Hook Caddy

A hook caddy that can be coupled to a fishing rod to provide a safe and convenient place to store fish hooks while fishing, comprising a body with a plurality of holes through it, each hole for securely holding a respective hook inserted therethrough, and a coupling element to couple the body to a fishing rod. In an embodiment, the coupling element includes an opening in the side of the body through which a fishing rod can pass, into a tubular hole having a circular cross section for coupling the body to the fishing rod. In an embodiment, a strip of hook and loop material may be used to more securely couple the hook caddy to the fishing rod.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of accessories and products for use in fishing using a fishing rod.

BACKGROUND

In the prior art, fishing using a rod commonly entails carrying a tackle box that contains, among other things, fishing hooks, lures, and the like. It sometimes happens that a hooked fish will escape from the line, causing the hook to be lost. When this happens, the user must replace the lost hook. To do so, they typically have to go to the tackle box and retrieve a hook every time they need another one. If the box is inconveniently disposed, this may require walking, stooping, kneeling, or the like. If the contents of the box are not well organized, it may also require rooting around in the box for a hook, possibly getting stabbed by the hook. If this procedure could be avoided, the user could not get stabbed rooting through the tackle box, and could spend more time fishing and less time replacing the hook.

SUMMARY

A hook caddy comprising a body having a plurality of holes extending through the body, each hole for securely holding a respective hook inserted therethrough, and a coupling element to couple the body to a fishing rod. In an embodiment, the coupling element includes an opening in the side of the body through which a fishing rod can pass, and a tubular hole having a circular cross section for coupling the body to the fishing rod. In an embodiment, a ship of hook and loop material is used to secure the coupling.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments and aspects of the invention are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. However, these and other embodiments may be implemented in many different forms. As such, the described embodiments and aspects should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, these embodiments and drawings are provided to illustrate principles of the invention, the scope of which is determined by the claims.

Reference in the specification to “an embodiment” or “embodiments” means that a particular feature, structure, characteristic or other aspect described herein is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Appearances of the phrase “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment, and may include multiple embodiments.

It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions provided herein may have been simplified to illustrate aspects that are relevant for a clear understanding of the herein described processes, machines, manufactures, and/or compositions of matter, while eliminating, for the purpose of clarity, other aspects that may be found in typical devices, systems, and methods. Those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art may recognize that other elements and/or steps may be desirable and/or necessary to realize the devices, systems, and methods described herein. Because such elements and steps are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present disclosure, a discussion of such elements and steps may not be provided herein. However, the present disclosure is deemed to inherently include all such elements, variations, and modifications to the described aspects that would be known to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.

Turning now to the figures,FIG. 1shows a perspective view of a portion100of an exemplary embodiment. The portion comprises a long, narrow body110having a cross section generally in the shape of a pentagon120, coming to a point at the top. As shown, the points of the pentagonal shape are truncated and rounded, although other shapes may be used. An opening125along the bottom of the body opens into a generally circular space130. A plurality of hole openings141,142extend through the two surfaces adjacent to the top of the pentagonal shape150,155, respectively. The hole openings are disposed in corresponding pairs, being the openings at both ends of a hole extending through the body at a position above the circular space130. In embodiments, the body HO may also have a slit160passing through each of the bottom two sides at corresponding positions on either side of and proximate to the opening125.

FIG. 2is a top view of the body shown inFIG. 1. The holes through the body are indicated in dashed lines. One of the holes,240, is shown passing straight through the body between hole openings241,242. The numerals “3” indicate the position of a plane passing vertically through the body defining a cross sectional area.

FIG. 3shows the cross-section of the body indicated inFIG. 2through the plane3. As shown, the plane3cuts through hole240passing in a straight line through the top portion of the body above the circular space130. One end241of the bole240is disposed on one of the surfaces adjacent to the top of the body.150, and the other end242of the hole240is disposed on the other surface adjacent to the top of the body,155. In embodiments, slit160shown in dashed lines may pass through the two lower sides of the body proximate the bottom of the body.

