Flexible fishing lure tails and appendages

• US 6,857,220 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2002
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cowboy Outdoors Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bobby D. King
• Inventors: King, Bobby D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ark, Darren W.
• Application Number:
  US10/175,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20020194770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 43/420.3, 43/422.4, 43/422.8, 43/422.9, 43/423.7, 43/424.5, 43/421.5, 43/420.6
• US Class Current: 43/42.28
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 85/00 Artificial bait for fishing

Abstract

Flexible fishing lure tails and appendages having extending or projecting shoulder surfaces to facilitate a simulated swimming action by the drag and eddy principle of water flow. One or more shoulders are provided in the surfaces of the flexible fishing lure tails to facilitate the swimming action as the lure to which the tail or appendage is attached is retrieved through a water body. This swimming action due to the vibration of the tail and appendage segment and the body of the fishing lure is unique and simulates live lizards, worms, crawfish, grubs, minnows and the like, a primary characteristic that attracts fish. The tail and appendage segments can be removably or permanently fixed to both hard and soft body lures or molded in combination with a lure body of selected length, size, color and plastic composition characteristics to facilitate the desired swimming action and vibration and thus the attraction to game fish of every variety.

Claims

1. A fishing lure comprising:

a lure body;

a flexible tail neck extending from said lure body;

a flexible forked tail portion extending from said flexible tail neck, said flexible forked tail portion having opposite, substantially symmetrical side surface and opposite, substantially symmetrical tail edges, said forked tail portion further comprising an upper fork extension, a lower fork extension and a central portion therebetween, said upper fork extension and said lower fork extension diverging from said central portion wherein said lure body and said forked tail portion each taper toward said tail neck, respectively, from a front and a rear of said tail neck; and

a single rounded, solid, continuous and unbroken shoulder provided in each of said side surfaces of said flexible forked tail portion, said single rounded, solid, continuous and unbroken shoulder extending from said flexible tail neck to said tail edges of said flexible forked tail portion, and said single, rounded, solid, continuous and unbroken shoulder extending outwardly transverse to a longitudinal axis of said fishing lure from said upper fork extension, and downwardly and forwardly to said central portion, and then downwardly and rearwardly to the lower fork extension from said central portion on each of said side surfaces, said single shoulder having a convex shape throughout its entirety and said flexible forked tail portion being free of any grooves or pockets extending into said forked tail portion in a rearward direction along the axis of the fishing lure, for imparting vibration and a simulated swimming action to said flexible forked tail portion and said lure body responsive to retrieval of said fishing lure through a body of water.

2. A method for inducing vibration and a simulated swimming action in a flexible fishing lure, said method comprising the step of:

providing a fishing lure comprising;

a lure body;

a flexible tail neck extending from said lure body;

a flexible forked tail portion extending from said flexible tail neck, said flexible forked tail portion having opposite, substantially symmetrical side surfaces and opposite, substantially symmetrical tail edges, said forked tail portion further comprising an upper fork extension and a lower fork extension, and a central portion therebetween, said upper fork extension and said lower fork extension diverging from said central portion, wherein said lure body and forked tail portion each taper toward said tail neck, respectively, from a front and rear of said tail neck; and

a single rounded, solid, continuous and unbroken shoulder provided in each of said side surfaces of said flexible forked tail portion, said single rounded, solid, continuous and unbroken shoulder extending from said flexible tail neck to said tail edges of said flexible forked tail portion, and said single, rounded, solid, continuous and unbroken shoulder extending outwardly transverse to a longitudinal axis of said fishing lure from said upper fork extension and downwardly and forwardly to said central portion, and then downwardly and rearwardly to the lower fork extension from said central portion on each of said side surfaces, said single shoulder having a convex shape throughout its entirety and said flexible forked tail portion being free of any grooves or pockets extending into said forked tail portion in a rearward direction along the axis of the fishing lure, for imparting vibration and a simulated swimming action to said flexible forked tail portion and said lure body responsive to retrieval of said fishing lure through a body of water.