多数の パテントアイデア が詰まったフック

米時間２０１６年７月１３〜１５日に米仏州のオーランド コンベンションセンターで開催した「ICAST ２０１６」この時に “ベスト・オブ・フック賞” を受賞した Trapper Hooks [画像] 曲ったフックがワームをしっかりとホールド可能にした商品。日本ではまだラインナップされていないが 米国では続々とこれらの曲ったフックがリリースされるようだ。今回、紹介するのは fishkits社 Zoneloc Hook® というフック。この商品は１２月に新会社設立で発売されるらしいのだが、インプレッション記事が米サイトに早くもあげられているので紹介します。

まず商品のコンセプトはというと 写真左は従来のオフセットフック。右は Zoneloc Hook® のフック。フックバーブの上にベントを儲ける事で フロントレグスを２０％程 短くし魚の口を一瞬で貫くといったコンセプト。大きな力をポイント先に集中させると言った感じのようだ。

また scout のジェイソン氏のブログではインプレが紹介されている。使用したリグは主にテキサスやパンチングといったリグで写真の様なセット方法。アウトバーブでワームを固定してフックポイントは剥き出しで使用。科学研磨されたフックポイントは沢山の魚を釣っても潰れないそうな。琵琶湖で使えそうですね。入手したらインプレッションをあげます。

Zoneloc® is a highly innovative multi-patented hook design that is truly a break through when it comes to hook up ratio and retention. Zoneloc’s front length has been made shorter than traditional hooks and Zoneloc’s MAIN BEND has been made bigger than traditional hooks. See the illustration. Why you ask? Because with Zoneloc®, the fish dumps into the main bend quicker than traditional hooks because Zoneloc’s front length has been made shorter allowing the fish to be dump into the main bend more quickly. Once into Zoneloc’s main bend the fish has a much harder time getting back up to the barb to be cut etc. In order for a fish to get into the main bend of any hook it has to go on over the barb. Likewise, for the fish to get off the hook it has to come back up over the barb. It can’t do this until the barb has done enough damage to the fish by cutting the fish.

BARBS ARE FLESH CUTTING MACHINES! Barbs, one could say, are flesh cutting machines. They are responsible for retention, in fact Barbs are the #1 reason for fish retention. But, barbs are also one of the #1 reasons for fish loss. Unlike traditional style hooks, where the fish has constant access to the barb, Zoneloc’s innovative offset bend helps prevent the fish from getting back up to the barb to be cut. So, if the fish doesn’t get cut, the idea behind Zoneloc® is that the fish doesn’t then have the chance to get off the hook like it does when it comes to traditional hooks. Simply put, Zoneloc® locks your fish on and won’t let go!

Wire hooks date back hundreds of years. When making barbs the idea then and today has always been to strike the side of the metal and pull the sharp barb away from the metal and call it a barb. The problem is barbs should have been made dull. Yes dull. But, the reason they never were made dull is because of the cost in doing so. Yes, like in the past and even today it would be a monumental task to made barbs dull because manufacturers all chemically sharpen the tip of their hooks to be as sharp as possible. So, getting barbs dull would be an incredible undertaking. Especially small barbs. This idea that barbs should be dull the industry has known for years but because of cost they never have changed the design. Again, with Zoneloc® our barbs are sharp just like other manufacturers but Zoneloc’s innovative offset bend keeps the fish from getting access back up to the barb preventing fish loss.

Often times we say “my fish got off” but often times we don’t ask “why”? There are three main reasons for fish loss. First the fish may not have been hooked good to begin with. The second reason and possibly the most often is the fish was hooked good but is very aggressive, very active and shakes enough to get back up to the barb. Once cut enough by the sides of the barb the fish finally throws the hook. Third, the fisherman may have allowed slack in the line and the fish easily throws the hook.