Composite fisherman support system

This invention is a composite support system for fisherman including a compartmented cooler for both bait and catch as well as for drinks, food and the like. Also a tackle box means is provided as is a cutting board area along with built-in rod holders to meet all of the basic needs of the fisherman which ordinarily requires a multiplicity of various and sundry pieces of equipment to accomplish the same result.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to fishing and more particularly to fisherman 
support means. 
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
Since man first began catching fish he has been interested in better and 
more efficient equipment. This not only goes to the rigs used for catching 
of the fish but also to the support equipment so vitally necessary to both 
the effectiveness of the fishing and the comfort of the fisherman. 
Referring more specifically to shore fishing, when a vehicle can be driven 
up to a point adjacent the shore, the various pieces of equipment needed 
can without too great an effort be unloaded and used. On the other hand, 
when the shore is remote from the nearest vehicle access, then all of the 
fishing gear and support equipment must be carried to the fishing 
location. There are many more remote fishing spots along rivers, farm 
fishing ponds and along the coast line than there are readily accessable 
areas. 
In this latter instance, surf fisherman are given access to literally 
hundreds of miles of shore line which are barred to vehicular traffic 
because of the fragile ecology of such areas. 
When a fisherman such as a surf fisherman has to carry a cooler with his 
bait, drinks and foods as well as his rod spikes, rods and reels, tackle 
box, folding seat, bait board, and the like for a one-half mile or more, 
he must be either greatly over loaded himself or make two trips, either of 
which is burdensome at best and can take all of the fun and desire out of 
fishing at worst. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
After much research and study into the above-mentioned problems, the 
present invention has been developed to provide a convenient, easily 
managable composite fisherman support system which includes a combination 
cooler which is so divided to keep bait, drinks and food segregated from 
each other, a tackle box, a cutting board, rod holders, and seat means in 
a single integral unit which is easily transported to and from the fishing 
site thus greatly enhancing the fun and enjoyment of shore fishing by 
greatly reducing a most aggravating problem i.e. the transport of support 
equipment to the remote fishing location. 
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide 
and improved fisherman support system. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for 
consolidating the support equipment required by shore fisherman and 
particularly by surf fisherman. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a composite fisherman 
support system which is well organized, convenient, and lightweight. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a relatively 
inexpensive and yet highly efficient fisherman support system. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for 
organizing surf and shore fisherman in a composite manner to eliminate the 
loss or misplacement of specific pieces of gear. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fisherman support 
system which is corrosion and rust proof. 
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent 
and obvious from a study of the following description and the accompanying 
drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
With further reference to the drawings, the composite fisherman support 
system of the present invention, indicated generally at 10, includes a 
cooler portion, indicated generally at 11, a tackle box portion, indicated 
generally at 12, and a pair of wing portions, indicated generally at 13. 
The cooler and wing portion 11 and 13 are preferably integrally formed from 
a scuff resistant plastic type material by blow molding or similar 
processes. Since plastics and molding techniques of this type are both 
well known to those skilled in the art, further detailed discussion of the 
same is not deemed necessary. 
Within the interior of the cooler portion 11 is an insulated liner 14. This 
insulated liner includes a longitudinal divider 15 which extends from the 
bottom of such liner up the ends thereof approximately two-thirds of their 
height as can clearly be seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. A transverse divider or 
partition 16 extends from the longitudinal divider 15 to the side of the 
cooler liner with the top edge lying generally in the same plane as said 
longitudinal divider thereby forming separate compartments with in the 
cooler. 
Each of the wing portions 13 have a pair of generally cylindrical walls 17 
therein which form holders for the butt or handle ends of fishing rod (not 
shown). The bottom 18 of each fishing rod holders 17 includes a drain 
opening 19 so that water will not accumulate in such rod holders. 
On either side of rod holders 17 on the upper outer edges of each of the 
wings 13 are bait and fishing gear holders 20. The bottom 21 of each of 
these holders includes a slot like opening 22 which is used as a knife 
holder and is adapted to receive the blade thereof (not shown). 
