Been tying some new stuff

[short grub]

very nice indeed skip, I love the minner colored two

[Crappieawlogist]

Like'm a lot. Think I'll copy those tonight.

[RetiredRR]

Really nice jigs Skip...........like your work too.

[shipahoy41]

Skip,

This was just posted by CTom on the DIY Plastics forum. This is good advice for those trying to make it in the fishing business.



"
Do two things before you tell a soul about anything new. 1. Get a trademark and list ALL fishing lures made by you and all names of fishing lures made by you; 2. Get an internet copyright on the lure's name and then go back and amend the trademark to include this lure specifically by name and have a very specific technical drawing of said lure copyrighted and registered under the trademark. Then find an attorney. Expect to pay out in five figures when all is said and done.

Basically it doesn't pay to go thru a patent process. By the time you would get a patent the bait will be copied and rehashed a hundred different ways. If you own the lure thru a trademark and copyright, you can sell the design and nobody can copy the design. Keep in mind that only 19% of any product has to be changed to get past even patent laws, so..... "


This was my own personal experience with the big fishing companies "I do not know. I sent both companies several fishing product ideas only to see they can change one tiny detail and market it as their own. Case in point was "The Poor Man's Fishing Bucket," I protected the drawings through the library of congress too. Both it and the Carterlee worm incubator ideas were stolen and two years later I saw them in stores. My advice is to contact a patent attorney before you submit any ideas. Patents and licensing can be quite pricey. "

You always do great work my friend.

[shipahoy41]

Here is some more information from CTom today. I am sure it will help somebody else.


Quote: "Doing these two things keeps everyone honest, in a sense. In now way is it a patent, however it is setting a time-line and if it ever gets to where, like you Ship, somebody decides to take what you have done and run with it you have solid evidence that will stand in any court that you were in the door with the idea first. That can be a huge issue.

To expand on this done in this way even more, you can claim a "poor man's patent" easily. Once evrything is registered with your trademark and copy rights have been set, you can write a letter to yourself basically only address it to your trademark name. In the letter simply make an "offer" to buy the bait from the trademark and along with a trasfer of the related copyrights for a dollar, being certain to include the dollar. Take it to the post office and mail it. When this letter arrives to your door, open it, copy it including the envelope front, the letter and the dollar three times.

Write another letter, this time as the representative/owner of the trademark, agreeing to the sale and purchase price and showing the reciept of the dollar. Make all the transfers of the trademark from the trademark nemt to your own name not stating any business affiliation....you just bought a registered idea as a private individual. Once all of the transfers are complete you get three copies of each. You mail a copy of each transfer along with one of the copies of your initial letter and the letter agreeing to the sale that you wrote in response and simply address it from the trademark name to yourself. Take it to the post office and mail it. When this arrives, simply copy everything including the envelope and each sheet inside three times and it yours.

You want to be certain to have adequate copies so I suggest three of everything every time a letter is opened and/or sent. Each letter should be saved along with copies of everything inside it. In the end you'll want to have all of the original items done, in calandar order from beginning to end, saved in a safe or in a bank safety deposit box. Keep exact copies of whats in the bak in at least two places at home where they can stay safe.

Doing this takes some time but is pretty cost effective. And again if someone really wants to rob you and they have the money they will. Getting all of these little "speed bumps" established just makes the process much harder and if you go thru with this process and someone challenges you, you do not want to give them this poorman's patent until it is a last resort. Often times they'll let go of something if at every turn in the road they find another potentially legal hang-up. "

[macon123]

Not only are the jigs terrific, the photogtaphy is professional grade. Really nice job. Am sending a pm as well. Good Fishing, Mac