Grumpy Angler

27/04/2019

Great event and well worth entering. I’ll be there being Grumpy, so don’t miss it!

23/04/2019

Ahhh...the joys of fishing when it's cold....but now summer is just around the corner!

20/01/2019

A workshop to get kids fishing - remember to wrap up as it may be a little chilly out there!

16/01/2019

Been sooooooo busy. Lots of fishing and lots of happy kids......but no posting here😬

I will endeavour to change that over the next few days with info on workshops, school visits, youth group activities and much more fishing related stuff

17/07/2018

90 children in 1.5 hours... Great fun but I think I need to lie down.

The home of Grumpy Angler - guided fishing adventures for children and families in Sussex. Shore, lake, river and harbour fishing for all the family.

17/07/2018

We have been too busy fishing to arrange these until now. Please book early to avoid having a fish-free summer!

16/05/2018

I was so pleased to receive this testimonial....it was absolutely freezing that day!

08/05/2018

04/05/2018

A testimonial! I am so grateful for this and delighted that Laurie had a great time.

Andrew was lovely from the onset; great communication with organising the day and even bought hot chocolate which with the adverse weather conditions was welcomed!

My son Laurie had a fabulous day and caught fish and two crabs!

If you have a child who is into fishing and needs some advice, Andrew is your man.

All in all a great day...😁

03/05/2018

I met a remarkable young man yesterday.

Despite torrential rain, high winds and temperatures more often experienced in January than May, eleven year old Laurie battled on, smiling happily in the the teeth of the gale that surrounded us at The Hope in Newhaven.

We watched a cormorant flying backwards and the white caps of the waves growing in size as the rain pelted down - the whole area was deserted save for two hapless walkers and a soggy dog.

We were aiming for the small stuff - sea scorpions and blennies - but they had obviously stayed indoors. The hooks were primed with ragworm and lugworm bait and now all we could do was stand and wait. And wait.

At last Laurie's rod twitched a few second later a whiting was landed. He was absolutely delighted and once the fish was safely returned set about rebaiting his hooks, oblivious of the wind and rain which was now practically horizontal.

Shortly after a missed bite and in quick succession, two crabs were also caught, their claws grasping the bait and refusing to let go. Laurie laughed and fearlessly picked them up and returned them, waving them good buying as they sank out of sight.

A difficult day fishing but one that I will not forget. I have rarely seen such tenacity and strength of purpose in an eleven year old; he loved the process of fishing, the act of catching a fish was secondary (although very welcome!) He battled on smiling when most would have given up. It reminded me of why I love angling and why I believe that more children should be given the experience of catching a fish, far away from computer games and the internet.

Well done Laurie and I hope to see you on the beach again soon...hopefully in the sunshine.

30/04/2018

https://www.facebook.com/darren.gill.79/posts/1882686648431870

30/04/2018

Taking your kids fishing is good for the body, soul and in my case, can earn brownie points which are duly cashed in to go fishing alone.

Here are some of the things I have learnt to make the whole thing a pleasure for all. This is based on personal experience and I am sure many other anglers have some different ideas and opinions.

Food is a weapon.

Keep the little monsters well-fed and hydrated and their energy levels high – no-one likes a whingey angler. On the beach or the bank, I always have a small bottle of antiseptic handwash which help keeps the smell and taste of lugworm off the marmite sandwiches.

There is no such thing as the right temperature.

Kids are often too hot or too cold and soon let you know it. Wrap them in several layers which can be unpeeled/added to before the whining starts.

Let them do the work.

Children like to be busy – setting up the ‘camp’, baiting the rigs, casting and reeling in can all be done by children over three or four with varying degrees of assistance and success. Let them practise and try to be patient. I fail at this.

Let them do more work (Eco Warrior Alert)

What about a little beach cleaning? This activity needs to be monitored by a responsible adult or if you don’t have one of those, do it yourself. Glass bottles, even needles can be found on our beaches so be careful. Clearing up after other anglers helps teach your children not be like the idiots who leave lugworm wraps, fishing line and disposable BBQs behind. Make the anglers of tomorrow better than the ones of today.

A fish is a fish.

Large or small, they all count. Send them back alive to where they came from after the photo. Despatch the ones for the table humanely and tell the children what is happening and why. I do not shy away from the relationship between what we eat and where it comes from.

Everyone gets out alive.

With the exception of the fish for food thing, fatalities are frowned upon. The shoreline can be treacherous so take sensible precautions. Think about the weather and tide conditions, slippery groynes, steep shingle banks and of course the depth of water at the surf line. Plus all the other 4,776,591 things parents have to worry about to keep their spawn safe.

Give them something to write about.

Let your mini-yous keep a diary to stick in photos of the fish they caught or to write things they did down. It will give them fond memories of you and may influence their decision in deciding your care home.