Patent ID: 8826584

Claim:
A trolling assembly for use in combination with a fishing line and structured to protect at least a portion of the fishing line from water-borne debris while trolling in a body of water from a boat, said trolling assembly comprising: a mounting assembly removably securable to the boat, a first positioning assembly releasably attachable to said mounting assembly, said first positioning assembly being adjustable to facilitate positioning the portion of the fishing line in a first predetermined spaced relation to the boat, a second positioning assembly interconnected to said first positioning assembly and being positionable to facilitate positioning the portion of the fishing line in a second predetermined spaced relation to the boat, a shield assembly interconnected to said second positioning assembly, wherein said shield assembly is disposed in a downward directed orientation and traverses a surface of the body of water while deployed in an operative orientation, said shield assembly comprising a shield mechanism, said shield mechanism comprising a shield support arm disposed in a substantially vertical configuration along a length between an upper end and a lower end thereof, said shield support arm extending in a downward direction to a predetermined depth below the surface of the body of water at which the fishing line is deployed and having a leading surface disposed along a majority of said length of said shield support arm facing in a direction of trolling while said shield assembly is deployed in said operative orientation, said leading surface disposed to engage and divert water-borne debris around said shield mechanism, at least one shield member attached along said majority of said length of said shield support arm and disposed in an at least partially overlying relation to a shield channel, said shield channel disposed in a substantially vertical orientation along said majority of said length along a trailing side of said shield support arm and open in a direction opposite to said direction of trolling while said shield assembly is deployed in said operative orientation, a release member affixed to said lower end of said shield support arm releasably retains the portion of the fishing line below the surface of the body of water while trolling, said release member releasing the fishing line from said trolling assembly upon a strike of a fish, and said shield mechanism protects the portion of the fishing line disposed below the surface of the body of water and within said shield channel from water-borne debris while trolling.