US 20070199232A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2007/0199232 A1 Littlejohn (43) Pub. Date: Aug. 30, 2007 (54) WEEDLESS TOPWATER FISHING LURE (52) U.S. Cl. ........................ 43/42.1; 43/42.24; 43/42.37; 43/42.41 (76) Inventor: Robert L. Littlejohn, Fruitvale, TX (US) (57) ABSTRACT Correspondence Address: A weedless topwater lure that simulates the movement and LAW OFFICE OF STEVEN B. LEAVITT, action of fleeing prey and is attractive to fish. In addition, the L.L.P. lure is rigged in a manner that allows a major portion of the P.O. BOX 537 fishing hook to be hidden inside the lure body to avoid ROWLETT, TX 75030-0537 (US) entanglement in vegetation in the water or on its Surface. The (21) Appl. No.: 11/362,986 lure comprises a single, integral unit made of a soft, pliable, plastic material with a main body portion terminating in a (22) Filed: Feb. 27, 2006 bell-shaped head and a slender, curled tail end having a flat, rounded tip. A hook channel running at least a portion of the Publication Classification underside of the main body is used to rig the lure with a fishing hook in a manner that hides the majority of the hook (51) Int. Cl. inside the lure body. When the lure is drawn across water, AIK 85/02 (2006.01) the head appears to 'gulp' in and expel water to simulate the AIK 85/00 (2006.01) action of live prey. 10 Patent Application Publication Aug. 30, 2007 US 2007/0199232 A1 & 12 14 24 26 US 2007/0199232 A1 Aug. 30, 2007 WEEDLESS TOPWATERFISHING LURE 0008. The primary advantages of the lure is its ability to simulate the movement and action of fleeing prey moving BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION along the Surface of the water, the creation of an intake of water to create an apparent gulping in and expelling of 0001) 1. Technical Field water that creates a “popping sound. Also, the lure of the 0002 This invention relates generally to fishing lures present invention includes a hidden fish hook inside the and, more particularly, to a weedless topwater fishing lure body of the lure making the lure more attractive to fish and that simulates the movement of fleeing prey and when used, less prone to entanglement in vegetation in or on the Surface makes a sound that is attractive to fish. of the water. 0003 2. Description of Related Art BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 0004 Many efforts have been made to simulate the shape, movement, sound and smell of different types of food that 0009. The novel features believed characteristic of the fish are attracted to and it is well known that fish are attracted invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention to artificial lures that simulate these characteristics of their itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further natural prey. With the advent of soft plastic materials, lures objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood have been created to resemble worms, crawfish, frogs, and by reference to the following detailed description of illus the like. Not only can soft plastic lures be shaped and trative embodiments when read in conjunction with the colored to resemble natural prey, they also have the ability accompanying drawings, wherein: to bend and twist allowing them to simulate live bait movement. These soft plastic lures are relatively inexpen 0010 FIG. 1 is side view of a weedless topwater fishing sive to manufacture and readily available for individuals lure in accordance with the present invention; who fish to purchase or produce themselves using lure 0011 FIG. 2 is a top view of a weedless topwater fishing molds. lure in accordance with the present invention; 0005. Despite the obvious advantages of soft plastic 0012 FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a weedless lures, there are drawbacks to their use. Although these lures topwater fishing lure in accordance with the present inven have the ability to somewhat mimic the motion of live prey, tion; and the motion exhibited is usually unnatural and unattractive to fish. Also, because many of these lures are typically rigged 0013 FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a weedless topwater in a manner in which the fishing hook is disposed outside the fishing lure in accordance with the present invention. body of the lure, the lure can easily get entangled in any vegetation it encounters in or on the Surface of the water. In DETAILED DESCRIPTION addition, a visible fishing hook is another unnatural quality of a fishing lure that can be unattractive to fish. An additional 0014. In the following detailed description, reference is drawback to soft plastic lures is, due to their soft, pliable made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, nature, a fish may be able to bite through the lure and avoid and in which is shown by way of illustration, specific a trailing or exposed fishing hook resulting in escape from embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. capture. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and 0006 Therefore, there exists a continuing need for a new it is to be understood that other embodiments may be and improved one piece, Soft plastic topwater fishing lure utilized. It is also to be understood that structural, procedural that simulates the attractive shape and movements of desired and system changes may be made without departing from fish's natural prey. Further, the need exists for the improved the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following lure to be rigged with a fishing hook in a manner that makes detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting the lure "weedless' or less prone to entanglement in Veg sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by etation in the water or on its surface without compromising the appended claims and their equivalents. For clarity of the integrity of the lure body. It is also desirable that an exposition, like features shown in the accompanying draw improved lure when used during fishing make Sounds that ings are indicated with like reference numerals and similar are attractive to fish. features as shown in alternate embodiments in the drawings are indicated with similar reference numerals. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 0015 With reference to the accompanying drawings, a 0007. The present invention addresses the foregoing need preferred embodiment of weedless topwater fishing lure 10 for an improved lure and is a weedless topwater lure that is is shown in FIG.1. Lure 10 is comprised of a single, integral comprised of a single, integral unit made of a soft, pliable, unit containing head end 18, tail end 22, and main body plastic material with a main body portion terminating in a portion 12. bell-shaped head and a slender, curled tail end having a flat, rounded tip. The bell-shaped head end has a deeply cupped 0016 Main body portion 12 is substantially cylindrical in interior completely exposed to the air, water, and vegetation shape and terminates at head end 18 and tail end 22. In of the fishing environment. A hook channel runs the length addition, the circumference of main body portion 12 is of the underside of the main body portion of the lure. The widest at its center and tapers down to tail end 22. Main hook channel can be used to rig the lure with a hook in a body portion 12 contains topside 14 and underside 16. manner that hides the hook inside the main body portion of During use, underside 16 is typically in contact with the the lure and prevents the hook from becoming entangled in surface of the water. Underside 16 contains at least a portion vegetation. of hook channel 30 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. US 2007/0199232 A1 Aug. 30, 2007 0017 Hook channel 30 is a linear channel and runs at this action, head end 18 appears to 'gulp' in and expel water least a portion of the length of underside 16 of main body when lure 10 breaks or moves along the water surface and portion 12. Hook channel 30 has a width between about 4s such action is similar to the action exhibited by live prey. of an inch and about /4 of an inch and a length between Also, the deeply cupped interior 20 of head end 18 appears about 1/32 of an inch and about 3/8 of an inch. Preferably, as to take in water and, when the action of main body portion shown in FIG. 1, the depth and width of hook channel 30 is 12 and tail end causes head end 18 to move quickly upwards, such that a fishing hook similar to hook 28 can be relatively cupped interior 20 will appear to expel the water into the air easily attached to lure 10 and at least a portion of the hook and produce a “popping Sound that is often attractive to is contained within channel 30 without compromising the fish. structural integrity of lure 10. In the preferred embodiment 0023 The invention has been described with reference to of lure 10, which has an overall length L' of about 6 inches, a preferred embodiment. Obviously, modification and alter the width and depth of hook channel 30 is about /s of an inch ations will occur to others skilled in the art upon reading and and about 3/16 of an inch, respectively.