GB2143711A

GB2143711A - Fish bite indicator

Info

Publication number: GB2143711A
Application number: GB08418162A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Charles Skilton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-07-21
Filing date: 1984-07-17
Publication date: 1985-02-20
Also published as: GB2143711B; GB8418162D0

Abstract

A fish bite indicator is mounted on a bank stick 1 by means of a clamp 5 forming part of a housing 6. The indicator includes a pivotably mounted arm 7 which grips at one end the fishing line and is movable by the line about an arcuate path in a substantially vertical plane. When in use, the arm 7 is preferably positioned below the fishing rod with its free end pointing away from the tip of the rod, the arm following an arc of movement which initially is upwardly towards the rod to provide a visual indication of line movement. Movement of the indicator arm 7 about a spindle located within the housing 6 may activate visual or audible prompts to provide additional indications of line movements. These prompts may include audible tones emitted by a speaker contained in the housing and bulbs set in the housing surface. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fish bite indicator This invention relates to bite indicators for use by anglers. More especially, but not exclusively, the invention concerns bite indicators for use by anglers when ledger fishing. It is important in rod and line fishing for an angler to be promptly aware of when a bait has been taken by a fish so that the strike can be timed correctly to hook the fish before it senses the presence of the line and ejects the baited hook. In order to assist the angler in this task, bite indicators are sometimes employed.

Various bite indicators have been proposed.

However, many such indicators suffer from several disadvantages, one of these being poor performance in windy weather. Wind causes spasmodic movement of a fishing line which adversely affects its use as a visible bite indicator and also causes the line to drag which can be detected by the fish as a disturbance.

Previous bite indicators have included ones which in use are secured to or mounted on a fishing rod.

Such indicators may include a lever pivotably mounted on the rod and connected at its free end to the fishing line such that the lever swings as the line is pulled by a fish taking the baited hook to provide a visual indication of the presence of the fish. Other rod mounted indicators include various types of quiver tips located at the rod end which bend as a line is pulled.

Such rod mounted indicators are cumbersome and tend to impede the fisherman when casting and performing other operations. Furthermore, indicators of the quiver type are liable to flex or bend for reasons other than a fish taking the baited hook.

Consequently, they cannot be relied upon.

Bite indicators adapted to be mounted on bank supports are also known. However, such devices are generally limited in their ability to provide a positive and easily interpreted indication of when a fish has taken a bait.

The present invention sets out to provide a bite indicator which overcomes or alleviates the aforementioned disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a bite indicator for a fishing line of a fishing rod, the indicator being adapted to be mounted on a bank stick or the like and comprising a pivotably mounted arm adapted to be connected to the fishing line and movable about an arcuate path in a substantially vertical plane to provide a visual indication of line movement. When in use, the arm of the indicator is preferably positioned below the fishing rod with its free end pointing away from the tip of the rod, the arm following an arc of movement which initially is upwardly towards the rod.

The indicator arm may be supported for pivotal movement about a fixed spindle of a housing which includes a releasable clamp for connection to a bank stick or the like. Movement of the indicator arm about the spindle may activate one or a plurality of visual and/or audible prompts to provide an additional visual and/or an audible indication of line movement.

In one arrangement, the housing includes a plurality of switches which are activated sequentially by the indicator arm as it travels about its arc of movement, each switch being operable to transmit an electrical signal to activate an audio device to provide an audible output related to the position of the indicator arm in its arc of movement.

Preferably, the frequencies of the signals emitted by activation of the several switches are different from one another so that the position of the indicator arm can be determined audibly.

Each switch may also be connected electrically to a light bulb to provide a further visual prompt of the location of the indicator arm.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure lisa side elevational view of a bite indicator in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a view of the bite indicator illustrated in Figure 1 taken in the direction of arrow II; Figure 3 is a plan view from above of the bite indicator illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating electrical circuitry used in the illustrated bite indicator.

In Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings there is illustrated a conventional bank stick 1 including a "V" shaped support 2 for receiving and supporting a fishing rod 3 in an inclined position in a direction generally transverse to the bank. The reel is to the right in Figure 1 and the tip of the rod to the left.

The line of the rod is indicated by reference numeral 4 and is taken along the rod through a series of rings in a conventional manner. Secured to the bank stick 1 by means of a releasable clamp or fixing 5 is a housing of a bite indicator. The clamp 5 is operated through a threaded fixing screw 5a to enable the housing 6 to be positioned at any given location along the length of the bank stick and to swivel relative thereto. The bite indicator comprises a relatively rigid arm 7 manufactured from, for example, a plastics material supported at one end for pivotal movement about a spindle 8 located in the housing 6. The end of the arm 7 remote from the spindle 8 protrudes from the housing through a slot.

As illustrated, the indicator arm 7 is shown in full line in its lowermost position and in broken line in its uppermost position. The arc of movement of the arm is indicated by arrow 9. The arm 7 is restrained to move beyond its arc of movement by the housing 6.

Alternatively stops may be provided. The arm 7 is formed in two sections, one screwed to the other through a threaded coupling 10. Two or more arms of different length may be provided. Alternatively, the outer section may be telescopic.

Other means of connecting the outwardly protruding section to the spindle mounted section may be provided. Thus, the outer section may be a push-fit into a sleeve defining the spindle mounted section.

The spindle mounted section may extend beyond the spindle and be threaded to receive one or more weights to balance the weight of the arm protruding beyond the housing 6. Similarly, the protruding section may receive weights. The end of the indica tor arm 7 remote from the housing carries or is formed with an open ended clasp 11 to receive and initially nip the line 4when the rod 3 is supported within the "V" shaped neck of the bank stick 1.

