project help

[crappieseeker]

I have a project that I must do for a class in college. The project consists of making an assist device that will help someone achieve something that has one of the conditions that we cover in class. I have chosen CVA (cerebrovascular accident). A CVA causes paralysis in the opposite side of the body from where the CVA occurred in the brain. 1/3 of patients usually recover some use of their paralized arm. Since I am a fisherman, I wanted to do some kind of assist device that would help someone who was wheelchair bound and paralized in their left arm to still somehow be able to fish (with assistance from family of course). Do any of you have any ideas of an assist device that migyht work for this or do any of you know anyone who has had a similar situation and maybe something they used that was created to help them? Any help would be appreciated.

[fishinRod]

just right off the top of my head.....maybe some type of rod holder that would clamp to the left side of the chair and extend to the middle (in front of the person)on an arm .....the rod holder its self could pivot backwards but attatched with a spring so it would go back in place (like a screen door concept). The person could cast with the right hand, place the rod in the holder, then reel with right hand....if bobber fishing they could set the hook normally but the spring would bring the rod back to normal position so the person could reel in the catch...could do a stop and go type retrieve with a lure also. Maybe you could make the holder swivel left and right for rod direction and tighten with a knob to keep in place........hope that made some sense, kinda hard to picture it in your mind then write it to make some one else understand.

[crappieseeker]

fishinrod, either me and you think too much alike or I sent the pm to you instead of the person I intended it to go to. This was exactly an idea I had in mind and sent a pm to someone before posting this here to see if they would be willing to help me design and make this. I do not have the equipment or knowhow to pull it off. I need someone with tools and fabrication skills locally to help with that idea, but it is what I had in mind. I asked for other help only in case I could not pull this project off. See, great minds think alike. I had already been trying to draw it out but am not a good drawer od that stuff either. thanks for the help and I would appreciate other ideas as well.

[fishinRod]

nope...you didnt pm me....but if i were to try and make this myself i'd start with the clamp and the rod holder, two things easy to get.....maybe Cane Pole will chime in here.

[deathb4disco]

Do any of you have any ideas of an assist device that migyht work for this

I thought of the rod holder, too, but the other guys beat me to the punch.

Another option is to have the guy cast and hold the rod with his right hand. So, he would just need some assistance to reel the fish in. I'm thinking of some type of rod or brace that would be clamped to the chair. This rod/brace would have a small "cup" attached. He would then insert the knob on the reel handle into the cup and reel by rotating the rod in a circular motion.

do any of you know anyone who has had a similar situation and maybe something they used that was created to help them?

Not sure if this helps, but Tim Farmer, the host of "Kentucky Afield", does not have the use of his right hand. So, he reels with his mouth. He also bowhunts and even draws the bow with his mouth. Go to Youtube and search for "KYAfield". They upload all the episodes to Youtube.

[IceManCometh]

a one armed fishing pole maybe? they could hold the pole with their good hand and have some sort of non bulky electric reel they could use a finger on their good hand to push to reel the fish in or if they have partial use of their bad extremity they could even use that to push the button to reel.i would place the button where it would be easy to push with index finger such as on the pole itself. basically could use it on any pole and attach button for electric reel where it is convenient

another idea would be some sort of brace with a rod holder on it they could put on forearm where once they hook the fish they can slide rod butt into it and then reel with their hand

my grandfather had a buddy with one arm that was amputated right below the elbow. he would put the rodbutt in the crook of his elbow and reel with his good arm. was one of the best striped bass fisherman i seen growing up in new jersey.

[crappieseeker]

Iceman, I use to see a guy back years ago who only had a nub at the shoulder of one arm and he would place the rod under the nub and fish, he was one of the best jack fisherman I ever saw.