Fishing rod holder

Claim 1

A fishing rod holder for use with a fishing rod having a handle adjacent one end thereof, comprising a rigid substantially flat platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, a spike fixedly secured to said lower surface of said platform, the longitudinal axis of said spike being substantially perpendicular to said lower surface, a hollow double open-ended cylinder forming a longitudinal chamber therein, said cylinder having a first open end and a second open end, said second end of said cylinder hingedly affixed to said upper surface of said platform, said second end of said cylinder being disposed in a use position when the longitudinal axis of said cylinder extends normal to said upper surface of said flat platform whereby said second end of said cylinder rests upon said upper surface of said flat platform forming a fishing rod handle holding chamber having the only one open end remaining located at said first end of said cylinder, said longitudinal axis of said cylinder being pivoted away from said use position into a fishing rod handle insertion position whereby said longitudinal axis of said cylinder forms an acute angle with said upper surface of said platform, means for releasably retaining said handle of said fishing rod in said cylinder when said handle is inserted into said longitudinal chamber through said first end of said cylinder whereby the longitudinal axis of said handle is at an acute angle to said longitudinal axis of said cylinder, said retention means including at least one semi-resilient element fixedly secured to a surface forming said handle holding chamber.