Trolling assembly with hydrodynamic planer board, strike indicator, night lighting, and novel fishing line release

Abstract

A trolling planer board made of lightweight translucent material has a continuous light source for night fishing and a day or night easily perceptible strike indicator. The light, indicator, and their power supply are housed in a water-tight compartment away from the elements and fishing lines. The strike indicator may comprise a blinking light, a strobe light, a sound, or any other alerting means. Fishing line releases comprise only three moldable pieces, made of weather impervious material and can be used to maintain a hold on the fishing line or to release it, as desired. The planer, made of weather impervious material and having no exposed accessory parts that are sensitive to the elements, can be used in fresh or salt water. The planer's hydrodynamic design eliminates the need for planning board rods and heavy test lines and the weight of the power supply eliminates any need for additional weights.

Description

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX Not Applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to the sport of fishing and, particularly, to troll fishing using planer boards. The background information discussed below is presented to better illustrate the novelty of the present invention. This background information is not admitted prior art. To be successful at fishing, a fisherman must understand what motivates a fish to “bite.” In other words, a fisherman must know what stimuli will induce a fish into attacking its prey. Carnivorous fish stalk their prey as it moves through the water. That is, carnivorous fish strike at moving targets. So, to capture a carnivorous fish, a fisherman should provide for the bait to move through the water. This frequently is accomplished by fishing from a moving boat. The boat, along with ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention satisfies the urgent need in the art for a trolling assembly comprising a lighted planer board with strike indicator that offers the highest level of bait presentation while troll fishing in shallow water. The trolling assembly of the present invention comprises a planer board comprising an enclosed, hollow casing having at least one interior compartment. A first compartment is a watertight compartment fashioned to house the power supply, lighting system, strike indicator, and related electrical connections to keep all of the power-related elements sheltered from the risks of damage by the elements and, additionally, to keep the electrical components away from the fishing line, thus eliminating potential tangling hazards. At least one of the lights that is housed in the water-tight compartment may be set to emit continuous light when night fishing. The strike indicator, also housed in the water-tight compartment, is designed to alert fisher people when a fish has accepted the bait, regardless of when one is fishing, day or night.

In one preferred embodiment, the body of the planer board comprises a hollow casing in which there is located at least one compartment that is a water-tight compartment. The continuous light source, the strike indicator, and the related power supply are housed in this water-tight compartment. Thus, in this embodiment, the planer board is made from a translucent material so that the light emanating from inside the water-tight compartment can be seen easily from some distance away. The continuous light source, useful when night fishing, may comprise one or several light sources connected in parallel, for providing continuously bright light.

Another embodiment of the planar board of the trolling assembly further comprises a second compartment located in the hollow space of the planar board casing which contains a buoyant object capable of increasing the buoyancy of the planar board where such an object may be a light-weight, sturdy to the elements, foam block.

The fishing line releases of the trolling assembly comprise: i) a first clamping jaw having a distal and proximal end and a first and second surface; ii) a second clamping jaw having a distal and proximal end and a first and second surface, and iii) a moveable clamping collar to fit about the first and second clamping jaws; wherein the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw are coupled at their respective distal ends to effectively bias their proximal ends apart from each other so as to provide a space into which a fishing line is threaded, and where the collar fits about the two parts to counter-bias the proximal ends toward each other to reversibly hold the fishing line. The fishing line release is preferably made of a non-metal material and may be manufactured by a molding process.

Problems solved by technology

The boat, along with its noisy engine, however, often “spooks” the fish.

When fishing at night, however, seeing the planer, and knowing when a fish has struck, is problematic.

There have been only a few attempts at providing a planer with a light indicator, but all have serious drawbacks.

One of the major problems of this apparatus is that its battery, light, wiring, fishing line release, cam, two springs (one in the light circuit and one that acts to uplift the flag), and the contact are attached to the outside of the planer.

This means that all of these pieces and the wiring are subject to corrosion, especially if the planer is used in salt water.

Even if the water body is fresh water, corrosion rates are accelerated when the part to be corroded is in water.

The complexity of this system indicates a high manufacturing cost and fairly easy breakage of the many delicate parts.

Undoubtedly, what is sorely needed is a planar that, while providing for a light and a strike indicator, has no electrical wiring or connections that are exposed to the elements, especially to water.

This envisioned system, however, would suffer from the same problems discussed above.

The wiring would be exposed to the elements and to the damage presented by them, as well as by the strain the wires can be expected to encounter while a fisherman is bringing in his fish, and also would pose a tangle hazard to the fishing line.

In other words, if the planer were to be used for night fishing, there is no way to track the position of the planer, except during the time a fish strikes.

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