The invention provides a fishing apparatus having a pivot arm mounted on a frame with a fishing line paid out on one end of the pivot arm via a flexible fishing rod and a hooking mechanism connected to the opposite end via a trigger line and a pull line. The hooking mechanism may resemble a mouse trap with a trigger connected to the trigger line arm a retaining arm engaging the trigger and retaining a spring-loaded arm in the set position. The spring-loaded arm is connected to the pull line. A fish trying to swim with the hook will cause the pivot arm to tip down, triggering the hooking mechanism. The spring-loaded arm pivots downward rapidly, pulling the pivot arm so that the fishing rod moves upward rapidly and sets the hook in the fish's mouth. The spring bias in the spring-loaded arm then keeps the fishing line under tension so that the fish doesn't release the hook without ripping the hook from the mouth.