Fishing rod holder

A fishing pole holder for securing a fishing pole and being attachable to a boat. The holder includes a mounting securable to a boat rail or other appurtenance. The mounting includes an upwardly extending pivot post which receives a vertical tube which is pivotal about the post. The upper end of the tube carries an arm which supports a forward U-shaped support and a rearwardly extending support arm. The support arm carries a slidably adjustable U-shaped retaining member which faces downwardly. A portion of the pole rests on the forward U-shaped support member and a rearward portion of the pole or handle is received within the rear retaining member.

The present invention relates to a fishing rod holder and more particularly 
relates to a fishing rod holder for securing a fishing rod to a boat in a 
fishing position and which holder allows the user to quickly and 
conveniently remove the fishing rod from the holder in the event of a 
strike. 
When fishing from a boat, most fishermen cast or drop the line and attached 
tackle into the water and then sit or stand in the boat holding the rod in 
a position with the rod tip extended from the side of the boat. Often long 
periods of time pass while the fisherman is holding the pole waiting for 
some action. The waiting and long period of inactivity can be tiring. As a 
result, to avoid having to hold the rod for long periods, fishermen will 
many times rest or prop the handle of the rod in the boat using whatever 
structure or articles may be available. However, propping the rod in this 
manner is risky as the movement of the boat or the pull exerted by a fish 
when a strike occurs may cause the rod to become dislodged from the 
propped position. In many cases fishermen have lost the rod and tackle as 
a result of placing a rod in a boat in this way. 
Accordingly, various fishing rod holders have been developed and are in 
common use. The following patents show representative fishing rod holders 
of various types. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,737 shows a universal support apparatus for a fishing 
rod which includes a base adapted for mounting on either a vertical or 
horizontal surface. The fishing rod holder has a receptacle on an 
articulated support member having opposed ends connected to the base and 
receptacle for movement of the receptacle about three axes. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,753 shows a fishing pole holder having a U-shaped base 
for adjustably holding a body member. The holder has a cradle at its 
forward end and a socket at the other end for telescopically receiving the 
butt-end of the fishing pole. The socket is hingedly connected to the body 
member on a lateral axis so that the butt-end of the pole can be rapidly 
removed from the socket. A bracket is attachable to the boat for receiving 
one or the other of the legs of the U-shaped base. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,458 shows a fishing pole holder which has a base which 
may be permanently attached to the boat. A body structure is slidably and 
removably attached to the base and the fishing pole holder attached to the 
body structure. The fishing pole holder structure consists of a generally 
U-shaped bracket. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,195 shows a pair of aligned elongate members that 
extend transversely across the boat. A fishing pole receiver is located on 
elongate member and connectors which may secure the rod for trolling 
behind the boat. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,761 shows a fishing rod holder constructed generally of 
one piece of wire formed to the desired shape and which is mountable on 
the railing of a boat without permanent attachment to the boat. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,501 shows a rod support which may be detachably mounted 
in the oar lock. The support is made of a resilient material and has a 
mounting post which seats in the oar lock. The support has an offset 
portion forming a loop and fork interconnected by a curved section. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,291 discloses a kit for adapting a fishing rod holder 
to a round or poly-sided support. The kit is provided with two pairs of 
inserts which are selected to fit either the round or poly-sided support. 
The insert members are fastened between the base plates of the support 
with one of the base plates connected to the rod holder. In a preferred 
embodiment, the base plates provide either a rail or stantion mounting for 
the rod holder on a boat. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,499 shows a motor-driven trolling device mountable to 
the gunwale of a fishing boat to provide automatic, power trolling action 
to a fishing rod held in the device. 
Whereas fishing rod holders as described above are well known in common 
use, these fishing rod holders have not generally achieved wide 
acceptance. They are either cumbersome or difficult to use or are complex 
and inconvenient to use. Other deficiencies include the lack of convenient 
and quick accessibility to the fishing rod. Many of the prior art holders 
are not adaptable for use with a wide range of rod and reel configurations 
such as both open-face and close-face rods. 
