Abstract: A counterweight assembly for balancing fishing rods utilizes an elongated, hollow butt cap mounted over the rear end of a fishing rod handle and supporting one or more counterweights internally or externally of the cap. The counterweights are selected as to weight increment and number so as to effectively balance fishing rods of different lengths about the fulcrum defined by the user's hand grip on the rod handle at the reel location.

Abstract: A contoured reel seat segment for a spinning type fishing rod which is formed to comfortably fit against the fisherman's hand grip thumb and finger positions where they grasp the reel seat segment forward of the spinning reel's main attachment stem. Force resistant inclined surfaces are formed on the reel crank side of the reel seat segment and on the bottom of the reel seat segment to advantageously increase the surface contact from the user's thumb and fingers to the reel seat segment of the spinning rod handle. The force resistant inclined surfaces can be concave surfaces, can be formed on a portion of the reel seat segment which protrudes laterally and outwardly towards the reel's crank, and can also be in the form of angularly disposed concave indents for the user's thumb and large finger. The force resistant inclined surfaces provide mechanical advantage for the user's thumb and fingers to resist and engage upward and downward rod forces which exert on a spinning rod reel seat in the act of fishing.

Abstract: A fishing rod and handle assembly with a laterally offset foregrip and/or butt grip provided on the handle to enhance palming grip comfort and mechanical advantage in resisting leveraged upward rod forces acting on the handle. An inclined surface on the palming side of the foregrip, butt grip, or both, permits firmer gripping of the handle and reel in a palming grip position. The reel may also be laterally offset with respect to its rod attachment foot and with respect to the rod to further improve palming grip comfort and control.

Abstract: A fishing rod handle having a butt grip segment and a reel seat segment, with at least the butt grip segment being laterally offset at a forward location thereon behind the reel seat segment, on the opposite side of the reel seat segment from that on which the crank of a reel would be positioned. The rear end of the reel seat segment may also be laterally offset on the same side of the handle to provide a complimentary, offset contour merging with the laterally offset butt grip segment. Such a laterally offset fishing rod handle may also be provided with a curved surface on the offset side of the butt grip, with the curved surface being snuggly received within the palm of the user's hand, when palming the butt grip, reel seat, and reel.

Abstract: A fishing rod handle having a butt grip segment and a reel seat segment with both segments contoured to provide outwardly curved, laterally offset complimentary projections on one side of the handle in the area where the forwardly disposed reel seat joins the front end of the butt grip. The contoured projections merge to provide a continuous, smoothly contoured projection adapted to fit comfortably into the palm of the user's hand when palming the butt grip, reel, and reel seat. The curved palming grip projeciton, which may take the form of a partial helix, affords improved mechanical advantage towards resisting rod twisting. In combination with a rod blank extending through the reel seat segment and into the butt grip segment, strength, light weight construction, and sensitivity are achieved.

Abstract: An improved fishing rod handle construction which is shaped to conform to the grip of the user. The handle is offset from the axis of the fishing rod. In addition, in one embodiment the handle is at an angle to the axis of the fishing rod. In another embodiment the handle takes a left-handed or right-handed helical form. The rod shaft runs all the way through the handle for greater strength and sensitivity than conventional offset handles. The handle provides a mechanical advantage over a straight handle in addition to greater comfort and conformity to the shape of the grip of a user.