terry m
Well-known member
I’m not one to eulogise **** Walker too much, but he was very influential in changing what angling was into what angling is today. His many articles and books over 30+odd years informed, advised, were thought provoking and if nothing else just plain interesting and enchanting to read. However, he did claim in an article written in 1983 that he had ‘long since abandoned false modesty’ by listing some of his ideas and developments, amongst which were –
- He wrote the first ever book on stillwater fishing
- Designed and built the first ever carp rod (although you will know of this) at first in cane, then fibre-glass, and then carbon
- He designed the first ever net to hold a 50 lbs carp
- The first bite-alarm
- Arlesey bomb (as mentioned already)
- A combination of paste and crust (my friend Frank uses this today probably because he was mentored by Walker) to produce a slow sinking bait
- Vanes like dart flights for pike float tops (don’t suppose many use them now except carpers)
- A rod rest that stopped the line from being trapped under the rod
- He pointed out that FS reels needed a rotating pick-up roller when NOT ONE was in production
- He campaigned for years for knotless keepnets (now standard by law)
- Invented the single and double grinner knots
- Who went racing off to Hardys to see how carbon fibre could be used in rods
- Who was the first angler in the world to catch a trout on a carbon rod
- Who discovered that nylon line was not ‘rot proof’ as makers claimed but suffered from oxidation
- With the aid of an expert devised a liquid to impregnate dry flies that didn’t alter their colour
- Who kept insisting year on year that legering was a valuable method for matchmen
- Who advocated a streamlined float with central tube for pike to act as a slider instead of a cork bung with slit and peg
- Who popularised the use of betalights in floats and other indicators (Peter Wheat was first, but his efforts failed as they were too weak)
For these any many other developments and inventions sparked off by his thoughts, **** Walker is still this country’s greatest angler. A good book is on sale now on Ebay.
Call him what you will, his legacy is the diverse sport we all enjoy today.
I was not aware that his influences were so widespread.
I would find it hard to berate the guy in the face of this list, although, as others have said, appreciating someones' contribution does not necessarily mean that they need to be revered.