Fish Release Device for returning of fish exhibiting barotrauma to sufficient depths prior to release of fish such that effects of barotrauma are successfully reversed and fish can survive

Abstract

A fish release device is claimed, comprising a spring-loaded set of opposing members with tip portions capable of retaining the lip of a fish suffering from barotrauma to a depth sufficient to reverse the effects of barotrauma prior to releasing the fish. The opposing members cross over each other such that the jaws can be temporarily opened merely by tugging upward on the line attached to the device. Once the jaws are opened, the fish normally swims away rapidly, before the jaws close again. The device is small, compact, and can be used with a variety of fish species and sizes.

1 . A fish descender and release device comprising:
 a spring,   two opposing members, a first opposing member and a second opposing member, where each opposing member has a jaw portion,   means of attaching the first opposing member to a line,   means of attaching the second opposing member to a weight,   where each jaw portion has a terminal point portion, resulting in two contact points, where the point portion from the first opposing member mates with the point portion from the second opposing member,   means of allowing a temporary opening of the contact points, where the means of allowing a temporary opening of the points can be controlled by an angler using the invention.   
     
     
         2 . The fish descender of  claim 1 , where: the spring, two opposing members and means of attaching the first opposing member to a line, and means of attaching the other second member to a weight are formed from one continuous piece of wire, and where the terminal point portion from the first opposing member consists of a tubular end section with an inner diameter greater than the diameter of the terminal point portion of the second opposing member, such that the terminal point of the second opposing member can fit inside the tubular end section of the terminal point portion of the first opposing member. 
     
     
         3 . The fish descender of  claim 2 , where the means of attaching the first opposing member to a line and the means of attaching the second opposing member to a weight comprise two flattened, terminal ends of the wire. 
     
     
         4 . The fish descender of  claim 3 , where each of the two flattened, terminal ends has a hole, through which a fishing line can be tied. 
     
     
         5 . The fish descender of  claim 4 , additionally comprising a device to constrain the movement of the two opposing members. 
     
     
         6 . The fish descender of  claim 5 , where the device to constrain the movement of the two opposing members is a sleeve, where the sleeve comprises a hollow cylinder that encloses part of both of the two opposing members, and where the means of allowing a temporary opening of the contact points, where the means of allowing a temporary opening of the points can be controlled by an angler using the invention is the spring. 
     
     
         7 . The fish descender of  claim 6 , where the spring comprises one loop of wire. 
     
     
         8 . The fish descender of  claim 6 , where the spring comprises two loops of wire. 
     
     
         9 . The fish descender of  claim 6 , where the spring comprises three loops of wire. 
     
     
         10 . The fish descender of  claim 6 , where the spring comprises more than three loops of wire. 
     
     
         11 . The fish descender of  claim 6 , where the jaws portion comprises two layers of wire. 
     
     
         12 . The fish descender of  claim 6 , where the point of each of the two opposing members is rounded. 
     
     
         13 . The fish descender of  claim 6 , where at least one of the points additionally comprises a cap portion. 
     
     
         14 . The fish descender of  claim 6 , where the cap portion additionally comprises a grip portion, where the grip portion has anti-skid properties sufficient to retain a rockfish lip. 
     
     
         15 . The fish descender of  claim 6 , where the fish descender is made from metal. 
     
     
         16 . The fish descender of  claim 6 , where the fish descender is made from plastic. 
     
     
         17 . The fish descender of  claim 1 , where the spring comprises less than one loop, but rather comprises at least one flexible opposing member with a pre-set bend such that the two opposing members are forcibly pressed in contact with one another. 
     
     
         18 . The fish descender of  claim 17 , where the fish descender is made from metal. 
     
     
         19 . The fish descender of  claim 17 , where the fish descender is made from plastic. 
     
     
         20 . A fish descender and release device consisting of:
 a spring,   two opposing members, a first opposing member and a second opposing member, where each opposing member has a jaw portion,   means of attaching one opposing member to a line,   means of attaching the other opposing member to a weight,   where each jaw portion has a terminal point portion, resulting in two contact points, where the point portion from one opposing member mates with the point portion from the other opposing member,   means of allowing a temporary opening of the points, where the means of allowing a temporary opening of the points can be controlled by an angler using the invention is the spring,   two opposing members and means of attaching one opposing member to a line, and means of attaching the other opposing member to a weight are formed from one continuous piece of wire, and where the terminal point portion from the first opposing member consists of a tubular end section with an inner diameter greater than the diameter of the terminal point portion of the second opposing member, such that the terminal point of the second opposing member can fit inside the tubular end section of the terminal point portion of the first opposing member,   where the means of attaching one opposing member to a line and the means of attaching the other opposing member to a weight comprise two flattened, terminal ends of the wire, where each of the two flattened, terminal ends have a hole, through which a fishing line can be tied,   additionally comprising means to constrain the movement of the two opposing members, where the means to constrain the movement of the two opposing members is a sleeve, where the sleeve comprises a hollow cylinder that encloses part of both of the two opposing members,   where the spring comprises two loops of wire,   where the point of each of the two opposing members is rounded,   where at least one of the points additionally comprises a cap portion,   where the cap portion additionally comprises a grip portion, where the grip portion has anti-skid properties sufficient to retain a rockfish lip,   and, where the fish descender is made from metal.