On every fishing trip, it is important to always clearly determine the moment of bite. Many experienced anglers prefer to make their own bite alarm, although there are many industrial accessories for this.

Depending on the method of fishing, equipment, as well as weather conditions, certain devices may be used.

Types of existing signaling devices

The most famous and most used bite signaling device is regular float used in various equipment when fishing on float rod. But in last years bite signaling devices for the feeder have become very popular. This is not surprising, given how popular this method of catching bottom fish is becoming.

There are several types of devices that help the angler not to miss the bite. This:

• visual indicators;
• sound alarms;
• hybrid;
• various electronic devices that can be attributed to both visual and sound.

The visual category includes: various nods, beacons, fireflies, pendulums, luminous tubes etc. These are simple devices, the main working parts of which are made as bright as possible to attract the attention of the fisherman.

Expert opinion

Knipovich Nikolai Mikhailovich

Interesting! For greater preservation of luminous tubes, some manufacturers recommend storing them in the refrigerator.

Audible alarms include bells, bells, metal tubes etc. Sound devices compare favorably with the fact that the angler does not need to constantly watch them. A sound will alert him to a bite.

Electronic devices are mainly industrial products which can be purchased at retail outlets. The main disadvantage of electronic assistants is their high price and insufficient security from the influence of external factors (water, sun, dust).

The feeder signaling device can be attached to different parts of the equipment, for example:

1. 1. At the very tip of the feeder rod. Despite the fact that the tips of such rods themselves are considered quite sensitive and informative, the signaling devices installed there are never superfluous, with their help, the definition of hooking becomes much more timely. Their main drawback is that before hooking or immediately after it, when playing fish, this device must be removed from the tip of the blank.

1. Directly at the butt of the rod, usually between the first and second access ring. Most often it is attached side bite alarm for feeder. The main element of such devices is various elastic plates or springs.
2. Another option is to attach the device to a rod stand. Most often, nods of various designs are attached in this way, which are complemented bells or bells.

Do-it-yourself bite alarms for a feeder, as a rule, take into account all the features of the gear for which they are adapted, besides, they are much simpler and more reliable, and therefore can be much more effective than industrial designs.

Model options

Nod

Perhaps this do-it-yourself feeder bite signaling device can be considered one of the simplest, but also one of the most sensitive. To make it you will need:

1. 10 - 15 cm piece of any springy material of small section. It can be an elastic wire, a steel plate or a spring.
2. A polymer or durable rubber tube 3 to 5 cm long. It is useful for attaching a nod to the tip of the form.
3. Colored varnish.

At one end of the elastic element (nod body), with the help of round-nose pliers, you need to make a small loop (ring) for threading the main fishing line into it. After that, using a polymer or rubber tube, the nod is attached to the tip of the fishing rod. This fastening should be tight, but at the same time - not interfere with changing the length of the working part of the nod. This allows you to adjust its sensitivity. For greater visibility of the nod, you need to cover its body with a bright, waterproof varnish.

After fixing the nod, we thread the fishing line through its ring, equip it and start fishing. Since the material from which it is made is quite elastic, it is not required to disconnect it from the blank during hooking and subsequent fighting.

Such a homemade bite signaling device, after equipping the rod with it, can serve for a long time without repair and additional adjustment.

Firefly

Firefly, this is a signaling device for a feeder, designed to detect bites at night. As a rule, this is the name of polymer tubes, which, after their fracture, better in several places, due to a chemical reaction, begin to glow in the dark. They are usually supplemented with visual homemade bite signaling devices for the feeder. It is also possible to attach such a tube, 3 to 6 centimeters long, to the flexible tip of the feeder rod. This is done using a colorless adhesive tape or a polyethylene tube of a suitable diameter.

In addition to such luminous tubes, you can use various phosphorescent (glow in the dark) materials and paints, as well as miniature LEDs.

The principle of their operation is the same - fixing mechanical signaling devices (nods, pendulums, etc.) on the working elements.

In this simple way, you can do light indicator bites on the feeder, which will be noticeable at any time of the night from a distance up to 10 - 15 meters.

Side signaling device

Consider how you can make a side bite signaling device for a feeder. Its principle of operation is the same as that of the nod, but the difference is that it is fixed a little higher than the butt of the stick, in front of the first wire ring. To make such a bite signaling device on the feeder, you will need the following:

1. Elastic wire or thin metal plate about 200 mm long.
2. Thick rubber ring 30 - 50 mm wide, with an inner diameter identical to the diameter of the fishing rod at the point where the signaling device is attached. To do this, for example, you can look at a car shop of suitable sizes for a silent block from a car.
3. Colored tubes according to wire diameter.

Manufacturing process:

1. 1. First, we prepare fasteners from a rubber ring. To do this, you must first cut it on one side so that you can put it on the form from the side.
   2. After that, in the rubber fastener, in order to be able to fix it perpendicular to the form of the elastic wire, it is necessary to make a hole. The hole can be made with a hot-hot nail of a suitable diameter.

