User Wearable Line Holder

Abstract

A fishing line holder that can be either removably or permanently attached to a piece of clothing, such as a shirt is described. In one preferred use, the holder, which includes a slit, permits a fisherman wearing a piece of clothing having the holder attached thereto to temporarily store a monofilament fishing line in the slit while he/she is making changes to his/her fishing rig.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A holder for a piece of fishing line, the holder comprising:
 one or more pieces comprising an elastomeric material, the one or more pieces defining a slit, the slit configured to removably receive the piece of fishing line therein;   a substantially rigid support structure coupled to the one or more pieces of elastomeric material; and   an attachment mechanism, the attachment mechanism configured to facilitate the holder to be secured to a piece of fabric.   
     
     
         2 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to removably secure the holder to the piece of fabric. 
     
     
         3 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to fixedly secure the holder to the piece of fabric. 
     
     
         4 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises at least two magnetic connectors and wherein the support structure is comprised of one of the at least two connectors. 
     
     
         5 . The holder of  claim 4 , wherein the at least two connectors are substantially planar. 
     
     
         6 . The holder of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the at least two connectors comprise a rare earth magnet. 
     
     
         7 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises one of: (i) a pin secured to the support structure and a pin back; (ii) a piece of one of hook material or loop material attached to the support structure and another piece of the other of hook material and loop material; (iii) a clip secured to the support structure; and (iv) a thin flange configured to facilitate bonding or sewing of the holder to the piece of fabric. 
     
     
         8 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein the structural support comprises a substantially rigid planar disk. 
     
     
         9 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein the structural support comprises a generally u-shaped clip. 
     
     
         10 . The holder of  claim 9 , wherein the u-shaped clip is comprised of an at least semi-rigid polymeric material. 
     
     
         11 . The holder of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more pieces comprising an elastomeric material comprises two substantially planar pieces, the planar pieces being received in the u-shaped clip with abutting first and second surfaces defining the slit, each planar piece including a bevel proximate a top edge of the planar piece. 
     
     
         12 . The holder of  claim 9 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises at least two magnetic connectors with one of the connectors being fixedly secured to the u-shaped clip. 
     
     
         13 . The holder of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more pieces of elastomeric material has a Shore A hardness of between 40 and 90. 
     
     
         14 . The holder of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more elastomeric pieces comprises a cylindrical button affixed to the planar disk and the slit extends across a top surface of the button through a center point thereof, the slit being beveled at its intersection with the top surface. 
     
     
         15 . The holder of  claim 14 , wherein the attachment mechanism includes at least two magnetic connectors and wherein the planar disk is comprised of one of the at least two connectors. 
     
     
         16 . A method of making the holder of  claim 1 , the method comprising: fabricating one or more elastomeric pieces that define the slit; providing the substantially rigid support structure; affixing the one or more elastomeric pieces to the support structure; and providing the attachment mechanism; securing the attachment mechanism to the support structure. 
     
     
         17 . A method of using the holder of  claim 1 , the method comprising: putting on a piece of clothing; removably securing the holder to the piece of clothing; fishing using a fishing rod having fishing line and bait attached to a distal end of the fishing line; and changing the bait by (i) placing the fishing line in the slit generally near its distal end, (ii) replacing the bait with new bait, and (iii) removing the fishing line from the slit. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the bait comprises an artificial fly. 
     
     
         19 . A holder for a piece of fishing line, the holder comprising:
 one or more pieces comprising an elastomeric material, the one or more pieces defining a slit, the slit including a beveled top edge and being configured to removably receive the piece of fishing line therein;   a substantially rigid u-shaped clip, the clip having a front side, a back side and a bottom side with the front and back sides intersecting with the bottom side along opposing edges of the bottom side, the one or more pieces of elastomeric material at least substantially being received in the support structure;   a first magnetic plate attached to the back side; and   a second magnetic plate configured to magnetically couple to the first magnetic plate.   
     
     
         20 . A holder for a piece of fishing line, the holder comprising:
 an elastomeric cylindrical button having a slit extending across a top surface of the button and into the button, the slit being beveled at an intersection with the top surface;   a first planar magnetic disk, a bottom surface of the button being affixed to the first magnetic disk; and   a second planar magnetic disk configured to magnetically couple to the first magnetic disk.