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved fishing rod holder. In 
accordance with this need, it is a principal object of the present 
invention to provide a fishing rod holder of improved design. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a fishing rod holder which is 
adaptable to receive a wide range of rod and reel configurations. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide a rod holder that is 
easy to mount and which provides easy access to the rod in the event the 
rod and reel is to be quickly removed. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a rod holder 
which is pivotally adjustable about a vertical axis and also adjustable 
axially. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a fishing rod holder that 
conveniently secures the rod in a position so the rod can be easily 
mounted and removed from the boat. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fishing rod holder 
which may be easily and inexpensively constructed and which once 
constructed is rugged and durable. 
Briefly, the holder of the present invention has a pivot post attached to a 
bracket which is securable to a part of the boat structure such as to a 
rail or gunwale. A vertical square tube is pivotal about the pivot post 
and may be locked in any rotational position by a thumb screw. A 
horizontal arm extends generally perpendicular from the upper end of the 
tube and carries an upwardly opening U-shaped support or cradle. A locking 
gate may be provided which opens and closes access to the cradle. Another 
arm extends rearwardly and downwardly from the horizontal arm and carries 
an adjustable side on which is secured a downwardly opening U-shaped rear 
retaining member. The fishing rod is positioned in the holder with the 
forward end of the handle resting or engaged in the forward cradle and the 
rear or butt-end of the fishing rod handle received within the adjustable 
or slidable retaining member. A pin may be selectively engaged across the 
rear retaining member.

Turning now to the drawings, the rod holder is generally designated by the 
numeral 10. The holder 10 is adapted to be used with any conventional type 
of fishing rod assembly, such as that shown in FIG. 3 which includes a 
pole "P" having a handle "H" and a reel "R". The reel may be located at a 
reel seat located at any position along the handle and is shown 
conventionally located at a forward location along the handle "H". The 
reel may be a open or closed-face reel. The holder of the present 
invention is suitable for use with most types of conventional fishing 
tackle, particularly the type used when fishing or trolling from a boat. 
The holder 10 has a mounting assembly generally designated by the numeral 
12 which mounting assembly 12 secures the holder 10 in place. As shown in 
FIG. 1 the holder is secured to a suitable structure "S" such as the rail 
extending along the gunwale of a boat. The mounting assembly includes a 
lower plate 14 having a pair of upwardly extending studs 16 which are 
spaced-apart so that the plate 14 may be positioned beneath the rail with 
the studs 16 extending upwardly along either side of the rail. An upper 
plate 18 has a pair of spaced-apart holes 20 which are adapted to receive 
the studs 16. Wing nuts 22 are engageable about the studs to tighten the 
plates 14 and 18 at either side of the rail "S". An upwardly extending 
post 24 projects from upper plate 18 and serves as a pivot for the holder. 
Other mounting brackets for side rail or flush mounting may be provided. 
The holder 10 has a vertically extending tube 28 which is shown as being 
generally rectangular in cross-section defining a hollow interior which 
seats on post 24 permitting the holder to vertically pivot about the post 
24. One side wall 32 of the tube 28 is provided with a bore and an aligned 
nut 34 which nut receives a set screw 36 to secure the holder relative to 
the tube 24 once the desired pivotal position has been established. Tube 
28 may be any desired length but typically is approximately 8" to 12" in 
height to provide sufficient elevation so that the butt of the handle H of 
the rod clear the rail and any other projections or appurtenances on the 
boat. 
A horizontal support arm 38 extends generally perpendicular from the upper 
end of the tube 28. A generally U-shaped rod cradle 40 is secured at the 
distal end of arm 38. U-shaped cradle has spaced-apart legs 42 and 44 and 
arcuate bight section 41. The end of leg 42 is secured to arm 38 so that 
the distal end of legs 42 and 44 are approximately in axial alignment with 
arm 38. A bar 45 is pivotally attached at pivot 46 to the end of arm 38. 
Pivot 46 is shown as a bolt and nut as seen in FIG. 5. Bar 45 has a length 
selected to extend across legs 42 and 44 of the cradle. The bar 45 may be 
pivoted to a closed position against stop 48 as shown in FIG. 1 to retain 
a fishing rod within the U-shaped cradle. In order to place a fishing rod 
within the cradle, bar 45 may be swung to an open position as shown in 
FIG. 4. 
Depending rearwardly and downwardly from arm 38 is a tubular member 49. 
