An apparatus for retaining an unattended fishing rod. The apparatus is comprised of a fishing rod holder and an extendable fishing rod holder base. The fishing rod holder releasably retains a handle of a fishing rod, such that the fishing rod is held fast against lateral force in a lateral direction or longitudinal force in a longitudinal direction. A releasable spindle of the fishing rod holder releasably operably couples to a socket of the fishing rod holder base, easily detaching from the fishing rod base in a single, instantaneous, smooth motion, allowing the user to pick up or replace the fishing rod with ease. Vertical force from the user will release the coupling of the fishing rod holder and the fishing rod holder base, but I lateral force in a lateral direction or longitudinal force in a longitudinal direction will not.
