Fishing rod holder device and associated methods

1. A fishing rod holder device comprising:

a mounting strap having a center portion and spaced apart end portions extending outwards from the center portion, the center portion having an opening extending therethrough;

a pivot extending through the opening of said mounting strap, and having a first end adjacent an underside of said mounting strap and a second end adjacent a topside of said mounting strap;

an underside reinforcement patch coupled to the underside of the center portion of said mounting strap and overlapping the first end of said pivot;

a topside reinforcement patch coupled to the topside of the center portion of said mounting strap and having an opening therethrough for said pivot;

said underside and topside of said reinforcement patches having spaced apart side edges sealed to spaced apart side edges of the center portion of said mounting strap;

a cradle coupled to the second end of said pivot and configured to receive a fishing rod, said cradle being rotatable with respect to said mounting strap for positioning the fishing rod in a desired direction; and

a safety strap coupled to said cradle for securing the fishing rod within said cradle.

2. The fishing rod holder device according to claim 1 where said cradle has an opening extending therethrough for receiving the second end of said pivot.

3. The fishing rod holder device according to claim 2 where the second end of said pivot is recessed within the opening.

4. The fishing rod holder device according to claim 3 further comprising a protective layer on said cradle to cover the opening extending through said cradle.

5. The fishing rod holder device according to claim 1 wherein said cradle comprises an elongated u-shaped section.

6. The fishing rod holder device according to claim 5 wherein edges of said elongated u-shaped section are rounded.

7. The fishing rod holder device according to claim 1 wherein the spaced apart side edges of said underside and topside reinforcement patches are hermetically sealed to the spaced apart side edges of the center portion of said mounting strap.

8. The fishing rod holder device according to claim 1 wherein the end portions of said strap comprise connectors for connecting the end portions to one another around a railing on a boat or dock.

9. The fishing rod holder device according to claim 8 wherein said connectors comprise hook-and-loop fasteners.

10. The fishing rod holder device according to claim 1 wherein said pivot comprises a hallow pin; and further comprising a water-resistant sealer within said hallow pin.

11. The fishing rod holder device according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of push-pull pins for securing the end portions of said strap to a wooden railing on dock.

12. The fishing rod holder device according to claim 1 wherein the end portions of said strap comprise connectors; and further comprising auxiliary connectors to be attached to an object so that the connectors from said strap can be connected thereto.

13. The fishing rod holder device according to claim 1 wherein the end portions of said strap comprise connectors; and further comprising connector extensions for connecting the end portions to one another around a railing on a boat or dock.

14. A method for holding a fishing rod against a railing on a boat or dock using a fishing rod holder device comprising a mounting strap having a center portion and spaced apart end portions extending outwards from the center portion, the center portion having an opening extending therethrough; a pivot extending through the opening of the mounting strap, and having a first end adjacent an underside of the mounting strap and a second end adjacent a topside of the mounting strap; an underside reinforcement patch coupled to the underside of the center portion of the mounting strap and overlapping the first end of said pivot, a topside reinforcement patch coupled to the topside of the center portion of the mounting strap and having an opening therethrough for the pivot, with the underside and topside of the reinforcement patches having side spaced apart edges sealed to spaced apart side edges of the center portion of the mounting strap, and a cradle coupled to the second end of the pivot, the method comprising:

connecting the spaced apart end portions of the strap to one another around the railing on a dock or boat;

rotating the cradle with respect to the mounting strap for positioning the fishing rod in a desired direction;

positioning a portion of the fishing rod within the cradle; and

securing the fishing rod within the cradle using a safety strap coupled to the cradle.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the cradle comprises an elongated u-shaped section so that the positioning comprises positioning the portion of the fishing rod within the elongated u-shaped section.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein the end portions of the strap comprise connectors so that the securing comprises connecting the end portions to one another around the railing on a boat or dock.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the connectors comprise hook-and-loop fasteners so that the connecting comprises the hook-and-loop fasteners directly contacting one another.