APPARATUS FOR ENABLING A HOOKED FISH TO BECOME FREE OF A FISHING WEIGHT IF A FISHING LINE BREAKS

Apparatus 2 for enabling a hooked fish to become free of a fishing weight (4, fig 1) if a fishing line (6, fig 1) breaks. The apparatus comprises a tapered sleeve 8 and a bead 10 which locates on the tapered sleeve and which is removable from the tapered sleeve by being forced over the largest end 12 of the tapered sleeve. The bead has a bore (38, fig 10) and a slot which extends longitudinally with respect to the tapered sleeve and which extends radially inwardly to contact the bore. The slot is such that it enables the bead to fall off a fishing leader (16, fig 1)) or the fishing line once the bead has been removed from the tapered sleeve, whereby a swivel (18, fig 1) with an attached fishing hook (20, fig 1) is able to pass over the broken end (22, fig 2) of the fishing line and release the hooked fish from a fishing weight attached to the fishing leader or the fishing line. Preferably the bead and sleeve are provided with complementary locating means such as a ridge and groove.