DISCLAIMER, Cop out, dodge, call it what you will but please read before entering the MKSG website
"Right then - you have been foolish enough to select the MKSG site to view - apart from quite probably being a monumental waste of your time you really ought to know that the site contains a certain amount of what Dick Walker described as "Unparliamentary Language" (no need to lie, 1964), that some might find offensive".
It's not deliberate really, you just have to understand that we in the MKSG tend to enjoy what is commonly called "a bit of banter" between ourselves and as most of this site is written in much the same way as we speak to each other the results may not be to all tastes, especially the young.
I guess this is the outcome of being together over 20 years and that while we take our fishing seriously, we really don't take ourselves seriously and in all honesty we can't think of a reason why it should be any other way.
So, please enter our site, we hope you enjoy it's content and that if you pick up one tip from the site it's this - "Don't eat yellow snow!!

Some History
The Milton Keynes Specialist Group 2009.

Founded in 1986 the Milton Keynes Specialist Anglers Group now consists of 14 members.

The beginning - 1986

A long time ago in a galaxy far away (Yorkshire) a small hairy creature emerged from his coal hole, picked up a pot of vinegar and headed south from the safety of planet Rotherham to merge into the local inhabitants that populate the new city of Milton Keynes. His name was Phillip Oxley and what follows are extracts taken in the main from his fertile mind as he is the only guy who can remember back that far!

So - 1984, Phil was a very keen piker and along with a couple of friends from the PAC it occurred to them that the creation of a Milton Keynes region wouldn't go a miss - so they set it up and due to their hard work, made it a success.

About 18 months later Phil recognised that several other PAC members also fished for big fish of other species and it appeared that the burgeoning town of Milton Keynes could possibly take a second organisation in the mould of a traditional specimen group. Phil discussed this with his friend of many years, Mick Newman, a local Carp angler, with a view to him fronting up this group. So at a PAC slide show, funnily enough given by Kevin Maddocks on Carping, the formation of the group was announced. This was an ideal opportunity to launch the idea as many local anglers were presen,t along with the PAC guys. A very good response was received, resulting in a date and venue being set for the first meeting - 9th January 1986 at The Crown, Stony Stratford.

At this meeting a good turn out was achieved - many just to see what it was all about (any excuse for a pint) but about 40 decided that this group was for them, signed up and so the MILTON KEYNES SPECIALIST GROUP came into existence. A bold move for at the time most of the traditional groups in the country had folded.

Illness interrupted things very quickly as Mick's heart problems forced him to resign as chairman and Phil took on the role (passing on the PAC role to Roger Stratton). Under Phil the group flourished with anglers fishing together, regular meetings being held and 'Newsline', the groups own magazine, was an idea that came through.

So what got sorted out in that first year?

As previously mentioned the news sheet idea got up and running - at first members just brought their notes containing accounts of their months fishing to the meetings and read them out. The first fully stapled edition of these notes didn't appear until December '87. This proved a great way to communicate and learn from each other - it was very basic in its production, photocopies of handwritten notes but it served the group well and eventually became the excellent 'Freeline' that we create each month.

Another reason for the early success of the group was the decision to assign important roles within the group and as such we had:

Chairman - Phil Oxley
Treasurer - Dick Brigden
Secretary - Steve White

Very quickly through Group member Bob Baldock a major coup was achieved - The MKSG gained the rights to form the night fishing syndicate on Black Horse Lake; part of Len Gurds infant Linear fisheries concern and at that time a relatively unknown quantity in terms of its angling potential.

So that was it - the group was formed, underway and had it's own water.

Getting into detail below please find below the names of all those who signed up as members on that first evening: