Automatic fish hook setter

Claim 1

In an automatic fishing device having a base for securing to a rigid structure, and a pivoted pole holding tube spring biased to an upright position, the improvement of: (a) latch/release means arranged to temporarily hold the pole holding tube in downwardly pivoted position, (b) said latch/release means including: (1) a plate generally centrally mounted for limited pivotal movement on the base and an upright latch plate mounted on said plate and having an aperture therein, (2) spring means biasing said plate toward a latching direction, (3) stop means limiting the biased pivotal movement of said plate in said latching direction, (4) a pin mounted on the pole holding tube positioned to mate with and be held in said aperture in said latch plate, (5) the top edge of said latch plate being beveled toward said pin so as to aid the latching of the pole holding tube, and (6) trigger means rigidly secured to said latch/release means and having a portion extending beyond said latch plate and generally aligned therewith, said portion extending beyond said latch plate including fish line holding means, whereby said latch/release means permits easy one hand latching of said pole holding tube in a down position under spring bias.