GB2440706A

GB2440706A - Fish attractant

Info

Publication number: GB2440706A
Application number: GB0604723A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lesley Denise Bailey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: HAYNES, GRAHAM B
Priority date: 2006-03-09
Filing date: 2006-03-09
Publication date: 2008-02-13
Also published as: GB0604723D0

Abstract

A fish attractant contains at least one trigger substance having a smell, taste, and/or colour for attracting fish and substantially no water. A bait pouch comprises a water-soluble container 22 containing said attractant 26. For preference the pouch is made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA, PVOH). The lack of water in the attractant composition means that the pouch material is not degraded prior to immersion in water during use.

Description

* 2440706 Fish Attractant This invention relates generally to an

arrangement and method for use in angling for introducing a fish attracting substance around a baited area so as to attract fish to the baited area and stimulate the fish into feeding.

It is currently well known for fishermen to place a quantity of food-grade fish attractant substance into a Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) bag, attach the bag to the hook or alternative means of attachment, and then cast their fishing line into the water. The PVA bag dissolves when it enters the water and a trail of fish attractant substance is dispersed therefrom to attract fish to the area.

However, because known fish attractants may have a slight water-based content, they start to dissolve the cold-water-soluble PVA film from the inside, at different rates depending on the ratio, as the attractant is placed in the bag. As a result, the PVA bag begins to disintegrate as soon as it comes into contact with water, or even before, and the trail of attractant dispersed from the bag may extend from the water surface to the desired area, with the strength thereof tending to decrease in the direction of the baited area. Thus, the fish may follow the trail of attractant to the surrounding area of the hook, whereas it would be significantly more preferable for the fish to be drawn substantially directly to the hook.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement and method for introducing a fish attractant, which is defused to the closest possible proximity of the hook.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a fish attractant comprising a trigger substance having a smell, taste and/or colour, for attracting fish, said trigger containing substantially no water.

Also in accordance with the present invention there is provided a bait pouch comprising a sealed water-soluble pouch containing a liquid or solid fish attractant according to any of claims 1 to 6.

in accordance with the present invention there is further provided a method of manufacturing a bait pouch according to any one of claims 7 to 9, comprising providing a sealed pouch, regardless of its shape or size, of water-soluble material, said pouch defining an enclosure which encapsulates a quantity of liquid or solid bait attractant, according to any one of claims 1 to 6 into said enclosure.

Thus, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the above-mentioned object is achieved by providing a liquid or solid fish attractant or bait in a sealed PVA bag or pouch, the liquid or solid bait comprising a dehydrated, concentrated flavouring (or trigger substance), preferably a known trigger substance which has no water content which may be mixed with a non-water based carrier liquid or solid, such that the bait or attractant does not start to dissolve the bag from the inside. Thus, the pouch does not start to degrade until it comes into contact with water and thus enables the angler to position the end tackle within the desired area before the attractant is released. The pouch sinks to the bottom of the body of water and diffuses the attractant around the desired area, so as to attract fish and encourage them to feed within the vicinity of the end tackle.

Beneficially, said fish attractant is mixed with a non-water based carrier liquid or solid.

Preferably, said carrier has a freezing point below 5 C, and beneficially the carrier is substantially odourless. Preferably, the trigger substance comprises dehydrated concentrated food grade flavourings and beneficially, the trigger substance is coloured and the carrier is substantially colourless.

Beneficially, the pouch is formed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The pouch preferably further may comprise of a tab or tabs for enabling it to be attached to a fishing hook or end tackle.

These and other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from, and elucidated with reference to, the embodiments described herein.

Embodiments of the present will now be described, by way of examples only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the dispersion distribution from a prior art bait bag arrangement wherein a water based attractant is used; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a plan-view of a PVA pouch according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a schematic representation showing a side-view of a PVA pouch according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the dispersion distribution from a pouch arrangement according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein a dehydrated attractant is used.

Referring to Figure 1, a schematic diagram of a fishing line 2 is shown with its hook 4 positioned in a desired location in the water 6. A prior art bag 8 containing liquid or solid attractant, as previously described, is fixed to the line or hook 2 in the desired position in relation to the hook 4. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the bag 8 may be located on the hook 4 itself, or to any other desirable location on the end tackle. A trigger area 10 is defined by the trigger component of the liquid or solid attractant as it exits the dissolving PVA bag 8.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, a pouch 20 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. The term "pouch" is used herein to indicate a pocket or bag, including any pocket-like or bag-like structure of any size or shape, that may be or is sealed. The pouch 20 shown in this embodiment may comprise of first and second pieces 22, 24 of film, the two pieces 22, 24 being sealed together to create a sealed enclosure therebetween. In this exemplary embodiment, one edge may have a wider seam than the other edges, creating a flap 27 that may be used to aid in attaching the pouch 20 to the end tackle. The pieces 22, 24 of PVA film in this exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be between 20 microns to 80 microns thick. However, any thickness may be used that does not prejudice the efficiency of the bait pouch 20, as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art. The sealing of the two portions 22, 24 may be achieved by means of applied heat and pressure, or by any other suitable method of sealing the two portions 22, 24 together. Once sealed, liquid or solid attractant 26 will be encapsulated into the sealed pouch 20, for example by way of a syringe-like nozzle, possibly including further sealing afterwards to ensure a liquid-tight barrier between the two portions 22, 24. In another exemplary embodiment the liquid or solid attractant 26 may be inserted into the pouch 20 by way of an unsealed edge that can subsequently be sealed.