Expert opinion

Knipovich Nikolai Mikhailovich

Zoologist, hydrobiologist. I am a professional fisherman.

Attention! The hole can be made along the whip or perpendicular, depending on the size of the rubber ring. If the hole is made along the rod body, the end of the wire that will be inserted into it must be bent at an angle of 90 degrees.

1. At one end of the wire (metal plate), we make a hook with the help of round-nose pliers. A line will be inserted into it.
2. We fix the colored cambric near the hook. This will make the alarm more visible.
3. We insert the elastic element into the rubber housing of the fastener perpendicular to the fishing rod. The signaling device is ready to work.

After casting the tackle, insert the line into the ring and wait for a bite. When biting, when the line is pulled, the elastic element of the device will bend down to the rod body. When hooking and playing such feeder bite alarms no need to take off, they do not interfere with the actions of the angler at all.

It is quite possible to supplement such a hand-made signaling device for a feeder with a small firefly, this will allow it to be effectively used for fishing at night.

Sound notification

The most common and simple sound bite alarms are considered ordinary single or double bells, which are attached to the very tip of the form with a clothespin.

Also often used are a variety of bells that need to be attached to a fishing line, 10 - 15 centimeters from the tip of the stick. Under their weight, some sagging of the fishing line is created. When biting, the fishing line pulls the bell and a melodic sound is heard.

In order for the bell to hold securely on the fishing line, you will need a piece of dense, thick rubber. On the one hand, a bell is attached to it with the help of a ring, on the other hand, a cut is made in the rubber, approximately to its middle. When installing the bell, a fishing line is inserted into this slot, which, due to the friction force and elasticity of the rubber itself, is held quite securely.

It would also be useful to fasten the bell, with a cord or old fishing line, to the end of the form. This will help not to lose it after hooking. Such a do-it-yourself bite signaling device is, perhaps, every experienced angler. It is very sensitive, simple and effective. And only with a strong wind, with a buildup, it can give a lot of false signals.

Knipovich Nikolai Mikhailovich

Zoologist, hydrobiologist. Graduated from Leningrad State University named after Zhdanov, Faculty of Biology and Soil. I am a professional fisherman.

Since ancient times, people have used various ways, for effective tracking of fish bites. These were all kinds of floats, gatehouses or visual observation of the tip of the fishing rod. With time and experience came the desire and ability to improve these devices. And with the advent of new technologies, more “smart” bite alarms began to appear. Now it is different kinds nods, bells, light, mechanical and electrical bite indicators.

Electronic signaling devices

In the distant 60s, the development of electronic signaling devices began. They combined visual and audible alarms. One of the more popular bite alarms was the Heron. The main disadvantage of this device was the need to connect it to an external battery.

Development did not stand still. Contacts with wires were replaced by small sensor blocks built into the body of the signaling device. They are much more reliable and more sensitive than older models.

Modern electrical signaling devices can receive a bite signal through:

• Form

Such devices are attached directly to any convenient place on the rod, using adhesive tape. It can be used both in summer and winter fishing. The indicator housing is made in the form of a small cylinder, weighing about 12 grams. It is sealed and does not sink. The cylinder has an on-off button and sensitivity level settings for:

1. Predatory or large white fish;
2. Small white fish;
3. Winter fishing.

There are also auto (on-off) functions of the device when hooking. To save energy, there is an option to turn off the device if there are no bites for a long time (more than three hours)

The principle of operation of such devices is to remove information from the rod blank by a sensor built into the body. False signals from the wind, disturbances of the reservoir are not recorded. The bite signal is given by sound (up to 50 m) and LED (up to 100 m).

• Lescu

These are electrical signaling devices of a traditional form. They are produced with fasteners for installation on a rod blank, or mounted on a rod pod, a rod stand. They consist of:

1. Corps;
2. signaling roller;
3. Batteries (crowns);
4. Microcircuits;
5. Sound, light signaling device.

The body is made of plastic or metal. It has a special place where the power supply is installed. In the upper part there is a roller with a photocell for fishing line. Inside the case there is a microcircuit, LEDs and a sound signal speaker. On the surface there are buttons for on-off, volume, sound tone selection, as well as a light signaling button.

The case has a threaded mount for screwing onto a stand or rod pod. The signaling device itself is also a stand for the rod. More expensive models have waterproof cases. For budget models, you can advise - to fill the board with candle wax on your own. This will prevent moisture from getting on the chip.

One of the most popular mechanical signaling devices is Megatex (picture below.)

Operating principle such signaling devices is simple:

1. The body is screwed onto the stand. It is brought to the working position (power is connected, turned on). The desired sound tone and volume are adjusted (this is convenient when fishing with several rods).
2. Tackle is thrown, a fishing rod is installed on the signaling device. The line starts up on the roller.
3. Slack is selected (swingers or mechanical bite alarms are needed to tension the fishing line), the friction on the reel is correctly set.

