Fish dimension recording towel

• US 20060005460A1
• Filed: 06/28/2004
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mark E. Bittrick
• Original Assignee: Mark E. Bittrick
• Inventors: Bittrick, Mark E.
• Application Number:
  US10/878,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20060005460A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 43/43.400
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/90 Sorting, grading, counting or marking live aquatic animals, e.g. sex determination
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/00 Accessories for angling fish stringers A01K65/00; landing-nets or landing-spoons for fishing A01K77/00

Abstract

A fish dimension recording towel and a method of using the fish dimension recording towel are disclosed which are for use in recording the non-weight measurement of a live trophy fish in a catch, photograph, and release fishing program. The fish dimension-recording towel includes a water absorbent fabric having a top side having a non-smooth top surface with a grid portion with grid units having known dimensions thereon. The towel is wetted and placed onto a flat surface with the grid portion exposed. The trophy fish is positioned on the grid portion and two view photographs are taken of the fish on the grid portion of the fish dimension recording towel, one with the fish on its side and the other with the fish rotated about ninety degrees, after which the fish is released. From the printed photographs, the grid units covered by the fish in each of the areas where measurement data is needed may be counted. The length, width, and thickness of the trophy fish, as well as the relative locations of its features, can be calculated and used to create a dimensionally correct replica of the trophy fish.

Claims

1. A fish dimension recording towel comprising:

a water-absorbent fabric segment having a top side and an opposite bottom side with a thickness therebetween, said top side of said fabric segment having a non-smooth top surface, said bottom side having a back surface, said fabric segment having a width and a length;

grid indicia located on said non-smooth top surface of said fabric segment, said grid indicia having a plurality of grid units in horizontal and vertical directions thereon, said grid indicia having a width and a length which are of sufficient size to accommodate a fish placed thereupon; and

textual indicia located on at least one of said top surface of said fabric segment and said back surface of said fabric segment.

2. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 1, wherein said fabric segment comprises:

a textured terry cloth cotton fabric.

3. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 1, wherein said grid indicia comprises:

a plurality of identically sized grid units.

4. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 3, wherein said grid units comprises:

a plurality of identically dimensioned squares.

5. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 4, wherein said squares are each approximately one inch square.

6. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 3, wherein said grid indicia comprises:

a plurality of identically dimensioned rectangles.

7. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 6, wherein said rectangles are each approximately one-half inch by one inch in size.

8. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 1, wherein said grid indicia is printed on said top side of said fabric segment.

9. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 1, wherein said top surface comprises:

a border area surrounding said grid indicia in which said grid indicia is not present.

10. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 9, wherein said textual indicia is located on said top surface in said border area.

11. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 10, wherein said textual indicia is also located on said back surface.

12. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 11, wherein textual indicia located on said top surface is related to a first party and textual indicia located on said back surface is related to a second party.

13. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 12, wherein said first party comprises:

either a manufacturer, a distributor, or a seller of said fish dimension recording towel; and

wherein said second party comprises;

a business located in the same geographic region as a seller of said fish dimension recording towel.

14. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 1, wherein said textual indicia comprises:

indicia related to at least one of a manufacturer of said fish dimension recording towel, a distributor of said fish dimension recording towel, a seller of said fish dimension recording towel, instructions on use of said fish dimension recording towel, and advertising.

15. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 14, wherein said textual indicia is located both on said top surface of said fabric segment and on said back surface of said fabric segment.

16. A fish dimension recording towel as defined in claim 14, wherein said textual indicia is related to a party which is at least one of a manufacturer of said fish dimension recording towel, a distributor of said fish dimension recording towel, a seller of said fish dimension recording towel, and wherein said textual indicia comprises:

a name of said party and at least one of an address of said party, a telephone number of said party, the address of a website of said party, and advertising information related to said party.

17. A fish dimension recording towel comprising:

a water-absorbent fabric segment having a top side and an opposite bottom side with a thickness therebetween, said top side of said fabric segment having a non-smooth top surface, said bottom side also having a surface, said fabric segment having a width and a length;

grid indicia located on said non-smooth top surface of said fabric segment, said grid indicia having a plurality of grid units in horizontal and vertical directions thereon, said grid indicia having a width and a length which are of sufficient size to accommodate a fish placed thereupon;

textual indicia located on said top surface of said fabric segment and related to at least one of a manufacturer of said fish dimension recording towel, a distributor of said fish dimension recording towel, a seller of said fish dimension recording towel, instructions on use of said fish dimension recording towel, and advertising; and

textual indicia located on said back surface of said fabric segment and related to advertising.

18. A fish dimension recording towel comprising:

a fabric segment having a top side and an opposite bottom side, said top side of said fabric segment having a top surface, said bottom side also having a surface, said fabric segment having a width and a length;

grid indicia located on said non-smooth top surface of said fabric segment, said grid indicia having a plurality of grid units in horizontal and vertical directions thereon; and

textual indicia located on at least one of said top surface of said fabric segment and said back surface of said fabric segment.

19. A method of recording non-weight physical measurements of a fish for a catch, photograph and release program, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a fish dimension recording towel wherein the towel comprises, a water absorbent fabric having a top-side and an opposite reverse side with a thickness therebetween;

the top-side having a non-smooth top surface, the non-smooth top surface having a grid portion thereon, the grid portion having a plurality of grid units, and the opposite reverse side having a surface;

dipping the fish dimension recording towel into water to wet the towel;

removing the wet towel from the water and placing it on a flat surface oriented with the surface of the reverse side of the towel in contact with the flat surface and with the top-side of the towel with the grid portion facing outward;

placing a caught fish on the grid with the fish oriented so that the fish lies flat on one of its sides and is placed anywhere within the grid portion;

taking a first top view photograph of the fish on the towel;

tipping the fish from its side to a vertical position, with the fish disposed anywhere within the grid portion;

taking a second top view photograph of the fish on the towel with the fish in the vertical position; and

removing the fish from the towel and releasing the fish into the water.