Any good ones? I found this one: http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/federal/judicial/fed/opinions/96opinions/96-1239.html

I don't think it went to court, but this is a copy and paste of a post I made on another forum three years ago.

"Did you guys know that Norman lures used to make a lure called the ZZ Top? It was a walk-the-dog lure, similar to the Zara Spook. When the band got wind of it, they forced Norman to drop the name. The lure was renamed Rat-Lur, but has since been discontinued."

When Luck E Strike first introduced its baits they were called Lucky Strike.

The tobacco giant brought legal action so the bait company changed its name to Luck E Strike.

Just thought you would like to know.

And does anyone know the story of the "dead ringer"???

Hookingem and I know it.

And does anyone know the story of the "dead ringer"???

Hookingem and I know it.

Don't tease us! Come on!

Please?

I know Heddon got sued by Smithwick for introducing a model of a spook with eyes on the bottom which was apparently copyrighted by Smithwick.

While not the most famous, there is a huge case that involved several manufacturers as well as the originator. Terminator sued several companies over making a Titanium wire frame. The funny thing is, they weren't the first to make the bait, it was in fact a stolen patent from Danny Maiden(sp). Maiden was unable to obtain a patent because of missing technical details, and Terminator thereby was awarded the patent of record. Maiden had been producing a bait for nearly five years before there was even an attempt by another company to produce it. In the end, Terminator Lures stole the patent as well as the machining details and technology from Maiden and used it against him in the end. They also sued two other companies that were building a TI wire frame, and won. All those other companies are non-existent today. One of the biggest reasons I'll never buy a Terminator, they started dishonest, they played dirty, and they stole the design and patent.

This story was told to Hookingem and me by a gentleman who has been in the fishing industry for many years and is very well known in bass fishing circles.

His credentials are impeccable and he knows just about every bass pro in both B.A.S.S. and the FLW.

When someone tells you that you are a "dead ringer" for your father it means you and your dad look alike. In fact, you look the same.

Many, many years ago when Zoom came out with a plastic that was identical to another company's version they had to find a name for it. So they selected Dead Ringer.

The Zoom bait is a "dead ringer" for the other plastic.

So far the name has stuck and now we pruchase Dead Ringer type worms.

Tim Horton's, sort of Canada's answer to Dunking Donuts (also have stores in the states) went after Tim Horton the B.A.S.S pro a few years ago for using his own name. They ultimately settled and as I remember Tim Horton the fisherman is now offically Timmy Horton. I thought the donut kings attorneys were stupid and should have signed the fisherman to a contract. Since then I use Tim Horton's shop only for a bathroom stop and in other dire emergencies.

That's silly. I realize that pro anglers' names are a "brand," but c'mon.

It would seem there must be more to the Tim Horton story, but I haven't been able to find it.

J, a guy who sounds exactly like a very well known singer was sued by the singer for sounding like the sinder.

I can'tremember the singer's name but it was of the Perry Como and Dean Martin era. I think it was Perry Como.

I heard the guy speak during a news broadcast on TV and he sounded just like Perry Como or whoever the singer was.

There have been other court cases where the original owner or inventor who sold the company was not allowed to use their own name on future products. I read about a number of these cases but I can't remember any because they are really not as important as bass fishing.

Lowrance and hummingbird have been going at if for a while!!!

It would seem there must be more to the Tim Horton story, but I haven't been able to find it.

Old articles

http://legacy.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/sports/070101/stackout.shtml

http://www.thestar.com/article/169576