US 20130061513A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2013/0061513 A1 Grevich (43) Pub. Date: Mar. 14, 2013 (54) FISHINGSINKER (57) ABSTRACT A fishing sinker that reduces loss of the sinker and other (76) Inventor: John J. Grevich, Star Prairie, WI (US) tackle due to being Snagged. The sinker includes an elastic portion extending between a first weighted end and a second (21) Appl. No.: 13/230,213 weighted end. The elastic portion allows the sinker to extend in length when a force is applied thereto, and return to essen (22) Filed: Sep. 12, 2011 tially its original length when the force is removed. When a force is applied to the fishing line, the fisherman is able to O O determine by feel whether the sinker is lodged in a snare or if Publication Classification a fish is on the hook. If the sinker is Snagged, when the fisherman applies force to set the hook, the sinker stretches, (51) Int. Cl. which the fisherman can feel and thus realize that there is no AIK 95/00 (2006.01) fish but that the sinker is snagged. When the force is released, (52) U.S. Cl. the elastic portion Snaps back, often resulting in a sling-shot USPC ........................................................... 43/43.1 effect dislodging the sinker. Patent Application Publication Mar. 14, 2013 Sheet 1 of 2 US 2013/0061513 A1 Patent Application Publication Mar. 14, 2013 Sheet 2 of 2 US 2013/0061513 A1 US 2013/0061513 A1 Mar. 14, 2013 FISHING SNKER released the elastic portion Snaps back, often resulting in a sling-shot affect dislodging the sinker, thus reducing the situ FIELD OF THE INVENTION ations needs to move the boat and waste precious fishingtime. 0001. This invention generally relates to fishing devices. 0008. In one particular embodiment, this invention is to a In particular, this invention is a sinker weight. fishing sinker adapted for attachment to a fishing line. The sinker has an elastic body having a first end and a second end, BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION with a first weight at or proximate to the first end of the body and a second weight at or proximate to the second end of the 0002 Fishing is supposed to be a tranquil and enjoyable body. The sinker includes an attachment mechanism at the sport. For some types of fishing, particularly trolling, it is first end for attaching the sinker to a fishing line. The body desirable to maneuver the hook and bait along or close to the may be resiliently bendable and stretchable, so that it can be bottom of the lake, river or other waterway. To maintain the resiliently deformed by a pulling force to generatea snapback hook at the desired level, a weight commonly known as a reaction. The body may have a length of at least 3 inches, in sinker is attached to the fishing line in close proximity to the Some embodiments at least 5 inches. In some embodiments, hook, either in front of or back from the hook. The weight the elastic body has an elongation potential of at least 50%, or sinks below the water surface and carries with it the fishing at least 100%; that is, the elastic body can elongate or be hook. stretched at least 50%, or at least 100%. Further in some 0003) A problem that occurs with the use of fish line sink embodiments, the elastic body has an elongation potential of ers is that the sinker can sink to the bottom of the stream or at least 1 inch, Such as of 1 to 4 inches; that is, that is, the lake and get wedged among rocks, logs, and the like. When elastic body can elongate or be stretched at least 1 inch, Such this happens, unless the fisherman is successful is freeing the as 1 to 4 inches. Also in some embodiments, the second sinker, the line has to be broken or cut, resulting in loss of not weight at the second end of the sinker is at least 0.5 ounce only the sinker but also the hook and bait. greater than the first weight. The elastic body may be tubular. 0004 Additionally, when the sinker first becomes wedged Either or both of the first weight and the second weight may or otherwise Snared, the fisherman feels a tug on the line. be positioned within a tubular elastic body. In some embodi Most fisherman, thinking that a fish is taking the bait, attempt ments, the elastic body is latex. to set the hook by jerking the rod and line. Unfortunately, if 0009. In another particular embodiment, this invention is it is not a fish but a snared sinker, the result is abroken line and to a fishing sinker having a body having a first end and a lost sinker, hook and bait. second end, with the body having an elastic portion between the first end and the second end. A first weight is at the first BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION end of the body and a second weight is at the second end of the 0005. The present invention is a fishing sinker that inhibits body. An attachment mechanism is provided at the first end and preferably eliminates the potential of losing the sinker for attaching the sinker to a fishing line. The elastic portion and other tackle due to being Snared among rocks or the like. may be resiliently bendable and stretchable, so that it can be The sinker of this invention includes an elastic portion resiliently deformed by a pulling force to generatea snapback extending between a first end for attaching the sinker to a reaction. fishing line to a second, weighted end. The elastic portion 0010. In another particular embodiment, this invention is allows the sinker to extend in length when a force is applied to a fishing sinker having an elastic body having a first end and thereto, and return to essentially its original length when the a second end, a first weight at or proximate to the first end of force is removed. The sinker also includes a weight between the bod, and a second weight at or proximate to the second the first end and the weight at the second end, with the elastic end of the body, and an attachment mechanism at the first end portion extending between the weights; in most embodi for attaching the sinker to a fishing line. The sinker is resil ments, this weight is close to or at the first end. iently bendable and resiliently stretchable, so that it can be 0006. The sinker of this invention is not in line between the resiliently deformed by a pulling force to generatea snapback rod and the hook, but is attached to the line, either before or reaction. after the hook, so that the elastic portion does not affect the 0011. These and various other features and advantages of connection between the fisherman and the hook. the invention will be apparent from a reading of the following 0007. With the sinker of this invention, when a force is detailed description. applied to the fishing line, the fisherman is able to determine by feel whether the sinker is lodged in a snare or if a fish is on BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING the hook. When the fisherman attempts to set the hook, if it is 0012. The invention may be more completely understood indeed a fish on the hook, the connection between the rod and in consideration of the following detailed description of vari the fish is a direct connection via the fishing line, allowing an ous embodiments of the invention in connection with the unhindered motion that hopefully results in a caught fish. accompanying drawing, in which: However, if the sinker is snared, when the fisherman attempts to set the hook, the elastic portion of the sinker stretches, 0013 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sinker according to which the fisherman can feel and thus realize that there is no the present invention attached to a fishing line; fish but that it is the sinker that is snared. Knowing that the 0014 FIG. 2 is a side plan view of a first embodiment of a sinker is Snared, the fisherman can attempt to dislodge the sinker according to the present invention; sinker from the Snag by changing the angle of the line to the 0015 FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 Snag, for example, by moving the boat backwards. However, of FIG. 2: the sinker of the present invention, having two weights with 0016 FIG. 4A is a side plan view of an alternate embodi an elastic portion therebetween, when force is applied thus ment of a sinker according to the present invention in a causing the elastic portion to stretch, when the force is relaxed state; FIG. 4B is the sinker in an elongate state; and US 2013/0061513 A1 Mar. 14, 2013 0017 FIG.5 is a side plan view of another embodiment of weights 25, 27 could be one or more individual weights that a sinker according to the present invention. are attached on the surface of body 22 (for example, multiple individual weights could be evenly spaced around the other DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION circumference of body 22). In this embodiment, each of 0018. The present invention is a fishing sinker having an weights 25, 27 are completely encased by or within body 22. elongate elastic portion extending between a first weight (0026. Each of weights 25, 27 is typically at least 0.5 proximate the end of the sinker for attaching the sinker to a ounces and may be as much as 8 ounces, depending on the fishing line and a second weight, proximate the other end of overall rigging, the desired depth of the hook and the target the sinker.