Fishing rod support and hook setting apparatus

Claim 1

A fishing rod support and hook setting apparatus for use with a fishing rod assembly having a handle section, a reel seat with a reel thereon having a line, and having a forward rod section, the support and hook setting apparatus comprising: an elongated upright standard having a lower end portion and an upper end portion; the lower end portion being adapted for ground engagement; a stabilizing brace on the lower end portion of said upright support, including a perpendicular arm fixed to said support and a parallel rod to be embedded in the ground at a location spaced from the support; the standard having a series of vertically spaced notches formed in a leading side thereof, said notches each having a top perpendicular to the upright standard and a slanted entry section; a substantially horizontal sleeve pivotally mounted on the upper end portion of the standard, the sleeve having a leading end and a trailing end; spring means, comprising an elongated coil spring fixed to the trailing end of the sleeve and to a changeable bail; the bail being engaged selectively in said notches of said standard to vary the degree of tension on said spring, the bail engaging against the top of the selected notch; a transverse bracket assembly pivotally mounted on the standard intermediate the ends thereof; the bracket including a yoke having a bight portion and upward arms, one of said arms having an upright axle thereon and the other of said arms having a perpendicular tubular bearing element; a tubular collar captively mounted for rotation on said axle and having an elongated finger element with a line engaging hook at its distal extremity and further having a stub shaft disposed substantially opposite the finger element; the elongated finger element including a first section and a second section, the distal extremity being on said second section, and the sections being angularly related to one another; a supplemental arm member fixed to the finger and substantially coextensive in length therewith and fixed to said tubular collar; and an L-shaped rod trip having a foot member pivotally mounted in said tubular bearing element and having a leg member engagable with said stub shaft and engagable over the forward rod section when the line is engaged by said hook, the exertion of a pull on said line pivoting the finger element laterally to disengage the leg member from above the rod forward section whereby the sleeve carrying the rod handle is pivoted to force the rod upwardly.