How to Set Up Bite Alarms for Clean Indication

What you need

• Bite alarms (and a receiver if you have one) with fresh batteries.
• Bite indicators: hangers, bobbins or swingers. See indicators and hangers.
• Front and rear banksticks with buzz bars, or a rod pod.

Step 1: Position the alarms

Screw each alarm onto the front bankstick or buzz bar and tighten the locking nut so the alarm sits square. Point each rod roughly at its bait, with the tip low on windy days to keep line out of the wind. The line should leave the reel and run straight across the alarm's sensor; if it rubs on the side of the rest or the snag ear, indication will be unreliable.

Step 2: Set the line and indicator

Clip the indicator onto the line between the reel and the alarm. Its weight holds the line against the wheel or sensor and shows any slack.

• Calm conditions, short range: a light indicator, set to hang a few centimetres below the rod.
• Wind, undertow or long range: add weight so the line doesn't bounce across the sensor.
• Fishing slack lines: a light indicator dropped low, accepting that drop-backs will be subtle.

Nash supplies 5 g drag weights with its Night Glo bobbins for this reason.

Step 3: Set sensitivity

Sensitivity decides how much the line must move before the alarm reacts. Begin in the middle of the alarm's range (setting four or five on an eight-step alarm), then:

1. Pull the line gently a centimetre or two in front of the alarm. You should get a bleep.
2. Watch for a few minutes. If wind or undertow causes stray bleeps, reduce sensitivity one step, or add weight to the indicator.
3. If small pulls don't register, increase sensitivity one step.

Vibration alarms such as the Delkim Txi-D v2 have a response control instead of wheel sensitivity; the principle is the same. Alarms with condition modes, like Trakker's Intelli-Sense or Nash's wave sensing, should be switched on when it's rough.

Step 4: Set tone, volume and LEDs

Give every rod a different tone and LED colour, and keep the same rod in the same place each session so you learn which sound is which. If you use a receiver, turn the head volume down or off to keep the bank quiet, and set the latching LED long enough to see which rod moved by the time you're out of the bivvy.

Step 5: Test runs, drop-backs and the receiver

1. Lift each indicator steadily: you should hear the run tone and see a solid LED.
2. Let it drop: you should hear the drop-back tone. On the Trakker DB7-R and Wolf alarms the latching LED flashes for a drop-back.
3. Take the receiver to where you will sit or sleep, zip the bivvy, and repeat. If it misses bleeps, move it higher or closer. A range test feature, where fitted, makes this quick.

Banksticks or a rod pod?

Banksticks pushed into the ground give the most stable, lowest set-up and are the first choice where the bank allows it. On gravel, wooden platforms or concrete, a rod pod holds the alarms and rear rests in a free-standing frame. Either way, make sure the alarms sit level and the buzz bar doesn't twist when a fish takes line, or the line can jump off the sensor.

Before you go to sleep

• Check each indicator is at the right height and the line is in contact with each sensor.
• Run the receiver test from inside the zipped bivvy.
• Check the low battery warnings on alarms and receiver.
• Note which tone and colour is which rod.
• Set the latching LED so you can see which rod moved when you get there.

Stopping false bleeps

Still getting problems? Our troubleshooting guide covers faults, water and batteries. To understand what the settings are doing, read how bite alarms work.