Innovation Protected. Performance Engineered.
Sling Reel is built on innovation, engineering, and proprietary technology designed to redefine offshore fishing.
The Sling Reel Is Patented
This isn't an incremental upgrade — the Sling Reel is a granted United States patent. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office examined the invention and issued US 12,610,931 B1, “Sling Fishing Reel,” protecting its original mechanism and design.
- Patent No.
- US 12,610,931 B1
- Title
- Sling Fishing Reel
- Inventor
- Michael D. Walrath
- Granted
- Apr 28, 2026
- Filed
- Nov 25, 2024
- Application No.
- 18/958,295
- Scope
- 6 Claims · 8 Drawing Sheets
- Classification
- A01K 89/08 · A01K 87/06 · A01K 87/08
Abstract. A sling fishing reel comprising a gun assembly (gun body, line guide, faux trigger, trigger guard, thumb rest slot), a frame assembly (upper and lower lateral supports, handle rod, rod butt gimbal, arm support wire and arm support, reel sit tube and reel wedges), and a fishing reel attached to the reel sit tube.
Three Assemblies, One System
The patent describes the Sling Reel as three integrated assemblies — each engineered to do a job conventional rod-and-reel gear can't.
Gun Assembly
The handling and aiming core. Held and aimed like a sighted launcher, it puts casting control in the angler's hands.
- Gun body
- Line guide with line-guide slot
- Faux trigger & trigger guard
- Thumb-rest slot
- Picatinny rail + adjustable D-ring
- Right & left handle grips
Frame Assembly
The structural backbone. It braces against the angler's arm and body to transfer leverage during the fight, and breaks down for transport.
- Upper & lower lateral supports
- Handle rod
- Rod butt gimbal
- Arm support wire & arm support
- Reel sit tube
- Reel wedges, knurled jam nut & washer
Fishing Reel
The drivetrain. A fishing reel mounts to the reel sit tube, secured by the reel wedges — the part that stores line and fights the fish.
- Mounts to the reel sit tube
- Secured by first & second reel wedges
- Locked with knurled jam nut & washer
The Claims, In Plain Language
A patent's claims define exactly what is protected. Here are the six granted claims of US 12,610,931 B1, translated out of legalese.
The complete sling fishing reel: a gun assembly (gun body, line guide with slot, faux trigger, trigger guard, thumb-rest slot, Picatinny rail with adjustable D-ring, and right/left handle grips), a frame assembly, and a fishing reel attached to the reel sit tube.
Summaries are paraphrased for clarity; the granted claims in the certificate are authoritative.
Innovation Backed By Intellectual Property
These are the goals the patent set out to achieve — and what makes the Sling Reel a genuinely new category of offshore gear.
Rod-less platform
A rod-less fishing platform purpose-built for deep-sea offshore fishing.
Packs down
Volumetrically efficient — easy to carry, transport, and store.
Tool-less assembly
Readily assembled and disassembled without any special tools.
Built to last
Durable, reliable construction for demanding offshore conditions.
Genuinely new
A novel mechanism — the applicant is aware of no prior reel with these features.
Straight From The Patent
The official drawings filed with the USPTO — assembled, exploded, and frame views of the invention.