The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Are they traditional? I think they probably are,does anyone collect them,I have started to collect them but there are so many different ones out there its confusing ,Can anyone give models/dates etc from when they started to when they finish,A big ask maybe but I would bet someone on here collects them.Thanks

I am always seeing these around the bootfairs and never having used a electronic alarm I really do not know what I am looking at. Efgeeco crops up a lot and I am sure I must have passed by very collectable/usable(valuable?) items through lack of knowledge. I am looking forward to seeing how this thread develops and a rarity/value/price guide would be useful as well.

You and me both boy.

Old Herons maybe, not so sure about Optonics though. I'm into collecting bits of silver paper, half broken twigs and old pennies....

RBTraditional wrote: ↑Wed Nov 01, 2017 11:39 am Old Herons maybe, not so sure about Optonics though. I'm into collecting bits of silver paper, half broken twigs and old pennies....

Old pennies, and if you wanted to turn the volume down use an hapeny. I can remember that being used at Horton Kirby lakes when I was a nipper.

Yes all lovely memories of a gentler time. I suppose when you see what comes up on the antiques programmes these days, pretty much anything is collectible...bite alarms included! Ha!

RBTraditional wrote: ↑Wed Nov 01, 2017 11:39 am Old Herons maybe, not so sure about Optonics though. I'm into collecting bits of silver paper, half broken twigs and old pennies....

And squeezy bottle tops maybe

Even Herons were "altered" by Delkim!

Sundridge Optonics. From - Hi & Lo with wires to Optonic Super XL to Bamford conversions to Dellareed or Delkim ones.

Conversions still available from a few with high prices!

Original "twitcher" wheels - £30 for 5!! £150 for 3 Bamford conversions!!

I have done a little bit of bite alarm converting myself over the years, I have all the plans somewhere but here is my most ambitious enterprise.. patent is pending on this conversion of course.

viewtopic.php?f=91&t=19517

I spent many hours over a Mk IV James rod with Mitchell 300 with an open bale arm and a folded business card sitting over the line between the reel and the butt ring - not only in daylight but at night time as well and to say the least it was exhausting work concentrating on that folded card awaiting some movement.

In the end I managed to scrape together £40 I think to buy an Efgeeco Super Compact Optonic Bite Indicator in the mid 1980s and a second identical one a little later and I still have them both in their original boxes and which from time to time they still get some use albeit I still have the folded business card over the line as you really cannot beat seeing that paper hit the butt ring.

The great joy of the Optonic as with others is that you can look around you whilst fishing and rely on the audible beeping to tell you what is happening rather than developing the fixed stare required previously which became a trait of identifying a carp fisherman without an electronic bite alarm device.