SLIP BOBBER RIG
A slip bobber rig having an elongated member carrying a slip bobber and a bobber stop with one end of the line securable to a fishing line and the other end of the line securable to an article of fishing tackle as well as a method of attaching a slip bobber to a fishing line without having to thread the fishing line through the slip bobber.
This application is a continuation of and claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/130,891, filed May 17, 2005 and titled Slip Bobber Rig, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to fishing rigs and, more specifically, to a slip bobber fishing rig that one can quickly attach to a fishing line.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe use of slip bobbers are known in the art. Typically, a line stop, which is small enough to pass through the eye on a fishing rod or reel, is secured to a fishing line to form either a one piece bobber stop or part of a two piece bobber stop. In the two piece bobber stop, a bobber stop includes a hollow bead or the like that slides along the fishing line but because of the small passage therein the hollow bead cannot slide past the line stop, which is often a knot which is secured on the fishing line. While the slip bobber can slide freely along the line the slip bobber is restrained from sliding along the line by the coaction of the hollow bead and the line stop. For example, with the two piece bobber stop the line stop, which is often a string that is knotted to the fishing line, prevents the hollow bead from sliding therepast since the opening in the hollow bead is such that while it can slide freely along the fishing line the passage is sufficiently small so that it cannot slide past the line stop. On the other hand the slip bobber, which has an opening that is sufficiently large so it would slide past the line stop but is prevented from sliding along the fishing line by the exterior dimensions of the hollow bead which are larger than the internal passage in the slip bobber. Thus, as the hollow bead stop can not slide past the line stop and the slip bobber can not slide past the hollow bead the coaction of the hollow bead and the line stop form a two piece bobber stop that prevents the slip bobber from sliding up the line.
As a consequence the slip bobber and hollow bead can slide along the fishing line as the user winds the fishing line on the fishing reel. Once the line is cast the line, which is normally weighted with a sinker, slides through the slip bobber until the slip bobber is stopped by the engagement of the hollow bead with the line stop. The advantage of the system is that during use the line stop, which is small, can be wound on the reel while the bobber stop and slip bobber can slide to the terminal end of the fishing line to provide for ease in casting.
If the slip bobber has a sufficiently small size opening so it can not pass over the knot forming the line stop it can form a one piece bobber stop. That is, the line stop is sufficiently small to pass through the line guide on the fishing reel but the same time the line stop is sufficiently large so as to stop the slip bobber from sliding therepast thus eliminating the need for both a line stop and a hollow bead in the slip bobber rig.
One of difficulties with attaching a slip bobber to a fishing line is that a fisherperson needs to individually thread each of the components of the slip bobber rig on the fishing line in the proper sequence. In addition, since the items are generally small they are difficult to handle. That is, in a conventional method of attaching a slip bobber to a fishing line the fishing line is threaded into the hollow sleeve with a partly tied knot. Next, the hollow bead is threaded onto the fishing line. Finally, the slip bobber is threaded onto the fishing line and a hook or the like is secured to the free end of the fishing line. The field handling and assembling a slip bobber on a fishing line by individually threading the fishing line through the line stop, the hollow bead, the slip bobber and the hook to the fishing line can become frustrating, particularly, if the weather conditions are less than favorable and fingers are wet and cold.
The invention described herein comprises a ready to use slip bobber rig that can be quickly secured to a fishing line simply by attachment of the fishing line to the end of an elongated member that carries a bobber stop and a slip bobber. Once attached, the fisherperson can quickly position the line stop at the proper location on the line without having to individually thread multiple components onto a fishing line that often can result in placing the components on the fishing line in improper order for the slip bobber to function thus causing the person to have to rethread some or all of the components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA slip bobber rig comprising an elongated member carrying a slip bobber and a bobber stop with one end of the line securable to a fishing line and the other end of the line securable to an article of fishing tackle as well as a method of attaching a slip bobber to a fishing line without having to thread the fishing line through the slip bobber.
Located on the slip bobber rig 10 is a slip bobber 15 comprising a float 15a and an elongated tube 15b extending therethrough with the elongated tube 15b therein including an opening sufficiently large to allow slip bobber 15 to slide freely along a fishing line. In the embodiment shown in
In the slip bobber rig shown in
In some instance the line stop 22, which comprises a knot, can also function as the bobber stop for slip bobber rig 10. In those applications the slip bobber 15 includes an opening that is sufficiently small so that it will not slide over the knot 22 on the fishing line. This embodiment is shown in
In some cases the opening in the slip bobber is so large that if knot 22 were made large enough to form a bobber stop the knot 22 could not be wound on the user's reel. That is, if the knot is too large the knot would not pass through the guide on the fishing rod and reel and thus prevent the user from winding the fishing line on the reel. In those cases, a separate hollow bead 20, is used that can slide along the fishing line with the bead having a sufficiently small passage that will not pass over the knot 22 but having a sufficiently larger outer dimension that prevents the bobber 15 from sliding therepast. In those cases the coaction of the line stop 22 and the hollow bead 20 coact to prevent the bobber 15 from sliding past the knot 22 on the fishing line. While it is important for the line with the line stop to be wound on the reel it is also important that the line with the knot can slide freely through the eye on the rod and reel as the slip bobber is cast. This embodiment is illustrated in
In the embodiment shown in
While the knot 22 must be sufficiently small so as pass through the guide on the fishing reel it also must be sufficiently large so that the hollow bead 20, which can slide along the fishing line, can not pass thereover. Consequently, when the hollow bead 20 engages the knot 22 the hollow bead 20 is prevented from moving up the fishing line. At the same time the slip bobber 15 is prevented from sliding over the hollow bead 20. Thus the knot 22 prevents hollow bead 20 from sliding up fishing line 25 and the hollow bead 20 prevents slip bobber 15 from sliding up fishing line 25.