Located within the housing 6 is a board which carries an electric circuit illustrated as a block diagram in Figure 4. The circuit is powered by one or more de batteries 12 and includes four spaced switches 1 3a - 1 3d which are scanned and sequen tiallyactivated by the inwardly protruding end of the indicator arm 7 as it travels about its permitted arc of movement. The switches may, for example, be activated magnetically, optically or mechanically.

The three lower switches 1 3a - 1 3c are connected through a timer circuit 14 to an oscillator 15 which, in turn, is connected to a speaker 16. The timer circuit supplies to the oscillator a pulse of a predetermined duration irrespective of the residence time of the indicator arm above the respective switch. Furthermore, the signal transmitted to the timer circuit 14 by each switch is unique to that switch and effects a unique control over the frequency of the oscillator and, therefore, the signal emitted thereby. Thus, the audible prompts given by the speaker 16 are indicative not only of line movement but also of the extent of such movement. Switch 13d is connected directly to the oscillator thereby bypassing the timer circuit 14. Thus, the audible signal emitted by the speaker on activation of the switch 13d is continuous.

Each switch 13a- 13d is also connected one to each of the series of coloured bulbs 17 which light up as the arm 7 traverses the respective switch. Thus, movement of the arm over its arc of movement is accompanied by a sequential succession of both visual and audio prompts.

In use of the bite indicator, the housing with arm attached is located on the bank stick 1 and the clamp 5 adjusted such that the arm 7 is positioned directly below the rod and is free to travel about its arc of movement without being impeded by the rod. The arc described by the arm is contained in a vertical plane which also contains, or lies adjacent to the path to be taken by the fishing line. After casting, the line is looped and retained by the clasp at the free end of the arm and the rod supported in the "V" shaped end of the bank stick with its tip facing the water.

The line bait is attached to a ledger which, following casting, seats upon the bed ofthe pond, river of the like. Initial contact by a fish with the bait produces minor movements of the line which are translated into movements of the indicator arm 7 over the lowermost switches 13a and/or 13bto produce, in addition to the visual indication given by movement of the arm itself, the initial timed audible and visual prompts given by the speaker 16 and the bulbs 17. As the fish feeds on the bait, the arm 7 swings higher so intiating further prompts to alert the angler to the continued presence of the fish; finally once the bait is taken, the arm 7 moves to its highest position to activate the continuous audible prompt. As the angler strikes, so the line leaves the clasp 11 to remove all contact between the rod and the indicator.

The indicator operates to detect movement of a baited fish both towards and away from the rod and provides a clear indication of both the initial and final stages of a fish nibbling and taking a bait thereby enabling an angler to time his strike correctly. A further advantage of the bite indicator described is that the arm at its uppermost position tends to lift the line offfromthe guide rings of the rod so minimising the frictional forces.

It is to be understood that the foregoing is descriptive of one embodiment only of the invention and that various modifications can be made to the bite indicator described and illustrated without departing from the true scope of the invention. Thus, the electrical circuit may comprise a number of switches and lights different from that described.

Also, alternative visual and/or audible prompts may be employed. Further, the location of the bite indicator in relation to the fishing rod may be different from that described. Also, the initial movement of the arm may be downwardly away from the rod instead of upwardly as described.

Claims

1. A bite indicator for a fishing line of a fishing rod, the indicator being adapted to be mounted on a bank stick orthe like and comprising a pivotably mounted arm adapted to be connected to the fishing line and movable about an arcuate path in a substantially vertical plane to provide a visual indication of line movement.

2. A bite indicator as claimed in claim 1 so constructed that, in use, the arm is positioned below the fishing rod with its free end pointing away from the tip of the rod, the arm following an arc of movement which initially is upwardly towards the rod.

3. A bite indicator as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the indicator is supported for pivotal movement about a fixed spindle of a housing which includes a releasable clamp for connection to a bank stick or the like.

4. A bite indicator as claimed in any one of ciaims 1 to 3 wherein movement of the indicator arm about the spindle activates one or a plurality of visual and/or audible prompts to provide an additional visual and/or audible indication of line movement.

5. A bite indicator as claimed in claim 4 wherein the housing includes a plurality of switches which are activated sequentially by the indicator arm as it travels about its arc of movement, each switch being operable to transmit an electrical signal to activate a device operable to supply an audible output related to the position of the indicator arm in its arc of movement.

6. A bite indicator as claimed in claim 5 wherein the frequencies of the signals emitted by activation of the several switches are different from one another so that the position of the indicator arm can be determined audibly.

7. A bite indicator as claimed in claim 5 wherein each switch is connected electrically to a light bulb to provide a visual prompt of the location of the indicator arm.

8. A bite indicator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the indicator arm carries at its free end a line grip operable initially to retain the fishing line and, as the line becomes taut, to release the line from the grip.

9. Afish bite indicator including a housing adapted to be mounted on a bank stick or the like and a pivotable indicator arm releasably connectable to a fishing line and mounted for pivotal movement on a spindle of the housing, the arm being freely movable about an arcuate path in a substantially vertical plane through movement of the fishing line to provide a visual indication of the presence of a fish making contact with the baited end of the line.

10. A bite indicator as claimed in claim 9 wherein the housing includes electric circuitry operable to provide audible and/or visual prompts upon movements of the indicator arm.

11. A bite indicator substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.