Header-spoon with flexible trailing bait

Claim 2

For use in any normal aquatic environment, an anti-fouling fishing lure designed and adapted to enable the user to establish and control the depth of travel and animated action when it is being trolled or retrieved comprising a spoon having an elongated body portion and a tail portion and a leading end provided with and joined to an upwardly and forwardly angled head, said head having an upper apical end provided above the center of gravity with line attaching means a fishhook embodying a shank whose forward end is operatively connected to said tail portion, and whose rearward end is provided with a curvate return-bend terminating in a forwardly directed point and barbed bill portion, a flexible trailing-type bait having a forward end supportively and retentively associated with and connected to the leading end of the spoon, a median longitudinally bowed portion spanning said body and trail portions, having a part impaled on said barbed bill portion, and a free terminal end portion projecting rearwardly beyond said return-bend, and wherein the forward end of the shank of said fishhook is operatively connected to the tail portion of said spoon by a hinging and connecting link, and a weed guard embodying a pair of resilient legs having forward ends converging and fixedly joined to said shank adjacent a forward end thereof, and having rearward ends joined by a laterally directed U-shaped saddle in which a portion of said bait is cradled, the inherent springy action of said legs to yieldingly force said saddle and the cradled portion of the bait toward and in close proximity to the barbed bill portion.

Claim 3

The lure defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the curvate bight portion of said saddle is positioned to cross under the hook between the locale of the pointed barb and the return-bend and thereby permit the barbed point to be seated in a depression provided therefor in the topside of said bait.

Claim 4

For use in any normal aquatic environment, an anti-fouling fishing lure designed and adapted to enable the user to establish and control the depth of travel and animated action when it is being trolled or retrieved comprising a spoon having an elongated body portion and a tail portion and a leading end provided with and joined to an upwardly and forwardly angled head, said head having an upper apical end provided above the center of gravity with line attaching means, a fishhook embodying a shank having a forward end provided with an eye and a rearward end provided with a curved return-bend terminating in a forwardly directed pointed and barbed bill portion, a freely movable but rigid link connected to and carried by said eye and hingedly coupled with a central terminal part of said tail portion, a one-piece weed guard embodying a pair of flexible and resilient spaced legs having forward ends converging and fixedly joined to said shank adjacent said eye, said legs being angled upwardly and rearwardly and having rearward end portions straddling and extending rearwardly beyond the barb and terminating short of said return-bend and being joined by a compatible bait lodging and cradling saddle, legs being longitudinally bowed, the predetermined inherent resiliency of said legs serving to suspend and lift said saddle in a manner that it is yieldiNgly urged to a bait squeezing and clenching position adjacent said barbed bill portion, the upper side of the body portion of said spoon being provided with flexible bait positioning, harnessing and retaining means for a predetermined attachable portion of a suitable bait, and, in combination, a flexible bait comprising an imitation plastic worm having a headed forward portion superimposed upon said body portion and retentively encompassed by said positioning, harnessing and retaining means with its headed end abutting that portion of the spoon at the juncture of the body and head portions of said spoon, the tail portion of said worm being unrestrained and extending beyond the return-bend of said hook, a first part of the median portion being buckled upwardly, wedged and held captive between the legs of said weed guard, a minimal part being lodged and cradled in said saddle, and an adjacent part being pierced by and impaled on the pointed barbed bill portion of said return-bend.

Claim 5

For use in any normal aquatic environment, an anti-fouling fishing lure designed and adapted to enable the user to establish and control the depth of travel and animated action when it is being trolled or retrieved comprising a spoon having an elongated body portion and a tail portion and a leading end provided with and joined to an upwardly and forwardly angled head, said head having an upper apical end provided above the center of gravity with line attaching means, a fishhook embodying a shank having a forward end provided with an eye and a rearward end provided with a curved return-bend terminating in a forwardly directed pointed and barbed bill portion, a freely movable but rigid link connected to and carried by said eye and hingedly coupled with a central terminal part of said tail portion, a one-piece weed guard embodying a pair of flexible and resilient spaced legs having forward ends converging and fixedly joined to said shank adjacent said eye, said legs being angled upwardly and rearwardly and having rearward end portions straddling and extending rearwardly beyond the barb and terminating short of said return-bend and being joined by a compatible bait lodging and cradling saddle, legs being longitudinally bowed, the predetermined inherent resiliency of said legs serving to suspend and lift said saddle in a manner that it is yieldiNgly urged to a bait squeezing and clenching position adjacent said barbed bill portion, the upper side of the body portion of said spoon being provided with flexible bait positioning, harnessing and retaining means for a predetermined attachable portion of a suitable bait, and, in combination, a flexible bait comprising an imitation plastic worm having a headed forward portion superimposed upon said body portion and retentively encompassed by said positioning, harnessing and retaining means with its headed end abutting that portion of the spoon at the juncture of the body and head portions of said spoon, the tail portion of said worm being unrestrained and extending beyond the return-bend of said hook, a first part of the median portion being buckled upwardly, wedged and held captive between the legs of said weed guard, a minimal part being lodged and cradled in said saddle, and an adjacent part being pierced by and impaled on the pointed barbed bill portion of said return-bend.

Claim 6

The lure defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein said positioning, harnessing and retaining means comprises a length of wire having longitudinally spaced terminal end portions anchored atop said body portion and the in-between portion fashioned into spiralling coils of a size and manner permitting a portion of the worm to be threaded endwise through and retentively embraced by said coils.