Patent ID: 7779573

Claim:
A fishing pole comprising: (a) a longitudinally elongated tapered rod having a larger proximal end and a smaller distal tip end, and (b) a handle on said larger proximal end of said rod, and (c) a plurality of line guides mounted to said rod intermittently spaced from said handle to said distal tip end configured to guide a fishing line from said distal tip end to said handle portion of said rod, and (d) a force measurement device configured, when in operational mode, to produce a response indicative of an externally generated force wherein the force measurement device generates a response indicative of a force applied in a substantially longitudinal direction of the pole, from proximal to distal tip end, which includes the force of said fishing line pulled through said line guides and wherein said response will vary over a range extending from a minimum response level indicative of a lower externally generated force to a maximum response level indicative of a higher externally generated force, and including a plurality of intermediate response levels between the minimum response level and the maximum response level, and wherein said response is substantially independent of flexure of said rod, and (e) a reel seat configured to receive and secure a fishing reel, and (f) a reel seat receiving portion, wherein said reel seat is configured to move with respect to said reel seat receiving portion in response to the force applied in the substantially longitudinal direction from proximal to distal tip end which includes the force of said fishing line pulled through said line guides, and (g) wherein said force measurement device comprises a sensor configured to produce a response, in operational mode, indicative of said externally generated force based on the movement of said reel seat with respect to said reel seat receiving portion.