IP Library › Granted Patent US 12696888

Granted Patent B2

US 12696888 · App. 18/539,979 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Slip bobber

Inventors: Mark W. Tushar (Neenah, WI); Kenneth R. Mack (Neenah, WI)

Assignee: Lake Lite Innovations, LLC

A01K93/02

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12696888
App. No.: 18/539,979
Granted: Aug 4, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A slip bobber includes a bobber body extending along a central longitudinal axis. The bobber body includes a forward-bottom portion and a rear-top portion. A full-length channel for accommodating the reception of a fishing line therethrough runs axially through the bobber body from a forward-bottom line opening to a rear-top line opening. A weight ballast is located between the line openings that results in a center of gravity of the bobber body being closer to the forward-bottom line opening than the rear-top line opening. Upon casting, the weight ballast causes the forward-bottom portion of the bobber body to lead and the rear-top portion to trail. Upon reception in water, the weight ballast is situated such that the bobber body floats horizontally in the water in a rest position with the central longitudinal axis being substantially parallel to a surface of the water in which the slip bobber is received.

Claims (40)

1 . A slip bobber comprising:

a bobber body extending along a central longitudinal axis, the bobber body including a forward-bottom portion and a rear-top portion;

a forward-bottom line opening at a forward-bottom axial end of the forward-bottom portion;

a rear-top line opening at a rear-top axial end of the rear-top portion;

a full-length channel running from the forward-bottom line opening to the rear-top line opening extending axially through the bobber body along the central longitudinal axis in which the full-length channel is for accommodating the reception of a fishing line therethrough;

wherein the bobber body has a weight ballast located between the forward-bottom line opening and rear-top line opening that results in a center of gravity of the bobber body being closer to the forward-bottom line opening than the rear-top line opening such that, upon casting, the weight ballast causes the forward-bottom portion of the bobber body to lead and the rear-top portion to trail; and

wherein, upon reception in water, the weight ballast of the bobber body is so situated such that the bobber body and the full-length channel lies horizontal in the water in a rest position with the central longitudinal axis and the full-length channel being substantially parallel to a surface of the water in which the slip bobber is received.

2 . The slip bobber of claim 1 , wherein upon reception in the water and upon a downward force being applied at the forward-bottom line opening, the weight ballast is so situated as to cause the forward-bottom portion of the bobber body to tip down into the water further and the rear-top portion of the bobber body to tip up out of the water such that the slip bobber assumes a bite indication position.

3 . The slip bobber of claim 2 , wherein, in the bite indication position of the slip bobber the central longitudinal axis of the of the bobber body is substantially perpendicular to a surface of the water.

4 . The slip bobber of claim 1 , wherein the forward-bottom portion and the rear-top portion are separately formed parts of the bobber body that are joined together in which:

the forward-bottom portion includes the forward-bottom axial end and a first central end in which the forward-bottom portion includes a forward-bottom channel section; and

the rear-top portion includes the rear-top axial end and a second central end in which the rear-top portion includes a rear-top channel section; and

the first central end of the forward-bottom portion is joined to the second central end of the rearward-top portion, thereby aligning and connecting the forward-bottom channel section and the rear-top channel section to provide the full-length channel section that extends along the central longitudinal axis.

5 . The slip bobber of claim 4 , wherein the forward-bottom portion is heavier than the rear-top portion.

6 . The slip bobber of claim 4 , wherein the forward-bottom portion has a higher density than the rear-top portion.

7 . The slip bobber of claim 4 , wherein the forward-bottom portion and the rear-top portion are joined together by at least one of sonic welding, spin welding, and gluing.

8 . The slip bobber of claim 4 , further comprising an internal cavity formed in a volume between the first central end of the forward-bottom portion and the second central end of the rear-top portion.

9 . The slip bobber of claim 8 , wherein the internal cavity provides an internal echo sound chamber for attracting fish.

10 . The slip bobber of claim 1 , wherein the forward-bottom axial end provides a base wall for pushing an attached bait forward during casting while avoiding line tangle.

11 . The slip bobber of claim 1 , wherein the forward-bottom axial end of the forward-bottom portion and the rear-top axial end of the rear-top portion have protruding rings unitarily formed about the forward-bottom line opening and the rear-top line opening respectively that simulate grommets without requiring actual grommets and assembly steps associated therewith.

12 . The slip bobber of claim 1 , wherein a length of the slip bobber between the forward-bottom line opening and the rear-top line opening is at least three times as long as a maximum width of the slip bobber in a direction perpendicular to the length.

13 . A method of using the slip bobber of claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

running a fishing line through the full-length channel of the slip bobber with a free end of the fishing line being inserted into the rear-top line-opening and exiting the forward-bottom line opening;

attaching a hook on the free end of the fishing line that has exited the forward bottom line opening.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of attaching a sink weight to the fishing line between the hook and the full-length channel.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of attaching a depth stop to the fishing line for selective engagement with the rear-top line opening on a side of the slip bobber opposite the hook to set a depth of the hook and any associated bait during fishing.

16 . The slip bobber of claim 1 , wherein the forward-bottom portion is heavier than the rear-top portion with the forward-bottom portion and has more material than the rear-top portion.

17 . The slip bobber of claim 1 , wherein the bobber body includes only the forward-bottom portion and the rear-top portion and thereby has a two-piece construction.

18 . A slip bobber comprising:

a bobber body extending along a central longitudinal axis, the bobber body includes only a forward-bottom portion and a rear-top portion and thereby has a two-piece construction;

a forward-bottom line opening at a forward-bottom axial end of the forward-bottom portion;

a rear-top line opening at a rear-top axial end of the rear-top portion;

wherein the bobber body has a weight ballast located between the forward-bottom line opening and rear-top line opening, with the forward-bottom portion of the bobber body is heavier than the rear-top portion of the bobber body, that results in a center of gravity of the bobber body being closer to the forward-bottom line opening than the rear-top line opening such that, upon casting, the weight ballast causes the forward-bottom portion of the bobber body to lead and the rear-top portion to trail;

wherein, upon reception in the water and upon a downward force being applied at the forward-bottom line opening, the weight ballast is so situated as to cause the forward-bottom portion of the bobber body to tip down into the water further and the rear-top portion of the bobber body to tip up out of the water such that the slip bobber assumes a bite indication position in which the central longitudinal axis of the of the bobber body and the full-length channel is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the water.

19 . The slip bobber of claim 18 ,

wherein an internal cavity provides an internal echo sound chamber for attracting fish; and

wherein a length of the slip bobber between the forward-bottom line opening and the rear-top line opening is at least three times as long as a maximum width of the slip bobber in a direction perpendicular to the length.

20 . The slip bobber of claim 19 , wherein the forward-bottom axial end of the forward-bottom portion and the rear-top axial end of the rear-top portion have protruding rings unitarily formed about the forward-bottom line opening and the rear-top line opening respectively that simulate grommets without requiring actual grommets and assembly steps associated therewith.