When biting, the fishing line through the roller sends a signal to the photocell. In turn, it generates a signal with sound and light. This informs the fisherman about the beginning of the bite.

As a rule, electrical signaling devices have 2 indicators. Red shows bite. Green or blue lights up when the device is turned on. It also burns for a few more seconds after the end of the bite. This makes it possible to see on which of the fishing rods the fish were biting.

Rating of top 3 models of electronic signaling devices

« Jay", inexpensive, practical option. Extremely popular model recently “Jay 3”. It ranks at the top of our rankings.

Attaches to rod or whip winter fishing rod with adhesive tape. It has:

1. Protection against false signals (waves, wind, algae);
2. Removable CR1220 battery;
3. Metal waterproof, non-sinking case;
4. Energy saving shutdown function;
5. When operating from -40 to +100ºС, the shelf life is up to one year.

Instruction:

1. Press the button, a beep will sound. When the button is released, a short beep - the device is on, a long one - off.
2. 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th clicks - sets the sensitivity levels.
3. 7th, 8th, 9th clicks - setting melodies for a bite.
4. 10th press - setting the on / off auto mode when hooking.
5. By pressing and holding the button (20 seconds), the tone and volume of the sound are set.

Cheap alarm "Barracuda" (barracuda), made of black rubberized plastic.

1. Waterproof body;
2. Volume and tone adjustment;
3. Light and sound alarm;
4. A krone battery (9 V) is used for power.

The control buttons are located on the front side of the signaling device. The rubberized case allows to use the device in any weather conditions. The board is covered with a waterproof coating.

Electronic Chinese signaling device "Hoxwell" It has:

1. Light, sound indicator of inclusion;
2. Eight tone levels;
3. Volume control, mute mode;
4. Settings memory function;
5. LED bite direction scale;
6. Built-in signal transmitter;
7. Enable night mode.

These are models protected from moisture ingress, with a lateral arrangement of control buttons. The case is additionally protected by rubber pads along the seams of the joints. A battery is used for power. These models are also equipped with pagers.

Electronic signaling devices with pagers

Modern professional signaling devices are equipped with built-in signal transmitters. This is convenient for day or night fishing, being at a relatively large distance from the rods. The bite signal is transmitted to the pager. The signal transmission distance reaches 200 m. The pager can notify the fisherman with a vibro, sound or light signal. Each set of signaling devices has its own pager. It can simultaneously receive signals from 4 devices.

Advantages of using models with a built-in signal transmitter:

1. Obtaining information about the tension of the fishing line, at a distance from the place of fishing.
2. On which of the rods did the bite occur?

The pager is configured together with signaling devices, which allows you to select and control the signal. It is necessary to remember about the timely charging of the device, so as not to be left without communication with signaling devices during fishing.

Ready-made sets of signaling devices

Such sets are equipped with a pager, usually 4 signaling devices, batteries and chargers (if necessary). The set is packed in a plastic case. The signaling devices are equipped with built-in transmitters for communication with the pager.

They also have special connectors for connecting electronic swingers. They have waterproof cases. These kits are easy to transport, easy to assemble and use. Ready-made sets of signaling devices have a rather high cost. However, they differ in the quality of the models and in practice, the absence of fakes.

Light signaling devices (firefly)

For night fishing, one of the most common types of signaling devices are fireflies. They are easy to use, affordable and suitable for all types of fishing (bottom, float or spinning).

Basically, signaling devices manufactured by the manufacturer have the following forms:

• In the form of a nail or stick;
• In the form of a light bulb, which increases the area of ​​​​illumination.

According to the principle of operation, such devices are divided into three types:

1. Collapsible capsules with small batteries and LED. Such fireflies are reusable, thanks to the replacement of batteries.
2. Light-accumulative signaling devices. The principle of their operation is the accumulation of light during their short-term illumination. For their work, you need to have a good flashlight.
3. Disposable chemical fireflies. They consist of a plastic flask with component A. Inside of which there is a capsule with reagent B. Under mechanical action, components A and B are mixed, and a reaction occurs - luminescence.

Light signaling devices can be of different colors. For chemical species, the most popular is the yellow-green glow. It's a pretty bright color. He is calm enough not to irritate the eyes. There are also light and sound bite alarms. About them we will talk below.

Fireflies are attached:

• On the float, inserting into their silicone antennas. Or with the help of elastic bands - on their tops.
• To the tip of the rod, using silicone rubber bands. Special plastic fasteners are also sold. Several fireflies can be installed in such mounts.

The main brands that you can buy in a fishing store: Ocean Sun, Kostal, Balzer, Salmo, Rodinson, Liman Fish, Strike Alert.

