freeline-104 - Flipbook - Page 190
KRIS FORD
t h ese num bers, but carp an gl ers we re c e r ta i n ly ve ry t h i n o n
t h e ground, as were wate r s t ha t h e ld g o o d s i z e d c ar p . Ca rp
m en were fanatical to the p o i n t o f o b se s s i o n, b u t wi t h i t c a m e
a c ommitment . This wasn’ t j u s t a p as s i n g p ha s e as m any fo l ks
s u ggested, and probably why t he re a re s o m any o f we o l d i e s
s t i ll fishing now.
J oining the BCSG require d a ve tt i n g i n te r v i e w wh e re I t h i n k
c o mmitment was regarded a s hi gh ly a s th e c a tc h e s m ad e a n d
waters fished. I was accep te d i nto t h e ra n ks i n a u t u m n 1 97 1
h aving caught 25 doubles t ha t ye ar an d wa s we l c o m e d ove r t i m e
by the 100 or so other me mb e r s a t t he re g ula r b u t i n f re q u e n t
m eetings, which at that ti m e we re m a i n ly h e l d i n s o u t h we s t
L o ndon (ish). Famous as we n ow k now i t wa s re s e r ve d fo r
m usic and film stars, but t he m ee t i n g s we re a lways f u l l o f
p e rsonalit ies ( good carp an gl er s ) . I e n j oye d eve ry m i n u te o f
t h ese meetings discussin g wa te r s , f i s h , ro d s , me t h o d s a n d
a l l manner of things with t h e li ke o f R i c ha rd Wa l ke r, Pe te r
M ohan, Kevin Clifford, Rod Hu tc hi ns o n , Ch r i s Ya te s , Ch ri s B a l l ,
J a ck Hilton, Tom Mintram, M i ke St a rkey, Kev i n M a d d o c ks , Pe te
S p ringate and many other s . A l l ha d a to t a l l a c k o f a i rs a n d
g races; we were all comra de s i n a r m s , a b a n d o f g ent l e m e n
w i th a common cause and i n te re st , my p ee r s , a n d I wa s p ro u d
to be amongst them and a b le to p h o n e a t any t i m e . S a d ly t h e
B CSG is now a shadow o f i t s fo rm er s e lf w i t h t h e s te e ri n g
g roup (hierarchy) more i n te re ste d i n f i n a n c e s a n d try i n g
d e sperately to be the nex t “ n a m e”, al t ho u gh t h e re a re m any
g reat guys and gentlemen s ti ll i n t he g ra ss ro o t s m e mb e rs h i p
a n d many exceptional angl er s a m o n gs t t h em .
Finding waters was a cha l le n g e. Eve ry s p r i n g ( c l o s e s e as o n ) ,
a r med with Ordnance Survey ma p s , we s c o ure d t h e co un t r ys i d e ,
FREELINE 60
