History of the SCBI.

This article, written by Dick Clack – the Club’s Vice Chairman and Membership Secretary – was published in the 2002 Winter edition of the Club’s magazine – British Sportfisherman. It reflects his own personal views, experiences and anecdotes from the Club’s first twenty-one years.

Formation of the Club

As most of you will know the Sportfishing Club of the British Isles is 21 years old this year having been formed in March 1979. What has been achieved during this time and how have we evolved? This is my personal view of the major milestones for the Club.

The club was formed in 1979 by a group of individuals in order to help each other further the sport of saltwater game fishing. I was not one of the founder members, although I was kept abreast of the formation by founder member Dave West with whom I worked and who had persuaded me to go shark fishing off the Isle of Wight.

This was my introduction to game fishing. On our first attempt Dave caught a Porbeagle of 125lbs while I lost a smaller one when the skipper attempted to lift it on board with the trace. Just one step up from mackerel fishing I thought, little knowing that I wouldn’t see another shark landed for several years.

However, back to the main topic, the history of the club. While Dave was in the process of moving house in the late ‘70s, his wife Eileen complained that the Estate Agent had seemed more interested in Dave’s fishing tackle than selling their house. Dave went to see him supposedly to talk about the house, but after talking fishing over a few beers, a lifelong friendship was formed with the agent, none other than the late Rick Cottrell. Dave, Rick and another deceased former member Pete Higgins together with Graeme Pullen and Peter Peck formed a nucleus of local fishermen who became founder members of this new club.

Following a trip to Cabo St Lucas that year by 2 different groups of British anglers, a loose affiliation was formed from which the Sportfishing Club of the British Isles evolved. The initial officers of the Club were: -
Chairman Peter Peck
Secretary/Magazine Editor Graham Pullen
Treasurer Dave West

Other founder members included John Holmes and Bob Stephens.

The Early Days

I remember my first club meeting at the Holiday Inn in Chelsea. I made the acquaintance of Chas Underhay (a long time member and rod builder) in the bar while the existing members were enjoying lunch. Little did I know what I was letting myself in for at that time.

In those early days of the Club, the spiritual home became the Coburg Hotel opposite Green Park in Kensington, and also Islamorada in the Florida Keys. The meetings in the Coburg were particularly well attended. Many members arrived prior to lunch, and remained there until after closing time. It got to the stage where the manager used to ask us what time we would like the bar to open! Some of the post-meetings sessions became quite boisterous. I remember one occasion when Rick Cottrell challenged Cliff Johnson (one of his best mates), to try and give him a “Glaswegian Kiss”. Cliff reluctantly obliged and Rick landed on the floor still holding his drink and without spilling a drop!

My first fishing trip with other club members was to Islamorada to fish the “Hump” aboard Jim Taylor’s boat, “The Ace”. This was a magical few days. I caught my then biggest fish – an 84llb Amberjack from the “Hump”, but the memory I shall always remember from Islamorada is live baiting for Tarpon.

Our group of 4 (Ivor Kilbourne, Ron Jones, Dave West and myself) split into 2 pairs for some light tackle fishing. Dave West and I fished 2 half days with John Kip. I have to confess that following a super fast ride on John’s boat, when we started fishing with live mullet only a few yards from the road bridge, I was sure we had been taken for a ride albeit an exciting one. However I was proved wrong when my livebait became jittery and then leapt out of the water followed by a monster mouth. This was repeated a couple of times until a tarpon finally nailed the mullet and the whole of this magnificent silver fish was leaping out of the ocean trying to throw my hook. I was lucky enough to land some of these supreme fighters that evening, made even more pleasurable by the oaths of Ron, one of the more experienced fishermen in the other boat, as he continually failed to hook up.

This trip continued on to Marathon for a day’s fishing and ended in Key West. Today that trip still remains one of the best in my memory.

Now most members fish the Florida Keys mainly out of Key West probably due to finding Greg Sheretz and some of his fellow skippers on Stock Island

The Club Magazine

Having been our magazine editor for the first few years, Graeme Pullen resigned to form an association with Global Sportfishing. At this point Rick Cottrell took over as magazine editor having been replaced as Secretary by Dave West who had talked me into taking over as Treasurer from him, while John Holmes had taken over as Chairman from Peter Peck.

