Patent ID: 7357282

Claim:
A fish stringer system comprising: a rod with two ends, wherein a groove is formed in said first rod end and extending around the circumference of said first rod end and a cord is fixed to said second rod end, and said cord capable of retaining the fish a rod receptacle formed in a first end of a shaft with a diagonal slot passage extending from said rod receptacle to an outer surface of said shaft and a spring seat support ridge extending away from and circumscribes an exterior surface of said shaft; a helical spring with two end regions, wherein said helical spring is flat at said first spring end region and a securing member extends perpendicularly away from said second spring end region; said helical spring is positioned around said shaft with said securing member extending across and through said diagonal slot passage into said rod receptacle and said first spring end region is in contact with said spring seat support ridge; a tubular shaft housing with two opposing open end regions; wherein a heightened ridge circumscribes and extends away from an exterior surface of said first tubular shaft housing open end region, an internal shoulder circumscribes and extends away from an interior surface of said first tubular shaft housing open end region, and a concave beveled interior surface circumscribes said second tubular shaft housing end region; said helical spring and shaft insert within said tubular shaft housing to form a spring loaded connector, said helical spring and shaft are positioned within said tubular shaft housing such that said rod receptacle extends through said second tubular shaft housing end region when said shaft is pushed to compress said spring; a retaining ring is inserted into said first tubular shaft housing opening end region to center and align said shaft within said tubular shaft housing; and said spring loaded connector simultaneously couples and sheathes said rod when said securing member engages said rod groove, and uncouples and exposes said rod when said securing member slides along said diagonal slot passage as said helical spring is compressed by movement of said shaft.