Z-Man Fishing Products, Inc. (Z-Man) of Ladson, SC announces the issuance of a second utility patent further expanding the patent protections of its ChatterBait product line. On June 1, 2010, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued U.S. Patent No. 7,726,062 (‘062 patent) entitled “Snag-Resistant Fishing Lure.” The USPTO had previously issued the first utility patent covering the unique bladed swim jig inventions of the Original ChatterBait (U.S. Patent No. 7,627,978 (‘978 patent), December 8, 2009 also entitled “Snag-Resistant Fishing Lure”). Z-Man holds the exclusive license to both these patents.

The recently-issued ‘062 patent expands the intellectual property coverages and protections on the breakthrough bladed design introduced as the Original ChatterBait and now included in other members of the ChatterBait line. While the initial patent focused primarily on jigs, the newly-issued patent encompasses a variety of bladed fishing lures and broadens the protection covering the mechanism by which the lure blade is attached. Z-Man has additional pending patent applications aimed at expanding its IP coverages.

In 2006, the original ChatterBait burst onto the fishing scene and, following tremendous success in multiple tournaments, became a “must have” lure. As its reputation for effectiveness in fresh and salt water applications spread, numerous lure companies attempted to copy its breakthrough, and now patented, design.

“We are confident that with two patents behind us covering the ChatterBait, Z-Man will be successful in preventing copycats from profiting from our advancements in lure design,” said Z-Man President Jonathan Zucker. “We have gone to great lengths to protect the research and development, innovations and inventions evidenced in the ChatterBait line and anticipate that our issued IP protections will deter knock-offs and strengthen the integrity of the Z-Man and ChatterBait brands.”

In addition to these two patents, Z-Man’s intellectual property portfolio relative to its ChatterBait product line includes trade dress registration on its hexagonal-shaped blade and several registered “Chatter” trademarks including ChatterBait®, ChatterBlade®, ChatterFrog®, ChatterShad®, ChatterStick®, and ChatterShrimp®. Z-Man intends to continue its on-going IP policing campaign to dissuade others from violating its intellectual property rights.

The issuance of the ‘062 patent is yet another step in Z-Man’s strategic plan to solidify its position as a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of innovative, unique and highly-effective fishing lures. In addition to its ChatterBait line, Z-Man manufactures its revolutionary 10X Tough ElaZtech® soft plastic baits and a complete line of saltwater trolling lures. Z-Man® branded lures will continue to receive extensive national media exposure in 2010 and 2011 at both trade and consumer levels via an aggressive marketing campaign aimed at strengthening Z-Man’s position as a premier manufacturer of fresh and salt water fishing lures.