Visible fish strike indicators

A visible fish strike indicator, comprising:

• a buoyant main housing having a horizontal center axis and a center of gravity beneath the horizontal center axis, whereby the main housing is configured to normally float in an upright horizontal position on a water body;
• a line attachment cleat on the main housing, the line attachment cleat configured to facilitate attachment of a fishing line to the main housing, the main housing configured to deploy within a vertical tilt plane from the upright horizontal position to a vertical position on the water body responsive to application of a downward force against the line attachment cleat;
• an indicator illumination assembly supported by the main housing, the indicator illumination assembly including:
• a horizontal tilt switch having a pair of spaced-apart horizontal tilt switch contacts;
• a vertical tilt switch in spaced-apart relationship to the horizontal tilt switch, the vertical tilt switch having a pair of spaced-apart vertical tilt switch contacts;
• a switch bead conduit disposed within the vertical tilt plane and in communication with the horizontal tilt switch contacts of the horizontal tilt switch and the vertical tilt switch contacts of the vertical tilt switch;
• at least one electrically conductive position switch bead in the switch bead conduit;
• wherein the switch bead conduit is configured to direct the at least one position switch bead into contact with the horizontal tilt switch contacts of the horizontal tilt switch in the upright horizontal position of the main housing portion;
• and
• wherein the switch bead conduit is configured to redirect the at least one position switch bead from the contact with the horizontal tilt switch contacts of the horizontal tilt switch into contact with the vertical tilt switch contacts of the vertical tilt switch responsive to a vertical positioning event wherein the main housing deploys from the upright horizontal position to the vertical position;
• a power source interfacing with the horizontal tilt switch contacts of the horizontal tilt switch and with the vertical tilt switch contacts of the vertical tilt switch;
• a pre-strike indicator light interfacing with the horizontal tilt switch contacts of the horizontal tilt switch and the power source, the pre-strike indicator light configured to emit a pre-strike light pattern;
• and
• a strike indicator light interfacing with the vertical tilt switch contacts of the vertical tilt switch and the power source, the strike indicator light configured to emit a strike light pattern different from the pre-strike light pattern.

A visible fish strike indicator, comprising:

• a buoyant main housing including a main housing sidewall and a main housing end wall on the main housing sidewall, the main housing having a horizontal center axis and a center of gravity beneath the horizontal center axis, whereby the main housing is configured to normally float in an upright horizontal position on a water body;
• a line attachment cleat on the main housing end wall of the main housing, the line attachment cleat configured to facilitate attachment of a fishing line to the main housing, the main housing configured to deploy within a vertical tilt plane from the upright horizontal position to a vertical position on the water body responsive to application of a downward force against the line attachment cleat;
• a light transmissive light housing supported by the main housing, the light housing having a light housing interior;
• an indicator illumination assembly supported by the main housing in the light housing interior of the light housing, the indicator illumination assembly including:
• an assembly support;
• a horizontal tilt switch on the assembly support, the horizontal tilt switch having a pair of spaced-apart horizontal tilt switch contacts;
• a vertical tilt switch on the assembly support in spaced-apart relationship to the horizontal tilt switch, the vertical tilt switch having a pair of spaced-apart vertical tilt switch contacts;
• a switch bead conduit disposed within the vertical tilt plane, the switch bead conduit including:
• a vertical conduit portion disposed in communication with the horizontal tilt switch contacts of the horizontal tilt switch;
• a conduit bend extending from the vertical conduit portion;
• and
• a sloped conduit portion extending from the conduit bend, the sloped conduit portion disposed in communication with the vertical tilt switch contacts of the vertical tilt switch;
• at least one electrically conductive position switch bead in the switch bead conduit;
• wherein the switch bead conduit is configured to direct the at least one position switch bead into contact with the horizontal tilt switch contacts of the horizontal tilt switch in the upright horizontal position of the main housing portion;
• wherein the switch bead conduit is configured to redirect the at least one position switch bead from the contact with the horizontal tilt switch contacts of the horizontal tilt switch into contact with the vertical tilt switch contacts of the vertical tilt switch responsive to a vertical positioning event wherein the main housing deploys from the upright horizontal position to the vertical position;
• and
• wherein the sloped conduit portion of the switch bead conduit is configured to maintain the at least one position switch bead in contact with the vertical tilt switch contacts of the vertical tilt switch for continued energizing of the strike indicator light after return deployment of the main housing from the vertical position to the upright horizontal position after the vertical positioning event;
• a power source interfacing with the horizontal tilt switch contacts of the horizontal tilt switch and with the vertical tilt switch contacts of the vertical tilt switch;
• a pre-strike indicator light interfacing with the horizontal tilt switch contacts of the horizontal tilt switch and the power source, the pre-strike indicator light configured to emit a pre-strike light pattern;
• and
• a strike indicator light interfacing with the vertical tilt switch contacts of the vertical tilt switch and the power source, the strike indicator light configured to emit a strike light pattern different from the pre-strike light pattern.