Detachable Sinker With Water Soluble Attachment

Abstract

A detachable sinker automatically detaches from fishing line after immersion in water. The sinker includes weight attachable to the line by means of a rapidly disintegrating water soluble material that when dry withstands a casting load and when wet rapidly dissolves. The weight may be biodegradable or dissolvable. The sinker may include a wildlife attractant released by the disintegrating material or by the dissolvable weight, may be rated according to time or depth at which the weight or attractant will release from the line, may display readable indicia corresponding to a weight value, a release time, or a depth, and may include an attachment means coupling the disintegrating material to the line, such as an elongated clamp for compressing the fishing line and the disintegrating material or a perforated attachment for threading the disintegrating material therethrough. The sinker may be an assembly including the detachable sinker and a fixed sinker.

1 - 2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A detachable sinker, comprising:
 a weight attachable to a fishing line; and   a rapidly disintegrating water soluble material connected to the weight for attaching the weight to the fishing line;   wherein the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material comprises a dissolvable product that when dry, possesses sufficient tensile strength to withstand the load of the weight during casting, and when wet, rapidly dissolves to release the weight from the fishing line; and   wherein the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material forms a loop for attaching the weight to the fishing line.   
     
     
         4 . The detachable sinker of  claim 3  wherein the loop passes through a hole formed in the weight. 
     
     
         5 . The detachable sinker of  claim 3  further comprising a fastening component joining ends of the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material into the loop, the fastening component providing a strengthening interface between the fishing line and the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material. 
     
     
         6 . The detachable sinker of  claim 3  wherein the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material wraps around the weight. 
     
     
         7 . The detachable sinker of  claim 3  further comprising an attachment means for coupling the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material to the fishing line. 
     
     
         8 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The detachable sinker of  claim 3  wherein the weight comprises a dissolvable weight and wherein the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material is partially sunk within the dissolvable weight. 
     
     
         11 . The detachable sinker of  claim 3  wherein the weight comprises a dissolvable weight and further comprising an attachment means for attaching the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material to the fishing line. 
     
     
         12 . The detachable sinker of  claim 11  wherein the attachment means comprises an elongated clamp having sufficient length to compress both the fishing line and a length of the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material. 
     
     
         13 . The detachable sinker of  claim 11  wherein the attachment means includes a perforated sinker attachment for threading the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material therethrough. 
     
     
         14 . The detachable sinker of  claim 11  wherein the attachment means comprises an adhesive for bonding the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material to the dissolvable weight. 
     
     
         15 . The detachable sinker of  claim 14  wherein the adhesive comprises a moldable mass and wherein the attachment means includes a channel formed in the dissolvable weight for accommodating the moldable mass. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The detachable sinker of  claim 3  further comprising
 indicia displaying a depth rating for the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material, the depth rating corresponding to an approximate depth at which the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material dissolves in water sufficiently to release the weight from the fishing line after the sinker sinks from a surface of the water by force of gravity; and 
 a wildlife attractant suspended by the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material, the wildlife attractant releasing into the water when the sinker has sunk to the approximate depth. 
 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The detachable sinker of  claim 3  further comprising
 indicia displaying a release time for the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material, the release time corresponding to an approximate time lapse after the sinker is immersed in water after which the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material dissolves sufficiently to release the weight from the fishing line; and 
 a wildlife attractant suspended by the rapidly disintegrating water soluble material, the wildlife attractant releasing into the water when the release time has elapsed. 
 
     
     
         20 . A detachable sinker for attachment to fishing line, comprising:
 a sack of rapidly disintegrating water soluble material;   weight loaded within the sack; and   an attachment means for coupling the sack to the fishing line.   
     
     
         21 . The detachable sinker of  claim 20  further comprising a wildlife attractant contained within the sack. 
     
     
         22 . A sinker assembly comprising:
 a detachable sinker;   a fixed sinker; and   an attachment means having
 a first portion for attaching the assembly to a fishing line, 
 a second portion for attaching the detachable sinker to the assembly, and 
 a third portion for attaching the fixed sinker to the assembly. 
   
     
     
         23 . The sinker assembly of  claim 22  further comprising a rapidly disintegrating water soluble material attaching the detachable sinker to the second portion. 
     
     
         24 . The sinker assembly of  claim 22  wherein one of the detachable sinker and the fixed sinker at least partially comprises a dissolvable weight. 
     
     
         25 . The sinker assembly of  claim 24  wherein the dissolvable weight includes a wildlife attractant.