Devices hold and move fishing rods without human intervention. Fishing rods can be retained by a holder that permits easy insertion and adjustment of a fishing rod between opposite yokes but otherwise securely keeps the handle static with the holder after user manipulation. The holder can move the rod in a reciprocating or jigging fashion without user intervention. The holder can also move the rod in a different fashion following a fish strike on the rod. Moving patterns and specific behaviors following detection of forces associated with fish strikes can be stored in a local memory, potentially input by the user, and reproduced by the device. The holder can be moved by a drive such as a motor, spring, or other energy source without user interaction. The holder and any drive can be secured to a boat, ice, ground, dock, or any other mount via a lockable or traction-enabled base.
