Optonics

[Bjp]

i have a pair of them sat around that i do no use i think i had them converted @ hounslow angling centre i must dig them out at some point maybe someone might want them somewhere

regards

bjp

[Banksy]

I dearly wish that I still had my first electronic bite alarm.
I couldn't afford a proper one, so I made my own.

Based on the same "line behind the wire" principle as a Heron bite detecter, it boasted a visual alarm in the form of a bicycle rear light, and an audible alarm cobbled together from a house doorbell, all housed in an old Rowntrees cocoa tin.
I was insanely proud of it. But then, I was just 12 years old.

The first time I used it for pike fishing, I had a run on my legered sprat.
The peace was shattered by my DING DONG DING DONG (Avon calling!) alarm.

The other anglers on the pond fell about laughing, and my alarm never saw the light of day again.

[Slumption]

I have one, original from the 80's and I would never replace it....I think the question about them being traditional is a hard one, my theory on bite alarms is ethics. Mine is used in specific situations and the volume is turned right down. I only use it at night if I am tired and can no longer watch a bobbin or on the the few rare occasions I fish a second rod for pike. I've not replaced it as it does the job.

[Jeremy Croxall]

I don't use one. I bought a real cheapy a few years back in a sale (just in case I ever needed one) but it has never been deployed! I don't have an issue with anyone else using them provided they are set to a sensible volume. If fibreglass rods can be considered traditional, then why not bite alarms from a similar era?

[Baskey]

It's not very long ago that I sold my collection of optonics. Now if I remember correctly delareed marketed them and compacts were the first out. I brought a pair and I think they were 16£ each. I used heron alarms up till then a Richard walker endorsed alarm in fact his idea. That would be sometime late sixties early seventies. I never got them to work properly optonics saved my sanity. To my shame the herons went in the bin. Now I know a bit more about how fish behave. I could probably get on with them now. I.e. they would not be set up so sensitive. That's my two penerth! Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing

[Baskey]

Regards optonics modifications. Del romang and Less bamford were the main converters. GPO speakers. And an adjustable volume knob were the main selling point. But there were new circuit boards and much longer battery life as well. Both have stood the test of time. I still have my delkim optonics. And only just sold my bamford ones.

[Pallenpool]

Does anyone remember the AJS bite alarm system
I think Kevin Maddocks may have used them - it’s quite a while back now but they ring a bell

[Bobthefloat]

I dearly wish that I still had my first electronic bite alarm.
I couldn't afford a proper one, so I made my own.

Based on the same "line behind the wire" principle as a Heron bite detecter, it boasted a visual alarm in the form of a bicycle rear light, and an audible alarm cobbled together from a house doorbell, all housed in an old Rowntrees cocoa tin.
I was insanely proud of it. But then, I was just 12 years old.

The first time I used it for pike fishing, I had a run on my legered sprat.
The peace was shattered by my DING DONG DING DONG (Avon calling!) alarm.

The other anglers on the pond fell about laughing, and my alarm never saw the light of day again.