Below each of the bait and gear holders are storage compartments having an 
opening 23 for access thereinto. Each of these storage compartments are 
defined by a rod holder 17, the end of cooler liner 14, the side of the 
wing portion 13, the end of the wing portion 13, the bottom 21 of the bait 
and gear holder, and the bottom of the wing portion 13. A drain hole 24 is 
provided for each of the storage compartments 23 to prevent accumulation 
of water therein either from storage of wet articles, water spray, rain, 
or other ambient conditions encountered during use. 
A cooler top or lid 25 is provided which is formed from a material similar 
to the exterior of cooler and wind portions of the composite system 10 of 
the present invention and preferably includes an insulated core. This 
cooler lid is adapted to mount flush on top of the walls of the cooler 
portion 11 and includes an inwardly projecting tongue or ridge 26 which is 
adapted to lie juxtaposed to the interior of cooler liner 14 to form a 
tight seal between the cooler lid and the cooler portion. 
A depression 27 is formed in the top or outer surface of lid 25 as shown in 
dotted lined in FIGS. 6 and 7 so that the outer edge thereof forms an 
upwardly projecting circumventional lip 28 about the upper edge of said 
lid 25. 
The tackle box 25 of the present invention is so sized to nestingly fit 
within the depression 26 formed by circumventional lip 28 of cooler lid 25 
as can clearly be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. 
This tackle box portion is preferably formed from a transparent plastic 
material so that various pieces of tackle can be scrutinized prior to 
opening of the box to remove the same. On each end of the tackle box 12 is 
provided a handle 29 for lifting the tackle box clear of the cooler 
portion when desired. 
A plurality of compartments 30 are formed by a series of interior 
partitions 31 within tackle box 12 as can clearly be seen in FIG. 2. 
The lid or top 32 of tackle box 12 is preferably formed in two portions 
which are hindgedly attached to such box by way of a central hindge 33. 
One or both of these tackle box lids can be formed form a cut resistant 
material such as hardwood so that the same can be used both as a closure 
and a cutting board used for cutting bait, filleting fish, and other and 
sundry uses. 
The tackle box lids 32 can be constructed of a composite material such as 
plastic with the upper surface being laminated thereto or such wooden lids 
can be solid wood. Also lids slightly overhang the sides and ends of the 
tackle box with a slight downwardly projecting lip 35 thereabout so water 
will be prevented from entering the compartments of such box. 
A generally U-shaped handle 36 is provided which is pivotly connected to 
the end walls of the cooler portion 11 by means such as pivot pins 36 as 
can clearly be seen in FIGS. 1, 4, 6 and 7. Handle 36 can be formed from 
erosion resistant metal such as aluminum aloy or from a suitable plastic 
material. It should also be noted that the handle is channel shaped to 
give it added rigidity. Further, the handle is so sized that when not used 
for transporting the composite system of the present invention, it can be 
folded down out of the way juxtaposed to either side of the cooler portion 
11. 
A plurality of closeable drains 38 are provided in the lower portion of the 
cooler 11 and communicate from the exterior thereof into each of the 
compartments therein. Since closeable drains of this type are well known 
to those skilled in the art, further detailed discussion of the same is 
not deemed necessary. 
From the above it can be seen that the present invention has the advantage 
of providing a compact fisherman's support system which is both easy to 
transport and convenient to use. The present invention eliminates the 
necessity for multiple support equipment to be transported by a fisherman 
to the selected fishing site. The present invention further so well 
organizes the various pieces of equipment used by the fisherman that 
storage of the same when not in use is greatly simplified. Also 
preparation to go fishing requires nothing more than perishables such as 
ice, food and bait to be loaded into the cooler portion with departure 
immediately thereafter being taken. 
The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways 
than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and 
essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are, 
therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not 
restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency 
range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.