The definitive cane carp rod

[Snape]

Although the name MKIV is banded a lot, about as far as I am aware there were only 3 makers allowed to use the Walker MkIV name

1. Richard Walker - obviously. He made a few himself from scratch, splitting his own cane. These are incredibly rare and were mostly made for friends eg Mauruce Ingham, BB etc. Walker then built some using Southwell blanks.
2. B. James. Early models were made exactly to RW specification but I think this drifted over time.
3. Hardy. There are some Hardy Walker MKIV rods which seems to cost a fortune but I don't know much about them.

Modern rods builders produce them too:

Barder makes a MKIV to Walkers exact specification.
Agutters make one but I don't know about it at all.

Interestingly a key feature of the Walker spec MKIVs is that the blank extends right into the handle as a whole cane section. This means that under full loading the rod will bend through itself entire length, right down to the rubber button.

[J.T]

I have a B. James MkIV which I use, its a great rod, unfortunately mine is missing an inch and a bit off the tip but its been repaired (properly) and still performs just as well.

[Snape]

unfortunately mine is missing an inch and a bit off the tip but its been repaired (properly) and still performs just as well.

That seems to be a common story.

[J.T]

Yes, many people seem to have ones with a little missing off the top, just glad mines only missing a very small bit and as I say it doesn’t seem to affect the handling at all.

Would love to get another one at some point.

[Mark]

I have a B. James & Son Walker Mk IV Carp rod in perfect condition, it was all original but just needed re-varnishing and the red whippings had become a bit faded. In the end I had it re-whipped all 208 of them plus the rings and then varnished. It cost £300 by a professional rod maker but was well worth it. When I collected it in January of this year it looked like it had just been made. John Brough recommended to me by Edward Barder done a first class job. I'm going to do the same with my B. James & Son Walker Mk IV Avon rod this year. John even used the same original Indian silk that was used by B. James & Son which was all bought up by someone in America when they stopped making cane rods.

[St.John]

I have a mkiv carp that I've owend for two years. Last season it was my main eod for everything except trotting. I brought it for 80 pounds, it has no name on it, and had been restored to a pretty shocking standard. It cane in a hardy bag, and the little research I did I noticed the ferrul and original rod rings where very close to the only hardy mkiv I could find. Unusually both the hardys and mine have a plain metal (no agate) butt ring. Does anyone know if that's right?..... Anyway. I've caught loads of barbel on it, loads of carp, chub. It's crowning moment was catching a 22/13 carp from the evening pitch ay redmire. It has been retired this season pending a total rebuild...... Think that that will be in the rod building section within a few months.....

[Snape]

It may be worth contacting Edward Barder as he trained at Hardy's and will almost certainly be able to identify it.

[St.John]

may do. to tell you the truth i'm not really fussed. it's a bloody nice little rod, the blanks well made, and it will look the poodles' particulars when it's done !!!! also mr barder is probably a too busy to worry about some old mkiv! thanks tho snape, forgot that that is where he started.

[J.T]

I forgot to say, mine was restored by the awesome Paul Cook. :thumb:

[DontKnowMuch]

I understand that B.James & Son put out about 15,000 MKIVs (inc Avons) and there certainly seem to be a fair few always available on sites like Ebay but there is an awful lot of rubbish about so you should be careful if you're looking to get hold of a good 'fisher'.

Prices range from just over a hundred pounds to about three hundred but there's an early (1952, pre transfer) one up at the moment I'm sure will make at least a thousand.