Do-it-yourself light signaling device

As already mentioned above, light signaling devices have proven themselves well when night fishing. To buy them in the store, you can easily make such an indicator at home. For manufacturing you will need:

1. Straws for a cocktail;
2. Crocodile clips;
3. Glue gun;
4. LEDs;
5. Round flat batteries 3 V;
6. Heat shrink, according to the size of the battery.

A piece of straw, 3–4 cm long, is filled with a glue gun. An LED is inserted inside. Its legs protrude by 0.5 cm. A battery is inserted into the heat shrink tube, 2 cm long. A piece of straw with a fixed hairpin is inserted into one end of the heat shrink. Fits tightly with a lighter. A straw with an LED is inserted into the other end. The legs of the LED are located with different parties batteries (+, -). Sits down so that it can be pulled out.

Such a homemade device is enough for the entire fishing season. Manufacturing does not take much time, does not require soldering and high costs.

Audible alarms

1. Bells on a clothespin;
2. Rattles;
3. Bells.

Such indicators are used on bottom gear at night. Sound signaling devices are also installed during daylight hours, when it is difficult to visually monitor a large number of gear. They are usually mounted on a fishing line or donkey rod tip. (Pictures enlarge.)

Very often, the factory fasteners of the bell are difficult to reset during cutting from the fishing line. This interferes with the normal reeling of tackle when fighting. Therefore, you can modify the signaling device holder yourself. For this you will need:

1. Thin-walled rubber hose, approximately 3 cm in diameter.
2. A small bolt with a nut that will fit into the ear of the bell

A ring is cut off from the hose, 1.5 cm wide. An incision is made on the ring and a hook is shaped. A hole must be made in its long part. Through it, the bell is attached to the elastic with a bolt.

You can make your own bell. For example, from decorations, on the backs of old iron beds. They look like a cylinder with conical tops.

For manufacturing you will need:

1. Saw the cylinder in half;
2. Make a hole in the upper part;
3. Attach a nut to the self-tapping screw, tying it on a fishing line. This will be the tongue of the bell;
4. Self-tapping screw, screwed into the hole from the inside of the bell;
5. A wine cork is put on the tip. An incision is made in the cork for attaching the indicator to the fishing line of the rod.

You can make a bell out of an old phone call. We disassemble the call, we get two cups. In the upper part, through the hole, the tongue is fixed. For it, you can use the nut on the fishing line. To install the signaling device on the fishing line, you can use a cork.

Do-it-yourself bells differ from factory fixtures in their special sound. This allows you not to confuse their sound on a fishing trip with their neighbors.

Mechanical signaling device

Mechanical signaling devices play the role of visual control over the bite. One of the simplest can be a piece of clay or dough, suspended on a fishing line or an ordinary part of a branch found on the shore.

Purchased mechanical signaling devices can be divided into three types:

• "Monkey". This is a fairly simple design of a rod and a tube (cylinder). The tube is put on the fishing line between the reel and the first ring. The rod is stuck into the ground at an angle or vertically. A signaling device is hung on it. When biting, he moves freely along the line. Such a signaling device can be made with your own hands, using foil instead of a tube.
• Bad (hanger)- This is a load fixed on a chain or flexible cable with a clip for fishing line. At the other end is a stand mount. This is a fairly sensitive type of alarm. Works well in calm weather. Hangers are much lighter than classic swingers.
• swinger- is one of the most popular (especially among carp anglers) mechanical types of signaling devices. The principle of their work is to raise, lower the device on the fishing line. There are several options for sale:
• Classical is a swinger, consisting of a weight of 100 grams, which moves freely along a metal lever. One end of the lever is equipped with a hinge for attaching to the stand. At the other end is a plastic head with a special clip for fishing line.

It is installed as follows: after casting, the rod is placed on a stand; excess fishing line is reeled; the fishing line is wound into the mount on the head; the desired sag is regulated by the movement of the load along the lever; when hooking, the line comes out freely from the clamp on the head.

Classic swingers are mainly used in combination with electronic signaling devices.

A lightweight swinger consists of a plastic tube with a wire rod inside. At the front end is a bright head with a fishing line attachment. At the other end there is a loop for installing a signaling device on the rod throughput ring. It works in the same way as the classic swinger. Only constantly is on the form. The price of this model is much lower.

Another of the mechanical signaling devices is a nod. It's very easy to make it yourself. To do this, in any fishing store you can buy a spring nod for a winter fishing rod. This spring has a whip attachment and a bright ball on the end. To put the nod on bottom tackle necessary:

1. Cut the rubber mount near the hole through which it is put on the whip
2. Put it on the tip of the rod near the first ring
3. To secure, a thread is wrapped around the fastening circle and tied. Top with insulation
4. The fishing line is passed through a ring, a spring with a ball

The gear is ready to go. The sensitivity of the nod is adjusted by the movement of the spring. This design allows you to see even the lightest bites. It is good to use for gear with a hard blank tip.

