Pure Fishing suing Shimano over patent infringement

[McCarter]

http://blog.wired2fish.com/blog/bid/42262/Pure-Fishing-Sues-Shimano-over-Patent-Infringement

McCarter himself

[djkimmel]

Since I use P-Line Spectrex, I hadn't paid attention too much. Did not know Shimano had anything to do with Power Pro. But as I've said several times, the fishing market is getting 'smaller' all the time. Less companies owning more of the stuff we use...

[thedude]

shimano bought power pro out a couple years back... bout the same time they bought loomis i think.

i always thought power-pro came out well before stren's braid.

[Manxfishing]

Yea
Looking up a few fact's

Konrad Krauland founded Innovative Textiles in 1992 in Grand Junction, Colorado, with the intent of manufacturing high strength braided lines for sport kiting. However, the need for a braided fishing line that was compatible with light tackle angling pushed Innovative Textile's development and manufacturing team to research, test, and develop a new braided super line - a small diameter line offering greater strength and less stretch than traditional monofilament lines.

In 1997, Innovative Textiles introduced PowerPro microfilament braided line made with Spectra fiber, an incredibly round, smooth, and sensitive line (a vast improvement over the older braided lines). While initial sales were slow, hard work and perseverance paid off as Innovative Textiles has enjoyed a steady increase in sales revenue since the introduction of the PowerPro brand.

In 2008, Shimano American Corporation completed its agreement to acquire Innovative Textiles, Inc. While maintaining manufacturing operations and staff at its facility in Grand Junction, CO Dave Pfeiffer, Shimano American President, notes that the Innovative Textiles sales and marketing efforts will be transitioned to Shimano American's operations in Irvine, CA. "The extensive background that Konrad Krauland and his team at Innovative Textiles have in braiding and textile engineering is one of the key assets of our acquisition," said Pfeiffer. "Krauland will join our management team as a vice president, focusing on production, coordinating manufacturing and new product development with Shimano offices worldwide."

So it's kind of funny that there sueing over the patent issued in May 1998, that is held by Jarden Corp.'s Pure Fishing unit. Pure Fishing, now based in Columbia, produces fishing gear under brands including Shakespeare, Mitchell, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Penn, Fenwick and Pflueger. The patent covers braided or twisted gel spun polyolefin yarns of a high strength.

I didn't know that Pure fishing owned so many brands thou
http://www.purefishing.com/
They own Stren, Spiderwire and Berkley for fishing line
















http://www.purefishing.com/

[djkimmel]

As far as braid, there were other brands on the market before Berkley or Stren or the other big names really started selling it. I think my first was Tuff Line from out of Texas. Something like that. I think the very first one being marketed commercially in the US was put out with backing of one of the old Texas bass pro's who won a big tournament with it kicking off the popularity. It was a tournament on Toledo Bend or Sam Rayburn he won flipping it into brush. This was long before 1997. Yup, I just checked it was Randy Dearman in 1993 on Sam Rayburn. That's when I started using the two or three small brands out of Texas before trying the bigger companies brands. Spiderwire may have been the first major brand I recall seeing with a big marketing campaign.

EVERYONE had to have braided line after Dearman's victory - a 15 bass record weight at the time - and for a very short time the brand he used was one of only two or three you could easily get here in Michigan or by mail order.

I forget which, but one company had some type of exclusive rights to Spectra fibers in the US - Honeywell was involved and maybe it was Dupont had the license for fishing line applications? So then Berkley started using Microdyneema fibers instead. Some of the smaller companies vanished or at least their products dropped off most of the face of the Earth.

I don't remember when I first noticed Power Pro but it was long after I was used to seeing Stren, Berkley and other brands on the market. It must have been one of the many small players, many of whom come and went during that time, before Shimano bought it.

[motocross269]

If memory serves me right braided line was around before Mono......I remember finding some on my Grandpa's reels and tipups from God knows when...Probably back in the late 50s early 60s....

It's kind of like everyone thinks Flouro is something new....Salt water anglers and Trout fisherman have been using Flouro leaders for years....

It's just when innovative bass anglers have success with it that it becomes a must have item...

From Wikipedia

Braided line was one of the of earliest types of fishing line, and in its modern incarnations it is still very popular in some situations because of its high knot strength, lack of stretch, and great overall power in relation to its diameter. Braids were originally made from natural fibers such as cotton and linen, but natural fiber braids (with the very rare exception of braided silk) have long since been replaced by braided or woven fibers of a man-made materials like Dacron, Spectra or micro-dyneema into a strand of line. Braided fishing lines tend to have good resistance to abrasion. Their actual breaking strength will commonly well exceed their pound-test rating.

One drawback of braided lines is that they are generally opaque in the water, and thus visible to fish. Hence, it is common to attach a monofilament at the end of the braided fishing line to serve as a leader and to reduce the high visibility of the braided fishing line.[1]

Braided lines, particularly the newer synthetics, can be successfully used on any type of fishing reel, but are perhaps most well-known as excellent lines for bait casting reels, in particular for trolling where they remain especially popular among many fishermen.

According to available historic sources, the first braided fishing lines were introduced in England around 1908, replacing the traditional horsehair used for generations. This line was formed from woven silk and then coated for durability and performance.


