Up until 1980, the time that Walker did most of his serious fishing, Walker's 44lb carp still held the UK record. During the late 70s, I myself caught a few carp that were bigger than 44lbs but this does not make me a better carp angler than Walker. Far from it; they were caught because they were there to be caught and I was fishing waters that contained them. I doubt if many carp over that weight existed in the UK then.
And in any event, I doubt if Walker ever fished much for carp after 1956!
His fishing was very restricted by ill health after 1980. Much of his fishing then was done in his back garden in the River Ivel.
Walker in fact, never caught a tench larger than 5lbs 14oz, a grayling over 3 lbs, nor a barbel over 12lbs.
But with due respect, not many other people in those times did either.
You can never judge the ability of an angler on the range of so called PBs that he or she has supposed to have caught.
