Patent ID: 7797877

Claim:
A fishing tackle stem guide, the stem guide comprising: an elongated rod having a first line shoulder therein for receiving a fishing line, the first line shoulder in the form of a slot extending from a first end at an outer surface of the elongated rod and terminating at a second end at a position within the elongated rod at a different longitudinal position along a length of the rod from a position of the first end, the slot both communicating with and extending between diametrically opposed openings in the rod to allow a fishing line to pass through the elongated rod within the slot and extending from the outer surface of the elongated rod to within the elongated rod; a movable sleeve positioned around the elongated rod and configured to move in a lengthwise direction of the elongated rod; at least one sleeve stop to limit the movement of the sleeve in the lengthwise direction of the elongated rod; a stem connector located on a first end of the elongated rod; and a line stop system comprising the movable sleeve being positionable at a second end of the elongated rod to contact the fishing line for fixing a first position of the fishing line in a second line shoulder relative to the elongated rod to enable the fishing line to be restrained from sliding along a longitudinal axis of the fishing line through the second line shoulder and the movable sleeve being positionable in a second position of the fishing line for positioning the fishing line in the first line shoulder to enable the fishing line to be slidable along the longitudinal axis of the fishing line through the first line shoulder, the second line shoulder being defined by a slot having a first end at the outer surface of the elongated rod and terminating at a second end at a position within the elongated rod at a different longitudinal position along the length of the rod from a position of the first end of the second line shoulder slot, wherein the terminating second end of the slot of the first line shoulder is at a different position in the elongated rod than the terminating second end of the second line shoulder, wherein the first line shoulder slot extends along the longitudinal axis of the elongated rod and the at least one sleeve stop is positioned such that the movement of the movable sleeve is limited in a manner that limits the lengthwise movement of the movable sleeve over an entirety of the first line shoulder, wherein a first portion of the slot of the first line shoulder is on one side of the at least one sleeve stop and is in communication with a second portion of the first line shoulder slot extending along the length of the elongated rod beyond the at least one sleeve stop to an other side of the at least one sleeve stop opposing the one side whereby the second portion of the first line shoulder slot remains uncovered by the movable sleeve in any position of the movable sleeve, and wherein the first end of the slot of the first shoulder is located between the first and second ends of the elongated rod.