Fishing rig drogue apparatus

A fishing rig drogue apparatus, comprising:

• an airtight hollow straight shaft having a forward end and a rearward end, a left side, a right side, an upper side, a lower side, and a centerline;
• the forward end further comprising a first connecting means for a fishing line;
• the rearward end further comprising a second connecting means for a fish hook device;
• a left arm and a right arm movably attached at first axes to the straight shaft by a hinge means near the forward end on the left side and the right side, respectively;
• the left arm and the right arm each further comprised of a tube cut in half lengthwise so that it has an open side, a wall side, and a second axis;
• the tube mounted on the hinge means so that the open side of the tube can fold against the straight shaft;
• the hinge means comprising:
• a rectangular slot in the wall side of each of the left tube and right tube collinear with the second axis of each tube;
• a left vane and a right vane fixed to the left side and the right side of the straight shaft, respectively;
• the left vane and the right vane being respectively inserted through the rectangular slot in the wall side of each of the left tube and the right tube;
• and
• a left latch and a right latch fixed to the left side and the right side of the straight shaft, respectively, and engaging the left vane and the right vane so as to prevent the left tube and the right tube from sliding off the left vane and the right vane, respectively;
• the left latch and the right latch being shaped so as to allow the second axes of the left arm tube and the right arm tube, respectively, to rotate from an angle of zero degrees relative to the centerline to an angle of no more than approximately ninety degrees relative to the centerline.

A fishing rig drogue apparatus, comprising:

• a rigid and substantially straight shaft having a forward end, a rearward end, and a centerline, the forward end further comprising a first means for connection, and the rearward end further comprising a second means for connection;
• and
• a plurality of shaped elongate arms each having a first end, an intermediate point, and a second end, the shaped elongate arms movably attached by hinging means to the straight shaft near the forward end;
• the hinging means allowing the shaped elongate arms to fold substantially against the straight shaft in a fully-closed position and allowing the shaped elongate arms to open to a maximum extent of approximately a right angle to the straight shaft;
• and wherein:
• at least one of the shaped elongate arms further comprises a substantially semi-cylindrical shape between the first end and the intermediate point, the semi-cylindrical shape having an axis, an open side, and a wall, the open side of the semi-cylindrical shape facing the straight shaft when the at least one of the shaped elongate arms is folded against the straight shaft;
• and wherein:
• the semi-cylindrical shape has a slot cut through the wall of the semi-cylindrical shape near the first end, the slot being aligned parallel to the axis of the semi-cylindrical shape;
• and wherein:
• the hinge means comprises
• a vane projecting from the straight shaft near a midpoint of the straight shaft that fits slidably through the slot in the wall of the semi-cylindrical shape;
• and
• a latch projecting from the straight shaft near the forward end of the straight shaft that contacts the vane and prevents the semi-cylindrical shape from sliding off the vane;
• and wherein:
• the at least one of the shaped elongate arms further comprises a flared portion between the intermediate point and the second end, the flared portion having a concave side with a conical space defined about an axis, the concave side of the flared portion facing the rearward end of the straight shaft;
• the axis of the conical space, the axis of the semi-cylindrical shape, and the centerline of the straight shaft lying in a first plane;
• and
• the angle formed by the axis of said conical space and the axis of the semi-cylindrical shape being between approximately one hundred degrees and approximately one hundred eighty degrees.