The liquid or solid attractor 26 may comprise a concentrated trigger substance or substances mixed with a carrier substance or substances. Such trigger substances are well known in the art, and include liquid or solid flavours that are produced in a number of different varieties such as strawberry, tutti frutti, maple, hemp, and many others. Such flavours generally comprise, as active ingredients, natural oils and/or synthetic alternatives that fish find attractive and also stimulates them to feed. The trigger substance have their water content removed, possibly by means of distillation, although any other suitable method may be used to provide a concentrated trigger substance(s) with substantially no water content, so as to prevent it from dissolving the PVA film of the pouch from the inside.

Preferably, the carrier(s) comprise substance(s) with little or no smell of their own, so as not to alter the overall smell' given off by the liquid or solid attractor(s) 26. The carrier(s) should also be non-water based so as not dissolve the PVA film. The carrier(s) should have viscosity characteristics such that they do not harden when cold and should be environmentally friendly.

In this embodiment the chosen carrier(s) are food grade substances. A preferred choice of such carrier may be a substance known in the art such as Polyoxyethylene, possibly in the form of a non-ionic surfactant and emulsifier obtained from various types of fruit, although any suitable alternative may be used, for example Monopropylene Glycol. The function of the carrier is to act as a dispersing agent and to further increase the solubility of the attractant. Ideally, any carriers chosen should have a freezing point of less than 5 C.

In another embodiment, amino acids may be included in the liquid or solid attractants. Such a substance may also act as a trigger, adding a stimulant to the attractant, and therefore instigating a strong feeding response in different types of fish. Amino acids tends to be provided in granular form, however it is known in the art that they are more effective in liquid form.

Because the liquid or solid attractants inside the pouch 20 does not dissolve it internally, the pouch 20 only starts to dissolve upon entering the water 6. Thus, the hook or end tackle has time to fall to a desired position in the water 6, before the pouch 20 degrades to a critical point at which the liquid or solid attractant is caused to disperse therefrom. Referring to Figure 4, the hook 4 is shown in its desired position, with the liquid or solid pouch 20 attached by some fixing means to the end tackle 2 (or to the hook 4 itself). The pouch 20 may be arranged and configured to allow any number of possible fixing positions, or alternatively it may not require fixing at all. The trigger area 100 shown here is substantially more localised with respect to the hook 4, compared with that shown in Figure 1. A fish is thus drawn to a more precise area 100 in relation to the area of the hook 4 and is therefore more likely to be stimulated into taking any offerings of bait thereon. In an alternative embodiment, the liquid or solid pouch 20 may be inserted in a known dynamite stick consisting of bait, which is cast into the water and explodes therein to release the bait and pouch 20. The pouch then dissolves as it falls though the water until it degrades sufficiently to permit the liquid or solid attractant therein to disperse therefrom and at a desired location.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be capable of designing many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed in parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claims. The word "comprising" and "comprises", and the like, does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in any claim or the specification as a whole.

The singular reference of an element does not exclude the plural reference of such elements and vice-versa. The invention may be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements. In a device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

Claims

CLAIMS: I. A fish attractant comprising at least one trigger substance

having a smell, taste and/or colour, for attracting fish, said at least one trigger containing substantially no water.

2. A fish attractant according to claim I, wherein said at least one trigger substance is mixed with non-water based carrier liquids or solids.

3. A fish attractant according to claim 2, wherein said carrier liquid or solid has a freezing point below 5 C.

4. A fish attractant according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said carrier liquid or solid is substantially odourless.

5. A fish attractant according to any of claims I to 4, wherein said trigger substance(s) comprise concentrated food grade flavourings having substantially no water content.

6 A fish attractant according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein said trigger substance(s) are coloured and said liquid or solid carrier(s) are substantially colourless.

7. A liquid or solid bait attractant pouch comprising a sealed water-soluble pouch containing a liquid or solid fish attractant according to any of claims Ito 6.

8. A liquid or solid bait attractant pouch according to claim 7, wherein said pouch is formed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).

9. A liquid or solid bait attractant pouch according to claim 7 or claim 8, comprising a tab or tabs for enabling said pouch to be attached to a fishing hook or end tackle.

10. A method of manufacturing a liquid or solid bait attractant pouch according to any one of claims 7 to 9, comprising providing a sealed pouch of water-soluble material, said pouch defining an enclosure which encapsulates a quantity of liquid or solid fish attractant(s) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 into said enclosure.