Side bite alarm for feeder

At its core, the feeder itself is a rather sensitive tackle. However, sometimes this is not enough with strong winds and large breaking waves. Also, on reservoirs where it is not possible to put the feeder parallel to the shore, the visibility of bites decreases. For such conditions, a side signaling device or a side jib tip will be indispensable.

Finding a ready-made design in stores is quite problematic. Here are some tips on how to make such a device yourself:

Details for the signaling device: attachment to the rod; metal rod; steel wire.

1. Fasteners can be made from a conventional plastic clamp for PVC pipes. A rubber ring will help to fix it on the rod.
2. The tube or rod is selected according to the diameter of the hole in the clamp.
3. Steel wire with a diameter of about 1 mm and a length of up to 20 cm is bent in an arc. One end is bent at an angle of 90º. The length of the bend is approximately 5 cm. It is attached to the rod with glue and threads. At the second end, a hook is made for fishing line. To better see the bites, colored cambrics are put on the wire.
4. The whole structure is attached in front of the first winding ring closer to the coil.

Take the usual shop nod for a winter fishing rod, insulating tape. Installation method:

1. There is an elastic band on the nod for putting it on a fishing rod. With the help of electrical tape, it is mounted on the form next to the coil.
2. A cut is made on the nod ring, into which the fishing line will be wound.
3. A nod is installed in the groove on the elastic band, a fishing line is started. The signaling device is ready for operation.

These simple and sensitive adaptations respond well to even sluggish bites from inactive fish.

Bite alarm for ice fishing for girders

The rigs are for catching predatory fish on live. Gutter devices:

1. Base;
2. Reel with fishing line;
3. Rack with a signaling device.

For a bite signaling device, a flag is most often used. This is a piece of bright matter (usually red) on a narrow, thin plate 40 - 60 cm long. Sometimes springs are placed. The operation of this indicator is very simple. When setting up, the flag, in a bent position, is fixed on the coil. The predator, taking the bait, pulls the line. Scrolling, the coil releases the flag. It straightens up, which allows you to see the bite.

A little advice. To distinguish your flags from other people's gear, it is better to make the signaling device of the original shape and color.

From all of the above, we can conclude that regardless of the conditions and methods of fishing, signaling devices play an important role in successful fishing. The angler himself can choose which model suits him. Buy signaling devices in the store or make them yourself, with your own hands, how to improve your gear.

For an angler with experience and tools, making do-it-yourself bite signaling devices for a feeder is not difficult. With the right selection of materials, the whole process takes a minimum of time. True, this applies to devices that are not related to electronics. The article describes how to make the simplest signaling devices, and a pendulum-type signaling device.

The simplest signaling devices

Here are two typical examples of making homemade bite alarms for a feeder from improvised materials.

1. Cork for a wine bottle. The cork glides freely over the rig during casting and reeling, does not damage the rod blank during a sharp bite, hooking, and does not interfere in conditions of intense bite.
2. Chocolate aluminum foil. It is necessary to roll one sheet several times into a tape 2 cm wide and wrap it around the fishing line - you get a simple and effective gatehouse.

The gatehouses described are simple and can be quickly made right on the fishing trip.

What kind of signaling devices exist for the feeder and donkey,.

side nod

There are several ways to make such a homemade donkey signaling device. Here is one of them, which can be taken as a basis. So:

We select materials.

• a piece of steel wire with a diameter of 0.8-1 mm and a length of 40 cm (you can use a cable or a steel plate from an old car wiper);
• clamp for water PVC pipes;
• a metal rod (nail or thin tube) suitable in diameter to a hole in a plastic clamp;
• mounting silk thread;
• glue.

The main elements of the side bite signaling device: a rod with a wound wire

• we drill a hole in the rod (if a plate is used, then it is not necessary);
• bend the wire on one side at 90 degrees at a distance of 5 cm;
• on the other hand, we make a small hook for the fishing line;
• we thread a five-centimeter segment into the rod and wind it with a thread;
• cover the connection with glue (you can also varnish);
• lubricate the rod with glue and install it in the clamp, choosing the angle of inclination (if there is no hole, it must be drilled).

The side signaling device in the equipped state is fixed on a spinning rod

The device can be improved and removable rods can be made - for different tests, but then you need to accurately select a combination of diameters. For better visibility, paint the signaling device.

Notes: on the right side of the yoke, cut off the technological tide in order to prevent the fishing line from overlapping behind it when casting the equipment. If the blank of the rod is thinner than the inner grip of the clamp, it must be pulled together with wire or wrapped with electrical tape on the blank.

Instead of a clamp for PVC pipes, you can take hard foam and choose a groove on one side equal to the diameter of the rod blank. Then make a hole for the pin and put it on the glue. You will have to fasten the base of the signaling device with electrical tape - you can only change the rod with wire during the fishing process. You can also fix it with rubber rings that are previously put on the fishing rod, but they are subject to the influence of sunlight and quickly fail.

pendulum type

Some anglers prefer to use pendulum signaling devices. They are attached to the upper part of the rod with one end behind the access ring, and at the other end they cling to the fishing line. A small load provides sag and signals a bite by raising or lowering the gatehouse.