Rick produced our first glossy covered magazine and started the professional approach to the magazine which was continued with much success by Dave Sneath when Rick had to relinquish the role due to the pressure of work. It is nice to see the high standard set in those early days being continued through to today, with Trevor Gunning taking the magazine to new heights especially with the introduction of colour. The magazine is certainly our flagship and is read literally all over the world. It has brought great prestige, friends, and many useful contacts to the SCBI. The club would certainly not be where it is today without the contributions made by all of our magazine editors.

The Eighties

In the early days of the club, there were several, well attended, meetings each year, mostly at the Coburg Hotel but one or 2 out of London. In addition, there were evening get-togethers, not only to socialise over a drink with other club members, but also to discuss fishing techniques. Passing around knowledge was an important part of the early days. There was little in the British angling press on big game fishing so at most meetings there was either a talk, demonstration, or a video on some aspect of sportfishing. One I particularly remember is John Holmes giving a talk on knot tying and rigging lures.

Perhaps due to John’s influence, during the Eighties, the Canaries, and in particular Puerto Rico Gran Canaria became another spiritual home of the club. John, Bob Stephens and 2 Irish International members had boats in Gran Canaria, and members especially Dave and Jane Petty, Clive Taylor, Roger and Christine Burston, and Geoff Flores were frequent visitors. Everyone was helped by Dick Wakeford, who used to run a charter boat in Puerto Rico and also by Gay Olson and Chris Roncorioni who both lived on Gran Canaria. Many club members caught their first billfish from this (then) delightful place.

Club Competitions

It was during the above period when we started to run club competitions.
Several members had represented the SCBI in big game competitions. An early notable success was in the H.I.B.T. A team representing the S.C.B.I comprising of John Holmes, Bob Stephens, Dave Petty and Brian Myers won the international trophy in 1980. For several years we had a team represent us in this prestigious event. The fishing may not be as good in Hawaii as it use to be, but I would recommend any member thinking about it to go. The event is exceedingly well run and the atmosphere is fantastic. Represent the S.C.B.I in the H.I.B.T if you get the chance. The ambience, the boats and their crews will not disappoint you, although you may be disappointed by the fish. However, that’s fishing!

Having had a successful club trip of some 20 people comprising of club members and their friends to Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria, we decided to hold our first club competition there in 1986. I made many lifelong friendships on this and subsequent trips. My personal feeling is that you learn more about someone in a couple of days fishing together than you will in a lifetime of discussions at meetings.

In August 1986, our first club competition was organised by Jane Petty and myself along the lines of the H.I.B.T. We press ganged Chris Roncorioni (the local IGFA representative) into being our Weigh Master and a member of the Tournament Committee that included John Holmes and Ken Greenwood. James Holmes agreed to conduct radio roundups, and assisted us all. Now we were ready. All we needed was some fish. For once the Gods smiled upon us. Not only did several members catch their first billfish during the competition (Including the late Pete Higgins – who caught 2!) but we also had a storybook ending. Ken Wheeler hooked and played an enormous marlin, which he eventually lost but Ann Holmes finished off with a new woman’s world record. An Atlantic Blue Marlin of 802lb 7oz on 50! What a way to end our first competition!

Although we held several more club competitions in Gran Canaria and Venezuela, none of them captured the excitement and delight, which everyone experienced during that first competition.

The Fishing

For a relatively young and small club we can all be proud of the fish we have caught and the records we hold. As a club, in terms of our combined angling achievements, we have been extremely successful, perhaps uniquely? What other organisation has managed to set at least one World record in each of the IGFA saltwater line classes - from 2 to 130lb test, plus a smattering of All-Tackle, Fly & Freshwater records along the way? Approaching sixty in total, and, in addition, recorded at least one World record in each calendar year since its inception! Lets hope we can continue this tradition!

Not all the records are from UK waters. But that's where the first came from - Charles Reaves' 196lb Porbeagle Shark on 30lb test from Padstow on 16th July, 1979.