As the technology in the textile industry developed, new fibers became available and the manufacturers of fishing lines took advantage of the improved properties these fibers. In 1938, Dupont introduced a synthetic fiber called nylon and the braided lines produced from this synthetic fiber became a favorite with anglers for the next decade. Nylon was also used to produce monofilament lines during this era, but these early versions were somewhat stiff and difficult to cast.


Then in 1948 Dacron (polyester) fibers developed by Dupont were used to produce improved angler fishing lines. There are still manufacturers of braided lines that offer products based on these fibers, but their popularity has declined. Once again Dupont led the field when they introduced nylon monofilaments that were easier to use, most notably Stren in 1959.


Braid made a strong comeback with the development of high performance fibers such as Spectra and Dyneema. The properties of these fibers are ideal for the production of fishing lines as they are 3 times stronger than their predecessors and offer little or no stretch.  In addition, because they are 100% polyethylene, they are smooth and tough and will not absorb water or deteriorate from exposure to UV light.  Spiderwire was the first nationally advertised brand of superline enjoying great success, particularly during the frenzy from 1994 to 1996. However, the early versions of Spiderwire, as well as other brands of that time were lacking the performance of today's superlines. Improvements to superlines continued over the next several years as the industry developed the technologies to add the properties needed for enhancing the performance of braid as fishing line. The most important among these improvements would be adding body to assist in casting, better color retention, and the improved ability to hold knots.


While much has changed in the fishing line industry over the years, one element remained unchanged. Personal preference and wide ranging applications demand diversity. Just walk into your favorite tackle shop and look at the fishing line isle.


Editor's note: Facts in this article are credited to Dave Burch (no relation), the President of BBS, the producer of Fins Fishing Line.

For more info and styles of super braid fishing lines.

[djkimmel]

Dacron stretches like crazy. Braided line has been around for a long, long time, but it wasn't that long ago that someone thought to use the new super fibers as fishing line. Wish I'd of thought of it right after someone invented them... of course, then I'd have to sue everyone that copied me and not benefit that much from it anyway...

[Manxfishing]

So reading all of this

I'd say the sueing is over Innovative Textiles introduceing PowerPro microfilament braided line made with the Spectra fibers in 1997

My question would be
Why now? It's 13 years after they "infridged" on the patent issued in May 1998.
Is it becuse Shimano who bought Innovative Textiles in 2008 has deeper pockets.
Or becuse Power Pro as come to be the popular braided line of choice

[thedude]

my guess? Shimano has money and pure-fishing does not.

[Cy]

So reading all of this

I'd say ithe sueing is over Innovative Textiles introduceing PowerPro microfilament braided line made with the Spectra fibers in 1997

My question would be
Why now? It's 13 years after they "infridged" on the patent issued in May 1998.
Is it becuse Shimano who bought Innovative Textiles in 2008 has deeper pockets.
Or becuse Power Pro as come to be the popular braided line of choice

I would also guess that Shimano buying Innovative Textiles in 2008, the change in ownership allows Pure Fishing to sue them, because the are a new company now.  I would assume there is some stupid loop hole like that.

Cy

[djkimmel]

It would be interesting to know the impetus behind this recent change. Not sure how to find out or if anyone would tell on or off the record. Probably not...

[Manxfishing]

Yes it would

The more I fish, the more I realize how small the fishing community really is.

[Waterfoul]

Who cares!  I know I don't.  I'll keep using Power Pro for sure.

[McCarter]

this takes me back to wanting to hate pure fishing again.  if the lawsuit is legit, then whatever, but if they are suing now becuase they know they can get more money out of shimano than the original owners, to me that puts a huge black eye on the pure fishing line of companies.  i will then boycott the use of anything owned or produced by them again.  i just starting using there products again after a long hiatus becuase they refused to refund my money from a spool of Berkley Vanish.  seems to me they have enough money already with all the brands they own.  being devious to get more money is greed, and greed is one of the seven deadly sins.  as is sloth, and i dont even know what that one means.  does it have to do with moving slow, or having 3 toes?

McCarter himself 

[djkimmel]

You should all try P-Line Spectrex IV. I'm very glad I switched several years ago. I truly have less problems with it.

[djkimmel]

sloth = lazy (I think)

[djkimmel]

I have to imagine that part of this would be because Pure Fishing has changed hands too.

[McCarter]

i am sloth

McCarter himself

[thedude]

this takes me back to wanting to hate pure fishing again.  if the lawsuit is legit, then whatever, but if they are suing now becuase they know they can get more money out of shimano than the original owners, to me that puts a huge black eye on the pure fishing line of companies.  i will then boycott the use of anything owned or produced by them again.  i just starting using there products again after a long hiatus becuase they refused to refund my money from a spool of Berkley Vanish.  seems to me they have enough money already with all the brands they own.  being devious to get more money is greed, and greed is one of the seven deadly sins.  as is sloth, and i dont even know what that one means.  does it have to do with moving slow, or having 3 toes?

McCarter himself 

i think they owe me at least 1 entry fee for buying a spool of vanish and using it during a tournament.... if not a 800 bucks for the 3 keepers that broke off that day

[Manxfishing]

For line
The McCoy is priced right and made in the USA