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relied on alarms of one kind or another to let them know when the fish were biting. And let's face it: most of us who own boats enjoy a variety of on-water activities which include angling, and the majority of us can hardly be called fanatic fishermen. The folks who fit that description are more likely to own hard- core fishing boats that are designed for their particular angling passion. But even avid anglers are forced to use alarms to alert them to action at certain times. Serious bottom fishermen targeting carp and catfish—who take the sport a whole lot more seriously than me—use highly sensitive battery- powered bite indicators that trigger flashing lights, and/or electronic alarms when the line moves a pre-set distance. The alarms' sensitivity can be custom set for windy conditions and adjusted to toll at different cadences and pitches to tell the fisherman which rod is getting the bites without the angler even having to look at the rig. Some of these alarms are even wire- less, offering a remote alert from a receiver that's smaller than a cell phone and can be as far as 100 feet from the tackle. The majority of these electronic bite alarms are designed for use from the shore, but most can be adapted for use aboard a boat. Merry Fishing Some savvy fishing reel manufac- turers are getting the hint, and offer built-in alarms. Zebco has a new series of Hawg Seeker spincast and spinning models with a BiteAlert feature that has an audible alarm and a red flashing light to let the angler know when a fish is messing with a bait. For 2009, Ze- bco's famous Model 33 spincasting reel is available with the Bite Alert option. The built-in alarm is a better bet for boat anglers who can place the rig in any rod holder, go play some cards, read a book, watch the sun set, play slap and tickle with the spouse or go to bed for the night knowing that he or she will be aware of any attention be directed at their baits below. And believe me, it's much easier to roll over and ignore a small flashing light in the middle of the night than a string of miniature sleigh bells sounding their merry alarm. hooked 23 August 2009 Sensor Overload. Electronic bite alarms like this generic model found on e-Bay•under•"fish•alarms"• trigger a visible and audible alert when a pre-set amount of line is moved across the sensor. Although designed for•bank•fishing,•they•can•be• adapted for rail-mounted rod holders aboard boats. On•Alert.•Zebco•has•outfitted•two•of•its•popular•spincast•and• spinning reel models with the new BiteAlert feature that can be programmed to use a visual and/or audible alarm to let anglers know when they have a bite. A Hawg Seeker combo, complete with matching rod and Bite Alert reel, is available in both styles; visit www.zebco.com for details. house boat magazine