As can be seen in
Thus, the invention includes a field ready method of rigging a line with a slip bobber rig 30 comprising attaching one end of a slip bobber rig 30 having a removable sleeve 21 with a line stop such as a partially pretied knot 22 thereon to a free end of a fishing line. Sliding the removable sleeve 21 onto the fishing line 31, removing the removable sleeve 21 from the fishing line and securing the pretied knot 22 to the fishing line to form a line stop on the fishing line that also functions as a bobber stop.
In the embodiment with a removable sleeve the removable sleeve 21 includes a slot to allow the sleeve to be slid laterally free of the line by passing the fishing line through the slot. However, other types of removable sleeves could be used, for example, a cellulose sleeve that dissolves in water or a sleeve that can be tom free of the line without damaging the fishing line could also be used. In some instance the removable sleeve need not be used if the knot 22 is provided with sufficient integrity so as to maintain its positionability from the elongated member to the fishing line. In addition other line stops that can be wound on a reel and positioned along the fishing line could be used in the invention thus eliminating the need for a sleeve. In the embodiment shown hollow bead 20 can be an elastomer bead or a solid bead. In addition, the leader like member, which can be wire like could also be a one piece flexible line such as a fishing line that can be tied directly to the free end of the fishing line of the fisherperson. To maintain the ready-to-use rig one can prevent the bobber stop from coming off the rig during shipping and handling by securing a removable tag on the eyelet which is sufficiently large to prevent the bobber stop from sliding over the eyelet. The tag can contain instructions informing the fisherperson that the line should be tied into the eyelet. Once the line is attached to the eyelet the tag can then be discarded with the rig in a ready-to-use condition.
While a partly tied knot is shown in the preferred embodiment with the slip bobber fishing rig based on the teachings of the invention herein it is envisioned that other line stops can be first mounted on the slip bobber fishing rig and then transferred to the fishing line after the slip bobber rig has been secured to the end of a fishing line.
Claims
1. A fishing apparatus configured to deliver a line stop to a fishing line, the fishing apparatus comprising:
- a hollow tube having an inner surface defining an inner diameter, an outer surface, a length defined by a first end and a second end, and a slot passing from the outer surface to the inner surface along at least a portion of the length of the hollow tube; and
- a line stop encircling at least a portion of the outer surface of the hollow tube.
2. The fishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slot passes along the entire length of the hollow tube.
3. The fishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hollow tube is configured to be placed on a fishing line, the line stop can be removed from either the first end or the second end of the hollow tube, and the hollow tube removed from the fishing line by passing the fishing line through the slot.
4. The fishing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the hollow tube is configured to be removed from the fishing line when both ends of the fishing line are connected to fishing articles having a dimension greater than the inner diameter of the hollow tube.
5. The fishing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the fishing apparatus comprises one or more of a fishing rod, a fishing reel, a hook, a slip bobber, a sinker, an article of fishing tackle, and a swivel.
6. The fishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the line stop comprises a string or wire.
7. The fishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the line stop comprises a knot.
8. The fishing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the knot comprises a partially prettied knot.
9. A method for applying a line stop to a fishing line, the method comprising:
- providing a fishing apparatus comprising a line stop and a hollow tube, the hollow tube having an inner surface defining an inner diameter, an outer surface, a length defined by a first end and a second end, and a slot passing from the outer surface to the inner surface along at least a portion of the length of the hollow tube, and the line stop encircling at least a portion of the outer surface of the hollow tube;
- placing a fishing line through the hollow tube from the first end to the second end;
- advancing the hollow tube over the fishing line;
- sliding the line stop off either the first end or the second end of the hollow tube; and
- removing the hollow tube from the fishing line by passing the fishing line through the slot.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the line stop comprises a partially pre-tied knot and applying a line stop to a fishing line further comprises tightening the knot against the fishing line.
11. A method of preparing a fishing line to use a slip bobber, the method comprising:
- providing a bead having a first opening and a second opening defining a channel through the bead, wherein the bead is made at least in part of an elastomeric material; and
- placing the bead on a fishing line by passing the fishing line through the channel in the bead from the first opening to the second opening.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising placing a line stop on the fishing line.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising advancing the bead to the line stop, wherein the line stop has an outer diameter that is greater than the inner diameter of the channel through the bead.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the line stop is positioned around an outer surface of a hollow tube having an inner surface defining an inner diameter, the outer surface, a length defined by a first end and a second end, and a slot passing from the outer surface to the inner surface along at least a portion of the length of the hollow tube.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising removing the line stop from the sleeve onto the fishing line.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the line stop comprises a pre-tied knot and the method further comprises tightening the knot against the fishing line.
17. The method of claim 11, further comprising placing a slip bobber on the fishing line.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the slip bobber has a channel passing through at least a portion of the length of the slip bobber and the channel has an inner diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the bead, whereby the slip bobber cannot pass over the bead.
19. The method of claim 11, further comprising attaching an article of fishing tackle to the fishing line.
20. The method of claim 11, further comprising advancing the bead over a knot or eyelet on the fishing line by passing the knot or eyelet through the channel in the bead and stretching the elastomeric material of the bead if necessary to pass the knot or eyelet through the bead.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 15, 2009
Publication Date: Nov 5, 2009
Inventor: Gary Bennis (Eau Claire, WI)
Application Number: 12/503,129
International Classification: A01K 91/04 (20060101); A01K 91/047 (20060101);