• a downrigger line assembly including an upper support line for being supportedly connected at an upper end and having a lower end connected to an upper end of a rudder plate, a weight support line having an upper end connected to a lower end of the rudder plate and having its lower end connected to a weight;
• a trailing end on said rudder having a downwardly directed member formed to releasably engage means on a taut fishing line;
• connection means on said rudder plate for connecting at least one of said support lines to vary the ease of releasability of said means on said taut fishing line;
• said downwardly directed member having a downwardly directed trailing edge and a downwardly directed leading edge;
• said rudder plate being relieved in the leading direction from said leading edge to form a space in a leading position with respect to said member;
• said means on said taut fishing line having a body having a first opening to fit on said member with a portion of the body extending into said space;
• said body having a second opening to receive said fishing line;
• and
• said fishing line being twisted with respect to said second opening when said body portion extends into said space.

A downrigger release system, comprising:

• a downrigger line assembly including an upper support line for being supportedly connected at an upper end and having a lower end connected to an upper end of a rudder plate, a weight support line having an upper end connected to a lower end of the rudder plate and having its lower end connected to a weight;
• a trailing end on said rudder having a downwardly directed member formed to releasably engage means on a taut fishing line;
• connection means on said rudder plate adjacent to the upper and lower ends of the plate for connecting to both of said support lines to vary the ease of releasability of said means on said taut fishing line;
• wherein said connection means adjacent to each end of said rudder plate are a plurality of holes through the rudder plate spaced from a leading to a trailing direction;
• one of said support lines being fastened through a hole adjacent to the upper end and the other support line being fastened through a hole adjacent to the lower end;
• wherein the holes adjacent the upper end are generally vertically aligned with respective holes adjacent the lower end;
• said downwardly directed member having a downwardly directed trailing edge and a downwardly directed leading edge;
• said rudder plate being relieved in the leading direction from said leading edge to form a space in a leading position with respect to said member;
• said means on said taut fishing line having a body having a first opening to fit on said member with a portion of the body extending into said space;
• said body having a second opening to receive said fishing line;
• and
• said fishing line being twisted with respect to said second opening when said body portion extends into said space.

A downrigger release system, comprising:

• a downrigger line assembly including an upper support line for being supportedly connected at an upper end and having a lower end connected to an upper end of a rudder plate, a weight support line having an upper end connected to a lower end of the rudder plate and having its lower end connected to a weight;
• a trailing end on said rudder having a downwardly directed member formed to releasably engage means on a taut fishing line;
• connection means on said rudder plate for connecting at least one of said support lines to vary the ease of releasability of said means on said taut fishing line;
• wherein said downwardly directed member is a finger having a trailing edge forming a portion of said trailing end of said rudder;
• said finger having a bottom edge and having a leading edge extending upwardly from the bottom edge inwardly of the trailing end;
• a downwardly opening blind slot in said rudder plate formed along said leading edge of said finger;
• said means on said taut fishing line being a connector having a leading opening and trailing opening;
• the leading opening being formed to receive said finger, a portion of the connector forming the leading opening extending into said slot, and an inner surface of the opening making substantially a point contact with a leading edge of the finger;
• and
• the fishing line extending through said trailing opening and being twisted adjacent the eye member for preventing relative sliding movement of the fishing line through the trailing opening.