Closure for a fisherman's live well

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS There is shown in FIG.
1 a closure 10 for covering the entrance of a conventional fisherman's live well 12.
The live well constitutes any of the various known types of live wells that are used in commercial and sport fishing vessels.
Alternatively, live well 12 may be a portable container that is not built into the boat.
The well includes an interior chamber or hold 14 that is filled with fresh or salt water for holding fish that are caught.
The entrance of hold 14 is surrounded by a generally rectangular frame or molding 16.
The closure of this invention may be adapted to various other live well shapes.
Closure 10 includes a net element 18 that extends across and generally covers the entrance to live well hold 14.
Net element 18 comprises a nylon mesh or similar flexible material formed from natural or synthetic fibers.
The element is constructed in a conventional manner using various net-making techniques.
Although net element 18 is depicted as having a square mesh configuration, various other mesh shapes may be employed.
Additionally, the mesh openings may feature various sizes, although the openings should be small enough to prevent the escape of fish contained in hold 14.
Net element 18 is attached to molding 16 such that the net element extends across the opening of the live well hold.
In particular, an elongate resilient cord 20 extends peripherally about the net element.
The individual, interwoven strands of net element 18 are sewn, stitched, tied or otherwise attached to the surrounding resilient cord.
Cord 20 may be composed of various natural or man-made elastic substances.
A plurality of plastic or metal connector elements 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 and 36 are secured to the upper surface of molding 16 by respective screws 38.
These screws may extend into the surrounding fiberglass of the boat (not shown).
Alternatively, molding can be eliminated and the connectors fastened directly to the boat.
Resilient member 20 is held by these clips