Let me take you through the species. Firstly the saltwater ones. We've established records for European Bass, Bluefish, Pacific bonito (fly), Atlantic Cod, Conger, Green Jobfish, Atlantic Blue Marlin, Pandora, Pollack, Roosterfish (fly), Scalloped Hammerhead Shark, Porbeagle Shark, Six-Gilled Shark, Tope, Bigeye Trevally, Bluefin Trevally and Wahoo (fly).
From freshwater we've recorded Carp (line class and fly) and Northern Pike. In addition we've set numerous British, European and African records.

What about our largest fish? That was undoubtedly Vic Sampson's Great White Shark from South Australia in February 1991, a 1704 pounder! Peter Reece established an All-Tackle World record with a 1027lb Six-Gilled Shark from the Azores in 1987, only to see it beaten by his brother Jack's fish less than three years later! Jack's fish weighed 1069lb 4oz.

What about Marlin? Have we ever broken that magical 1000lb barrier? Again most certainly, with several coming from Madeira, taken by Jess Miller and Steve Collins! Although, to reflect what has been the growing conservation ethic in the Club, all were released. Their weights were estimated by length and girth measurements. In most years we record Blue, Black, Striped and White Marlin, Sailfish, Spearfish and Swordfish. Quite an achievement for any club.

However it's not all about records and monster fish. Each year our Notable Fish list, published in the Club Magazine, reflects what are in many instances personal angling achievements - someone's lifetime best, their first Marlin or a '5' or even '10 ' to 1 specimen. The lists also reflect what is a developing interest in light line or saltwater flyfishing.

Some of the outstanding catches over the years that stick in my mind include the 214lb Tarpon caught on 30 by lvor Kilbourn from Gabon, West Africa in November 1981. Ann Holmes world record Atlantic Blue marlin mentioned above. Jess Miller’s 953lbs Atlantic Blue marlin from Madeira which won the prestigious global '4th July Marlin Championship and financed his buying of his boat Freed'em. Roger Burston’s brace of Tuna on 50lbs – an Atlantic Big-Eye of 357lbs and a Yellow-Fin of 202lbs. Dave Petty’s 84lbs Wahoo on 30 from Madeira Andy Sale’s 11lbs Bonefish on 12lbs Tippet on fly.

Currently Denis Froud and Roger Bradbury are trying to establish European records for Tuna and other blue water specimens from the West Coast of Ireland.

The list goes on and on.

Our Chairmen

In my opinion the Club has been very lucky with its Chairmen. Our first was Peter Peck who had the drive, influence and charisma to get the club off the ground. Our second was John Holmes who was a practical fisherman with his own boat. John had the patience to explain how and why to do things, which kept everyone’s enthusiasm going and stabilised the membership. Our third was Dick Wakeford. Dick was elected at a time when the club was in need of an overhaul of the rules and procedures. He helped put us put the club onto a much more professional standing. And finally what can I say about Dave West. Well, in many respects he is Mr SCBI. Dave was a founder member and is the only person to have been a club officer continually since the club’s inception. Having been the Club Secretary for many years and still performing some of those functions today, he is no mere figurehead. No one who has fished with him or even talked about fishing with him can doubt his enthusiasm. It is infectious – long may it continue!

The Club Officers (1979 to 2000)

And finally, who are the people who have kept the club going over the years. The main participants are the club officers as listed below. However they cannot keep the club going without the support of the membership and general committee members. There are many members who spring to mind who have helped steer the club to where it is today. These include Jane Petty, who for many years was Minutes Secretary and Chris Sinclair who currently performs this function and has organised most of the Club Dinners. Peter Orpin and Jack Reece who have been roving ambassadors and kept us in touch will activities around the world and from Jack in particular on the N.F.S.A. Greg Wos, our current Fish Recorder and committee member. Clive Taylor and Roger Burston who served on the committee and had been “Lure Custodian” and “Video Custodian”. Roger in particular, together with Christine has kindly been our hosts for most of the recent meetings, from the Clarence (which became our spiritual home after The Coburg) to our current venue The Flower and Hand.

To the best of my ability, listed below are the Club Officers and the main supporting posts from the inception of the S.C.B.I. until today.

My thanks to everyone many of which I have not mentioned who have contributed to the success of the SCBI. May it continue to grow and develop!