As a rule, factory fixtures are used. But such a device for the feeder can be made with your own hands. Moreover, it injures the rod blank less. This will require:

• a plastic tube from 15 to 20 cm long (it is possible for a cocktail, but it is not rigid enough);
• steel wire 0.5-08 mm thick;
• dense foam or cork from a wine bottle;
• glue.

Pendulum signaling device assembly: a fishing line is threaded into the larger ring, the smaller one clings to the access ring

The manufacturing process consists of the following steps:

• we give the foam a cylindrical shape (for a cork, we skip this step);
• we drill a hole with a diameter equal to the outer thickness of the tube;
• lubricate the tube with glue and put a foam plastic on it so that a distance of 3-4 cm remains from one edge;
• we thread the wire into the tube and make loops - you can leave a small gap under the access ring, under the fishing line (in the photo - on the right) we make a small overlap so that the signaling device does not come off.

The loops should be perpendicular to each other. Otherwise, the device will not work. So that the larger ring does not injure the blank when casting the equipment and when hooking, we recommend putting on a cambric on it.

For better visibility, the device is painted in bright light. To sound the signaling device, it is equipped with bells. In the conditions of night fishing, a "firefly" attached to the tube will help to see the bite.

Electronic devices

To make an electronic bite alarm for a feeder, you need to have minimal skills in assembling electronic devices. We recommend such a scheme of the device.

• housing for the device (you can use the old plug to charge your mobile phone);
• material for the lever - steel wire 2 mm thick;
• a sound generator (tweeter), in this capacity a device from a Chinese alarm clock is suitable;
• microswitch;
• a battery that fits under the tweeter;
• LED - indicator light (you can take it from a lighter with a backlight - there are fasteners there).

The lever must be positioned so that when the line is twitched, it presses the switch and closes the circuit. After that, a sound is heard and the LED lights up.

The lever rotates in the alarm housing, when the fishing line is lifted, the contact will close and a sound will be heard

In some cases, it is more expedient to replace the microswitch with a reed switch acting as a sensor. But then you also need a magnet, the approach to which the reed switch is accompanied by a sound signal. Such a scheme is a little more complicated than with a toggle switch.

Signaling devices for bottom gear can be made on your own if you have a small set of materials, skills and tools. In some cases, do-it-yourself devices give even more effect than industrial devices.

The March sun is shining brighter, it's time to prepare equipment for summer fishing. Despite the general fascination of hunters for peaceful fish with a feeder, adherents of the classic donka remain. For bottom fishing rods (donks), various bite signaling devices are used, we will consider making one of them with our own hands in today's article.

Homemade is simple, both in manufacturing and in use. The undoubted advantage, unlike the store ones, is that everyone can make such a fishing "assistant" of the size, shape and color he needs. Well, it's always nice to use hand-made gear for fishing.

Making a bite signaling device for a donkey with your own hands

The simplest signaling device consists of three main elements:

• The axis is a wire up to one millimeter thick.
• The body is an old float, a capsule from a kinder surprise, a blank made from hard foam, a bottle cap.
• Tube - from cocktails, from juices, from flags, fountain pens and the like.

Materials for the signaling device

We select materials for the manufacture of our signaling device.

Selected materials

We drill a through hole in the body of the float to pass the wire axis. From a long tube cut off a segment of three centimeters.

We put on the axis a short tube, the body of the signaling device, a long tube in series.

Elements of the signaling device on the axis

At the rear end of the wire we make a loop for attaching to the ring of the bottom rod. In the case of using a rigid wire, for the convenience of manufacturing a signaling device, it should be annealed on fire. For convenience, it is better to bend the wire on a mandrel from a tube with diameters of a centimeter or a little more.

back end fold

Having shifted all the elements of the product to the rear end, we begin to bend the front end of the axis. This loop should be in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the back bend. The diameter of the front loop can be slightly larger than that of the back, and be about two centimeters.

The loop should enter the anterior tube by about one centimeter. A longer segment will be inconvenient to insert into the tube, a shorter one will constantly fly out of it.

Front fold

Feeder gear, along with a special rod, reel and equipment, includes all kinds of signaling devices designed to clearly and timely warn the angler about a bite.

Bite signaling devices for feeders, in contrast to the classic bottom tackle, are distinguished by a wide variety of types used, high sensitivity and reliability. The choice of one or another type of signaling device depends on the fishing conditions, the characteristics of the gear used, and the experience of the angler.

In addition to the fact that these devices can be bought at a fishing store, they can be very easy to make yourself. To make a bite signaling device for a feeder with your own hands does not require special skills, expensive materials and special tools.

All feeder signaling devices are divided into two large types according to the way the bite is displayed - visual and sound.

Visual indicators warn the angler of a bite with a clearly visible visual movement of the device.

