Chris Ball, one of the most likeable and knowledgeable individuals in angling, has passed away following a short battle with cancer.
Famous for his passion for vintage fishing tackle, writing about the sport, and a masterful ability to catch carp off the surface, Chris' infectious enthusiasm touched many. His dear friend and fellow antique tackle enthusiast, Chris Sandford, has been among the many to pay tribute.
“He was the closest angling-collecting chum I had. We’d been amassing tackle memorabilia for over 30 years, and would speak regularly, helping each other out with collectables. Chris was incredibly generous, could tell you the history of anything and was the most straight and knowledgeable guy you could meet. I’ll sorely miss him.”
Chris was the president of the Carp Society, and their founder, Tim Paisley, also paid tribute, saying: “Chris the archivist/raconteur was a force of nature. At shows he invariably had a crowd around him listening to his illustrated memories of days of yore. He had a myriad of carp fishing facts and statistics at his fingertips. Chris’s contribution to life, and the world of carp fishing, has been unforgettable.”
You can learn more about Chris and his incredible life in carp fishing, by listening to some of his fascinating stories in his two recent podcasts filmed earlier this year.