In embodiments, the body shown inFIGS. 1, 2, and 3may alone constitute a hook caddy. If so, slits160may be left out. In an exemplary operation, the body110is pressed onto a fishing rod, which passes through the opening along the bottom of body110, and into the circular space130. The fishing rod is thereby disposed within the circular space130, coupling the body110to the fishing rod. As such, body110must be formed of or comprise a material that is at least slightly or partially bendable, flexible, or otherwise reversibly deformable. That is, the body110acts to maintain its shape as it is being deformed by an applied pressure, and returns to its original shape when the pressure is released. As such, when the fishing rod is pressed through the opening125at the bottom of body110, the fishing rod pushes the opening wide enough to pass through it and into the circular space130. In embodiments, the circular space130may have a diameter slightly smaller than that of the portion of the fishing rod to which it is to be coupled, and acts to grip the fishing rod as it tries to return to its original shape. In embodiments, the wall of circular space130may be made of or comprise a material that provides an amount of friction with the side of the fishing rod sufficient to prevent the hook caddy from sliding along the fishing rod when they are coupled together. Materials suitable for these purposes include hard rubber, deformable plastic with a rubber layer on the wall of the circular space130, or the like. Individual fish hooks may then be inserted through respective ones of the holes240, making the hooks easily and conveniently accessible when needed.

In an exemplary operation, the body110is pressed onto a fishing rod, which passes through the opening along the bottom of body110and into the circular space130. The fishing rod is thereby disposed within the generally circular space130, coupling the body110to the fishing rod. As noted previously, body110must be formed of or comprise a material that is reversibly deformable and provides a high coefficient of friction when pressed against the side of the fishing rod, such as hard rubber.

In other embodiments the hook caddy may include a coupling component to hold the body110firmly in place when it is coupled to the fishing rod. This particularly desired if the body is made of a material that may not provide a high coefficient of friction when pressed against the side of the fishing rod. The coupling component may be or include at least one of a clamp, a screw, a magnet, a nut and bolt, an adhesive, a knot, a snap, a hook and loop fastener, or the like. The body110of embodiments that comprise a coupling component may need to be modified to accommodate the coupling component and allow it to function. For example, a strip of hook and loop fastener material may be used as the coupling component, and if so, the body110may be modified, as described below.

FIG. 4shows a top view, andFIG. 5shows a side view, of an exemplary coupling component comprising a strip400of hook and loop fastener material, having hooks on one side510and loops on the other side520. The strip may be made of or comprise a strong, flexible, durable material. When the side of the strip having hooks510is pressed firmly against the side of the strip with loops520, the hooks and loops couple strongly together, and can thereafter be pulled apart. As shown, strip400has a first end410and a second end420. Most of the length430of the strip terminates at end410, and has a uniform width435that is no wider than the slits160(shown inFIG. 1) proximate the bottom of the body110. However, a portion440of the strip proximate the second end420is wider than width435. The wider portion440has a slit450passing through it at least as wide as width435, through which the end410can be inserted.

In an exemplary operation, the body110is pressed onto a fishing rod, which passes through the opening along the bottom of body110into the circular space130. The fishing rod is thereby disposed within the generally circular space130, coupling the body110to the fishing rod. When the body110is thus coupled to the fishing rod, the end410of the hook and loop strip400may be inserted through both slits160proximate the bottom of body110. Strip400may then be wrapped around the body110coupled to the fishing rod. Strip end410may then be inserted through slit450in the wider portion440of the strip, the strip is pulled taught, and the free portion of the strip is pulled to overlap the wrapped portion of the strip. The overlapping portions are then pressed firmly together, thereby coupling the body110tightly onto the fishing rod. As before, individual fish hooks may then be inserted through respective ones of the holes240, making the hooks easily and conveniently accessible when needed.

In embodiments, the hook caddy may further be configured to hold other fishing gear. For example, using the caddy may allow a fisherman quick and easy access to snelled fishing hooks that are already tied to a leader line, ready to be tied to a main line for casting.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of illustration and not limitation. Changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, provided they comport with the claims.