This type includes:

• quivertips - thin and flexible tips of the feeder rod;
• bite light indicators (fireflies) - nozzles glowing in the dark;
• swingers;
• lateral nods.

Also, any other bite signaling device for the feeder can be attributed to the visual, when using which the angler relies on vision.

The advantages of this type are:

• Use in both day and night - thanks to the presence of luminous and simple, highly visible signaling devices, they can be used at any time of the day.
• Versatility - they are suitable for feeder gear of various characteristics.
• Simplicity and speed of making with your own hands - so if the signaling device is lost or dropped into water, you can replace it with a simple and quite sensitive homemade product from the materials at hand.

You can buy electronic signaling devices.

Firefly

A firefly is a light bite signaling device attached to the tip of a feeder rod and used for fishing in the dark.

The simplest firefly consists of:

• Soft plastic body with No. 1 liquid inside and special fasteners for fixing the firefly on the rod tip.
• A glass capsule placed inside the body with liquid No. 2.

The essence of the operation of such a signaling device is based on the fact that when its body is broken, the inner capsule breaks, liquids No. 1 and No. 2 mix and react, causing a glow.

In addition to fireflies based on a chemical reaction, there are also electric signaling devices on sale, consisting of

• capped LED
• compartment with 2 batteries
• mounts for fixing a firefly on a bell or on a rod

The duration of the glow of a firefly based on a chemical reaction ranges from 8-9 to 12-15 hours. LED indicators with high-quality batteries can work for several days

When choosing a similar signaling device from a particular manufacturer, it is necessary, based on reviews on the Internet and the advice of fishing colleagues, to take into account the following points:

• Glow duration - it must be at least 8-9 hours, otherwise at a certain moment the signaling device will dim and cease to be clearly visible
• Color - the color of the glow should not be irritating to the eye
• Reliability of attachment to the tip of the feeder - the signaling device must be securely attached to the feeder blank or bell

It is not very difficult to make a firefly-like bite signaling device on a feeder with your own hands. For this you need:

• From the tube used in the balloon with polyurethane foam, cut off 5-7 cm.
• We insert a white LED into the tube and fill the tube with glue on top, getting a flashlight emitting light as a result.
• We insert a 3 V flat battery into the heat shrink tube.
• Using a lit or candle, we fix the battery in the middle of the heat shrink tube.
• From two batteries, we insert and fix with a lighter two rigid tubes, into one of which we insert a flashlight with an LED, and make the second long in order to fix the signaling device on the tip of the feeder with tape or electrical tape.

Also, fireflies are very often used as part of an electronic bite signaling sensor for a feeder, representing LED indicators that flash or light up when the tension of the fishing line changes, the vibration of the rod.

foil tube

Highly reflective foil tube - easy to manufacture and a reliable signaling device for the feeder

In order to make such a signal necessary

• Cut a small tube lengthwise and put it on a cord or fishing line between the reel and the first ring of the rod
• Wrap the tube in several layers of foil
• Fix the tube with foil with tape or electrical tape

A bite on such a signaling device during the day is clearly visible and audible by the rustling of thin foil; also, with good lighting with a powerful flashlight, it can also be used at night.

Float

The float is a feeder bite signaling device that is not attached directly to the blank, but cast with a rig.

For fishing on a feeder, floats that meet the following requirements are suitable as signaling devices:

Large size and bright color long casts the float should be clearly visible

Sliding type of mounting - this allows the use of floats with a load less than the weight of the feeder with bait

With feeder fishing with a float, the latter is installed on the line between two silicone stoppers. The depth after measurements with the help of these stoppers is set in such a way that the feeder with bait lies on the bottom and does not drown the float.

The use of such a signaling device is not widely practiced due to the following disadvantages:

• With strong waves at a great distance from the shore, the float becomes inconspicuous.
• On rivers with a fast current, the float is strongly carried away by the stream and, as a result, it ceases to signal a bite qualitatively.

Side bite indicator quivertip

Another type of bite signaling device for a do-it-yourself feeder rod is a side quiver tip (nod)

This indicator is made as follows:

• We buy a cheap rubber “cushion” for a stabilizer or springs in an auto parts store with an inner diameter slightly smaller than the thickness of the butt knee of the feeder rod
• Cut it in half
• The resulting sleeve is cut along
• We make a slot in the ring of a long metal winter nod
• With a red-hot nail in the rim of the sleeve we make a hole
• We insert a nod into the hole and fix it with glue

The finished nod, pushing the rubber sleeve and placing a blank inside it, is fixed on the lower knee of the rod; a fishing line or cord is inserted into the slot of the nod

This signaling device is most often used if, after casting, it is not possible to place the rod on a rack parallel to the coastline, or obliquely at an angle and have to place it perpendicular to the coast.

Pendulum bite signaling device for feeder

Pendulum signaling device - a rod with wire loops located at right angles to it on both sides and a spherical or ovoid large tip at one of its ends.

