Patent ID: 7114282

Claim:
A rod clamp that is adapted to be detachably attached to first and second attachment portions of a reel unit for grasping a fishing rod between the rod clamp and a rod attachment leg of the reel unit, the first and second attachment portions being arranged on both sides of the rod attachment leg of the reel unit, the rod clamp comprising: a retaining portion configured to grasp the fishing rod between the rod attachment leg and the retaining portion, the retaining portion having an inner curved surface configured and arranged to contact an outer periphery of the fishing rod; first and second fixing portions respectively arranged on first and second sides of the retaining portion and configured to be coupled to the first and second attachment portions of the reel unit to detachably couple the retaining portion to the reel unit, each of the first and second fixing portions having a through hole, the retaining portion having first and second cut-outs formed on the first and second sides of the retaining portion, respectively, so as to extend through the retaining portion from an outer peripheral surface of the retaining portion to the inner curved surface, each of the first and second cut-outs forming an open area that is in communication with an open area formed by a respective one of the through holes of the first and second fixing portions; and first and second fixing members with which the first and second fixing portions are respectively adapted to be detachably coupled to the first and second attachment portions of the reel unit, the first and second fixing members being at least partially disposed within the first and second cut-outs, respectively, when the first and second fixing portions are coupled to the first and second attachment portions of the reel unit with the first and second fixing members.