In 1968 at the age of eleven I got my first proper float rod, it was made of whole cane with a greenheart top section (a wood with a straight grain). By the early 1970's like everyone else, I moved over to glass fibre with rods from the likes of Hardys and Bruce & Walker. When I started Carp fishing in 1980 it was Alan Brown of Hitchin I turned to and I built my own from a pair of Jack Hilton glass fibre blanks, then after a few more years we all moved onto Carbon.
It was during my first summer carp fishing in 1980 that I got to play a large tench on a Richard Walker MKIV Carp rod (the rod had rattled off whilst the chap was playing a carp on the other), that was 39 years ago and to this day I still remember it.
It was like nothing I had experienced before, you had complete control and feel through the rod, the fish is not pulling harder the rods just bending more!
The rods were designed and built by Richard Walker (the father of modern Carp fishing) and he used one to catch the record carp from Redmire in 1952. He then commissioned B James of London, Rod builders and craftsmen to build them till they ceased in 1966.
Now here In 2019 I have become the custodian of one of these amazing rods, believe me it's an honour and a privilege as there ain't many around.
I did mull over where to use it first but it was obvious to me how I should, catching golden commons with golden grains, under a quill float.