The essence of the action of this signaling device is as follows:

• With the help of gaps in the loops, the pendulum is attached to the cord between the coil and the first throughput ring. Tip made of transparent bright color plastic serves to sag the cord and increase the distance from which the bite is noticeable.
• When biting, the sagging is eliminated by pulling the fishing line and the angler sees this well by moving the tip.
• When using a pendulum for night fishing, fireflies are inserted into the holes on the tip.
  

DIY Swinger

Swinger is a very convenient and sensitive feeder signaling device, consisting of the following components:

• Wire axle - lever with a sliding weight and silicone stop beads.
• One of the ends of the lever is pivotally attached to a bite-signaling element - a plastic float with a screw cap and a fishing line clip.
• The second end is bent at an angle of 60-70 0 inside the lever and to it a hinged-shaped holder with a hole in order to fix the signaling device on the rod stand.
• When fishing, the signaling device is attached using a hole in the holder to the rod stand.
• We hook the float with a clamp to the fishing line.
• By changing the position of the sliding sinker, we adjust the sag of the fishing line and the sensitivity of the gear - the closer the weight is moved to the float, the less sensitive the signaling device will be. In order to make the swinger more sensitive, the sinker is moved a little further from the middle of the lever.

It is not difficult to make such bite signaling devices on the feeder with your own hands - it will take no more than 10-15 minutes and will not require expensive materials:

• For the lever, we need a piece of hard wire with a diameter of 2-2.5 mm and a length of 40-50 cm.
• From plastic bottle cut off the threaded neck.
• In the middle of two corks from the same bottles, we make central holes.
• We wind the corks from both sides onto the cut-off neck with a thread.
• We pass the wire axis through the holes in the covers - we get. an empty capsule moving along the lever, where you can add any environmental element (from sand and earth to lead weights).
• From a piece of galvanized sheet we cut out a plate measuring 3 × 5 cm, round off one of its sides and make a hole in it for fastening on the rod stand
• From one end of the lever we make a bend at a right angle, apply a plate to it and, pressing it, fix it. The resulting mount must be movable.
• At the second end of the lever, we make a second bend perpendicular to the plane in which the first is located.
• The piece of wire bent up at the second end is once again bent outward of the lever at an angle slightly less than 90 0 while slightly deflecting it away from the axis of the lever. In the middle of the tip formed after the bend, with the help of pliers, we make a small deflection, designed to facilitate the unhindered detachment of the swinger from the fishing line when hooking.

In addition to mechanical swingers, electronic bites connected to similar signaling devices and duplicating their sound signal with the flickering light of LEDs installed inside the float are also used.

buzzer

Sound signaling devices for the feeder notify about a bite with a sonorous and well-heard sound at a distance. These signaling devices are the best for daytime feeder fishing, but at night they are used in conjunction with fireflies.

Sound signaling devices for the feeder can be of the following varieties:

• bells
• Electronic buzzers

The disadvantage of such signaling devices is the deterioration of their effectiveness in windy weather and in heavy rain.

Bell

Bells are the simplest sound signaling devices used when fishing not only with a feeder, but also with other bottom gear.
Bells for the feeder are of several types:

• Simple - consisting of a copper, brass or other thin-walled metal case with a movable tongue inside.
• Closed type - bells (eggs), consisting of 2-3 spherical hollow bodies with slots for sound and balls moving inside.

Simple bells are fixed on a cord between the first ring and the coil using special clips or pieces of rubber with slots. In order to avoid wasting time when winding the cord and playing the fish, disconnecting the bell, it is additionally tied with a piece of fishing line to a rack or a peg driven into the shore.

Bells, which are more common among the varieties of bells, are most often fixed on the tip of the feeder with the help of a clamp on which they are installed.

Other types of bite alarms

In addition to the devices described above, electronic bite alarms for the feeder are also widely used, which are devices consisting of:

• Enclosures with an electronic unit inside.
• A semicircular recess for laying the blank below which there is a slot with two rollers or balls to fix the fishing line and control its movement when biting.
• Two LEDs - one of them serves to display the bite, and the second for about half a minute after the pulls have stopped indicates to the angler what kind of tackle the bite was.
• Dynamics.
• Adjusting the volume and tone of the sound, the sensitivity of the device.

The operation of such an alarm is very simple:

• When the tackle is thrown at the required distance, the rod is placed in the recess, and the line is fixed between the rollers in the slot
• When the cord moves, the circuit inside the device closes and it signals the angler about the bite with sound and light signals
• If the angler did not have time to get to the tackle by the LED on the device, he will be able to determine on which of the feeders there was a bite and decide whether to pull it out and check the integrity of the bait on the hook, or it is worth waiting for the fish to reappear.

You can buy the desired bite signaling device.

Swingers are often used with electronic devices - we will talk about what they are and how to make a similar signaling device for a mechanical type feeder.