Abstract: A fishing pole has a handle, a reel for supplying fishing line to the pole and a pair of normally closed switch contacts which project into a recess in the forward end of the handle where registering portions of the contacts are resiliently engaged with each other. The resiliently engaged portions of the contacts register with a slot which connects the recess to the exterior of the handle. A portion of the fishing line is disposed to be inserted manually through the slot and between the resiliently engaged portions of the contacts to effect temporary disengagement thereof during still-fishing with said pole. When a fish bite or strike causes the portion of the fish line to be withdrawn from between the normally engaged portions of the contacts, an alarm on the pole is energized to warn the person fishing.