Abstract: A fishing rod holder comprising a bracket and a rod holding member pivoted on the bracket for movement about a generally horizontal axis. A pair of spaced electrical contacts are provided on the rod holding member and a tensioning arm forms a third contact adapted to be normally engaged by the rod holding member at a point intermediate the spaced first and second contacts. The tensioning arm is yieldingly mounted on the bracket and is connected electrically to a signal device which in turn is connected to the pair of contacts such that when the rod holding member is moved in one direction or another relative to the bracket, a predetermined distance, a circuit is completed through the tensioning arm to energize the signal means.