When you have ever been window shopping fishing equipment on the internet or in fishing tackle stores, you will have realised how crazy the prices can be, particularly on the bite alarms. And you can pick up a basic one at less than PS20 or you can easily spend several hundred on a high-end set with all the bells and whistles.
So what’s the real difference? Are the high priced ones really going to make a better angler of you, or are you just buying a brand name? Let’s take a look.
A bite alarm (either affordable or expensive) performs a single task: it informs you that a fish has bitten. You put your rod on it, the line goes through the sensor and when the fish takes the bait beep! It is a wake-up call so you need not spend hours staring at your rod tip.
On the entry level, that suffices. Most of the low-end models are very suitable to the casual fishing, and in case you only get out a couple of times a month, you may not need to spend more.
However, as you become a regular fisher, particularly when you are fishing bigger fish such as carp or in more adverse weather, then the variations in quality become more evident.
Durability and Construction Quality
Less expensive alarms will suffice in light use during favourable weather. The thing is that fishing is not always light or dry. It can be rain, cold, mud, and even saltwater.
Premier alarms are constructed using superior seals, sturdier casings, and dependable electronics. They are designed to survive being splashed, dropped, and generally abused. That is why serious anglers swear by such high quality brands as Delkim or Fox. They are aware that the equipment can be abused and still perform excellently.
Water damage or battery corrosion are frequent complaints with the cheaper alarms. And when the moisture enters the casing, it is normally too late.
Sensitivity and False alarms
Control is one of the major upgrades that come with increased spending. Premium alarms normally provide customizable sensitivity – that is, you can adjust the sensitivity to respond to movement.
You will have experienced how irritating that can be, when you have fished on a windy day and your alarm has been going off every few seconds without any reason. An upscale model allows you to adjust that sensitivity to the extent that you receive notifications only when a fish actually picks up the bait.
Usually the cheap alarms are not that precise. They are functional, but they are twitchy and present you with more false readings than true ones.
Features That Are Important
The modern bite alarms have evolved. The higher models are available with wireless receivers to ensure that you can walk a little further around your rods yet you are aware of when something is taking place. Others allow you to vary the tone and volume, so that you can know which rod is going off even in the dark.
You will also find such handy touches as:
LED colour options to suit your system.
Night-lights are features that light up during the night.
Anti-theft notifications that activate when somebody picks your rod.
Long-lasting power saving modes or rechargeable batteries.
Are they essential? Not really. However, when you fish frequently, such little conveniences may be the difference between an enjoyable (and successful) session.
When a Budget Model Makes Sense
It does not necessarily have to involve spending more. Good-value bite alarms are available in abundance and they do the job well. Even when you occasionally go fishing, in fair weather, with one or two rods, then there is nothing to be ashamed of in going on a budget.
Actually, there are cheaper alarms that have amazed the angler by functioning better than they thought. Such brands as NGT and Prologic produce good mid-range kits which will not empty the wallet but will still feel like they are good.
The trick is to review reviews and observe their performance in the field. When you are going out just once or twice a month, then it is unlikely that you will want to spend money on the most sophisticated system.
Finding What Works for You
The middle ground is the sweet spot in most cases of the angler, neither the lowest prices, nor the highest-priced models. At the PS40-PS100 scale, you will see alarms with sensitivity control, weatherproof, solid construction and occasionally wireless receivers.
These are the ones that give real value money. You only pay what you can depend on, without spending money on features that you may not need.
The fact is that, the costly bite alarms are not necessarily superior, they are simply superior to the hard and frequent fishermen. A weekend fisherman does not require the same gear as one who is fishing all the other days of the week, hunting carp all over the nation.
Then don’t think about price, think about your fishing. How often do you go? What conditions do you face? What amount of equipment do you have? As soon as you have answered those questions, the right bite alarm, and the right budget, tend to make themselves evident.