1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to fishing devices, and more particularly relates to trolling devices for fishing from a moving boat.
2. Background Information
Trolling for fish from a moving boat is a common and productive method of catching fish. The simplest way to perform this activity is for a person with a conventional fishing pole to sit in a boat as the boat moves slowly through the water. A number of devices are patented which are directed toward trolling type activities. Some of these involve dropping a fishing line over the side of a stationary boat and lowering the line vertically into the water. When a fish is caught, it is reeled into the boat. Other devices are directed at trolling from a moving boat. Some of these devices are devices for carrying one or more fishing lines into a lateral position from the boat, so that more than one fishing line can be spread out over an area behind the boat.
One theory of fishing is that trolling from a moving boat is more productive if the speed of the moving lure or bait changes. The speed change will cause a following fish to strike at a lure as if the lure were a prey fish, and its burst of speed would allow it to escape. This speed change when trolling is commonly achieved by changing the speed of retrieval or using the pole to pull the lure faster through the water during retrieval using a conventional fishing pole from a boat. What is lacking in the prior art is a mechanized way to troll from a moving boat using conventional fishing poles. What is also lacking is a mechanized way to impart a speed change to the lure or bait being towed through the water. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a trolling device for trolling behind a moving boat. It is also an object to provide a trolling device which utilizes a conventional fishing rod and reel. It is another object of the invention to provide a trolling device which imparts one or more speed changes to the lure being towed.
These and other objects are achieved in the trolling device of the present invention. The trolling device of the present invention is designed for use on a moving boat. The trolling device moves in one direction and then in another direction, on an axis generally parallel with the long axis of the boat. The trolling device utilizes a reciprocating assembly for motion in a first direction, towards the bow of the boat, and in a second direction towards the stern of the boat. Attached to the reciprocating assembly is a fishing tackle assembly which has a first end and a second end. As the reciprocating assembly moves back and forth on the boat, the fishing tackle assembly, since it is attached to the reciprocating assembly, also moves back and forth. The first end of the fishing tackle assembly extends into a body of water and has attached to it fishing gear such as hooks, lures and bait, for catching fish. The second end of the fishing tackle attaches to the fishing tackle assembly and is configured for retrieval with a retrieval system. This trolling device is made for use with a boat moving through water at a certain speed. If the speed of the boat through the water remains constant, the travel of the reciprocating assembly back and forth on the boat will cause the hook or lure being dragged behind the boat to move at speeds different than the speed of the boat, depending on whether it is moving backwards or forwards in relation to the boat. The fishing tackle assembly can be a conventional fishing rod and reel, attached by a mount to the reciprocating assembly.
The trolling device can also be configured so that it moves in the first direction at a different speed than it moves in a second direction. The rate of speed can also be variable so that the user can control the rate of speed of the fishing tackle first end through the water.
One manner of achieving the travel of the reciprocating assembly in a first and second direction is by the use of a driveshaft which moves the reciprocating assembly back and forth. The driveshaft includes a spiral guide which drives the reciprocating assembly back and forth as the driveshaft rotates. As noted above, the fishing tackle assembly can be comprised of a conventional fishing rod and reel with line on the reel and a lure, hook, or bait on the end of the line and comprising the first end of the fishing tackle assembly.
The spiral guide of the driveshaft can be a guide groove which is a depression defined in the driveshaft itself. The reciprocating assembly can thus further include a travel pin which is configured for an interfitting relationship with the guide groove so that as the guide shaft rotates, the travel pin remains fixed on one side of the driveshaft and travels backwards or forwards in the guide grooves in the first direction and the second direction. In such a configuration, the travel pin is attached to the fishing tackle assembly, and these together form the reciprocating assembly of the trolling device.
The spiral guide can move the reciprocating assembly in a first direction and second direction by turning the driveshaft for a period of time and then reversing the direction of rotation of the driveshaft. This would cause the travel pin and the attached fishing tackle assembly to move in one direction and then to reverse direction and move in the other direction. This reversal of rotation can be achieved by limit switches, or by gearing. The spiral guide can also be formed in the shape of a forward and reverse spiral which are linked together at a first end and a second end of the driveshaft. Thus, the forward and reverse spirals form one continuous looped guide groove. With this arrangement, the driveshaft can rotate continuously in one direction and the travel pin and the attached fishing tackle assembly will travel alternately in the first direction and then the second direction. When it reaches the end of the forward spiral, it enters the loop which feeds it automatically into the reverse spiral and the travel pin and the fishing tackle assembly travel to the opposite end of the driveshaft and enter a second loop which connects the reverse spiral with the forward spiral. In this way, the driveshaft can rotate in one direction continuously and the fishing tackle assembly moves back and forth.
An additional feature of the device is a speed change zone either in the forward or reverse loops, or both of them. The speed change zones can be a portion of the continuous looped guide groove which is set at a different pitch than other portions. The typical position for this speed change zone would be in the middle of the driveshaft in either the forward or reverse loop or both of these loops. With the driveshaft rotating at a constant speed, when the travel pin attached to the reciprocating assembly and the fishing tackle assembly enters the speed change zone, it would have more lineal feet of guide groove to follow before it moved on down the driveshaft. This feature would induce one or more speed changes to the action of the lure in the water. If the speed change zone were in the reverse loop, the speed of the lure in the water would slow down, and would approximate the speed of the boat. If the speed change zone were in the forward loop, the lure would slow down when in the speed change zone and then speed up again as it left the speed change zone. This extra action on the lure is designed to entice fish to aggressively attack the lure. The continuous looped guide groove can also have more than one speed change zones, and the speed change zones can be to speed up as well as to slow down the rate of travel of the fishing tackle assembly.
In one configuration of the device, the reciprocating assembly is enclosed within a box with a rod mount, and a conventional fishing rod and reel is attached to the rod mount so that it is enclosed in the box as the reciprocating assembly, and moves back and forth within the box. The driveshaft can be powered by a direct drive motor and it can also utilize a motor with speed reduction gears. The motor could be electrical, hydraulic, or based on any conventional type of power plant. Either a direct drive of a reduction gear motor can be set to operate with a continuous rotation in one direction, and/or optional reversing of direction. The rate of travel of the reciprocating assembly can be further adjusted by changing the speed of the motor.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description wherein I have shown and described only the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiment are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.