Harry, I used to be a member of the BAA and travelled up from Essex either Friday evening or very early Saturday morning.
The problem i found every time i went up most sections of the river were booked out for club matches and some weekends i couldn`t get on the river at all.( 450 mile round trip for nothing ).
On some occassions only one bank was booked out but when i tried to fish from the opposite bank i was met with a barrage of verbal abuse.
I don`t know if things have changed in the last couple of years but i would suggest you try to find out which stretches of the river are open to members.
I find it hard to understand that as a member of a club that you can`t fish club waters when you turn up.( Can you imagine that at your local working man`s club,turning up on Friday night and being refused entry).Would you renew your membership the next year?
Anyway all the best if you do manage to get on the river at the weekend.