Trotline fishhook holder and dispenser

A tubular fishhook holding and dispensing device for a trotline having spaced stringers with each stringer having a fishhook composed of a shank portion, a bend portion and a barb, said device comprising:

• a handle portion and a holder portion,
• said handle portion and said holder portion being interconnected in an end to end arrangement forming generally an L-shaped configuration,
• said holder portion being hollow and having a slit extending from its free end toward said interconnected end and having a rod with an offset end positioned therein, said rod being secured at its offset end to the inside periphery of said holder portion adjacent said handle portion,
• said rod extending coextensive with said holder portion and outwardly a predetermined distance from its free end,
• said rod being spaced from one portion of the inner peripheral wall of said holder portion by its offset end a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the fishhooks, whereby the fishhooks may be slid over the free end of said rod with their shanks extending through said slit of said holder portion for movement in an orderly manner toward the interconnected ends of said handle portion and said holder portion,
• a guide means attached to said rod at its free end to extend laterally thereof within said holder portion, and
• an opening in said holder portion at a point substantially diagonally opposite from said one portion of said inner peripheral wall of said holder portion for receiving said guide means,
• said guide means moving through said opening when said rod is deflected from adjacent said one portion of said inner peripheral wall of said holder portion for readily receiving and dispensing fishhooks from said device.