US 6,266,916 B1Granted

Soft plastic fishing lure with hidden hook

OwnerRandal Scot Duganinventor

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Abstract

A fishing lure molded of flexible, translucent, soft plastic material into an integral unit in the form of a baitfish. Pigments, glitter, scent and flavor additives are mixed with the plastic during manufacture to create realistic visual, smell and taste characteristics. A wide gap offset fish hook is removably attached and substantially hidden in the lure by a hook slot in the lower longitudinal edge of the lure, and by an internal chamber. The internal chamber further serves to allow the body of the lure to collapse when attacked by a fish, exposing the point of the hook, as well as to conceal tube weights, flotation inserts, trap air contributing to the buoyancy and upright positioning of the lure, and to act as a reservoir for liquid fish attractant. The buoyancy and sink rate of the lure can be manipulated by utilizing various combinations of hook sizes, tube weight sizes, and flotation inserts positions into the internal chamber. Realistic movement of the lure is attained through the buoyancy and flexibility of the plastic material, the hydrodynamics of the design, and through rod, reel and fishing line manipulation by the angler.

Claims2

Dependent claims

A fishing lure with a hidden hook, molded of flexible plastic in the form of a bait fish comprising:

a head, a back, an abdomen, and a tail,
an offset fish hook, said fish hook including an eye, an offset portion, a shank, a curved portion, and a pointed portion,
a weight, said weight including an eye,
said lure containing an internal chamber, said internal chamber including a forward portion, for receiving said eye of the weight, an internal chamber ceiling and a floor, and an internal chamber opening, providing access to said internal chamber, said weight contained in said internal chamber, and,
a hook slot extending along an outer lower edge of said lure, said hook slot aligned below said portions of said internal chamber, said hook slot and said internal chamber separated by said internal chamber floor,
said eye of the weight is mounted on said offset portion of the hook, within said forward portion of the internal chamber, said offset portion of the hook penetrating said internal chamber floor, at a forward portion of said hook slot, said shank of the hook mounted in and concealed by said hook slot, said curved portion of the hook concealed in said internal chamber, said pointed portion of the hook aligned above and along a top edge of said back.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.