Member 49 is shown as being generally square in cross section and depends 
downward to an elevation at approximately the mid-point or above the 
mid-point of the vertical tube 28. A square side 50 is slidable along 
member 49. The slide 50 has a bore in wall 52 which aligns with threaded 
nut 54. A thumb screw 55 is in threaded engagement with the nut to permit 
the slide to be secured at any desired location along the length of the 
member 49. 
A generally U-shaped retaining member 60 is slidable along arm member 49. 
U-shaped member 60 has opposite arms 62 and 64 joined at bight section 66. 
The U-shaped member 60 is mounted downwardly facing with the end of leg 62 
secured as by welding to the slide 50. Cradle 40 and retaining member 60 
are generally axially aligned so that in the use-position as shown in FIG. 
3, the butt end of rod handle "H" will be received and engage the 
retaining member 60 to prevent it from pivoting upwardly. The forward end 
of the handle and the weight of the rod is supported primarily at the 
forward cradle 40. The reel "R" assumes a position intermediate the 
support and the retaining member as best seen in FIG. 3. Adjusting slide 
50 along member 49 will adjust the holder for different rod and reel 
configurations and also will allow the fisherman to vary the angle of the 
rod. For example, as the slide and attached retainer are moved forward 
toward the arm 38, the angle of the retained rod will decrease towards 
horizontal. 
A bore 70 extends through the lower end of the arm 64 and an aligned bore 
72 extends through the end of arm 62. A retaining pin 80 has an elongate 
shank 82 with a head 84 at one end. The head 84 is secured to flexible 
element 85 shown as a chain. The other end of the chain attached to thumb 
screw 55. In the storage position, the pin 80 may be positioned in bore 88 
in arm 38 as seen in FIG. 5. In the use-position, the pin is extended 
through the bores 70 and 72 across the open end of the retainer 60, as 
best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. 
The fishing rod holder of the present invention is convenient to use and 
easy to attach or mount to a suitable structure on the boat such as the 
rail "S". The mounting assembly 12 is positioned as shown in FIG. 1 and 
wing nuts 22 tightened to secure the mounting assembly. The holder may 
then be slipped onto the mounting assembly with the post 24 extending into 
the hollow tube 28. With the set screw 36 loosened, the fishing rod holder 
is free to rotate vertically about post 24. Retaining bar 45 is pivoted to 
the open position as shown in FIG. 4 and the pole inserted into the holder 
with the forward end of the handle "H" resting on the bight portion 44 of 
the forward U-shaped cradle 40. The rear retainer 60 is slidably adjusted 
to the desired position along member 48 and secured by tightening thumb 
screw 55. The rear of the handle "H" is received within the retaining 
member 60. The pin 80 is inserted in the apertures 70 and 72 to retain the 
handle within the retainer 50. This latter procedure is precautionary and 
not necessary in most cases. Gate 45 is pivoted to a closed position. The 
rod is then in a use-position with the tip of the pole "P" extending 
outwardly from the boat. The user may pivot the holder to any desired 
angular position and then lock the holder by tightening set screw or thumb 
screw 36. With some rod designs the pin 80 may be inserted through bores 
provided in the rod handle for additional security. The pin is stored in 
an out-of-the-way position in hole 88. 
In the event of a strike or in the event the fisherman wishes to remove the 
pole, it is a simple matter to simply pivot gate 45 in either direction. 
This allows the user to grasp the handle "H" and lift the pole upwardly 
and forwardly to clear the butt end of the handle from the retaining 
member 60. 
The holder of the present invention can be manufactured from any variety of 
materials. The tubular members may be aluminum or steel and the brackets 
and support members may be similarly configured from aluminum or steel and 
suitably painted, coated or anodized. It may be desirable to apply a 
rust-resistant finish or rubberized coating for protection of the device 
and also protection of the fishing tackle and boat. The holder may be 
manufactured in either a right or left hand configuration. 
Therefore, it is seen that the present invention achieves the objects and 
advantages set forth above and has been described and illustrated with 
respect to several preferred embodiments. It will be obvious to those 
skilled in the art to make various changes, alterations and modifications 
to the embodiments described herein and to the extent that these changes, 
alterations and modifications do not depart from the spirit and scope of 
the appended claims, they are intended to be encompassed therein.