Chubbs Richard Walker Weasel Mk4 split cane carp rod Classic Angling mag

Maker: Chubbs Edgeware

Model: Richard Walker Weasel mk4 rod

Approximate year of manufacture: 1960’s

Condition: Fine pre owned

Material: Split cane

Length/ diameter: 10′ 2 piece

Country of manufacture: England

Ideal use: Fish or collect

Item stock location: Stoke

TT opinion: The Richard Walker Weasel Carp Rod Mk1V by Chubbs of Edgeware. A unique rod having been bought by TT from the owner John Nixon. He moved in the carp angling elite circles of Richard Walker and Bernard. A serving military man he fished the world over catching the world line class record blue shark of 34 lbs. He took control of Creel magazine in 1963 from Bernard Venables, his fishing companion and friend. He rubbed shoulders with Buller, Moncrieff, Pritchard and Kefford among others. The November 22 edition of Classic Angling magazine carries the full story of how Nixon dropped off this rod and others including a shortened S/U Mk4 carp rod to Dick Walker’s house to be reclaimed later. Nixon states” Hi Richard. Back in 1966 Bullar and Walker got the idea that if you ironed the cane on a rod it would make it tougher and stronger. The name “weasel” comes from the tailors weasel iron, made famous in the nursery rhyme “Pop goes the weasel”, where a tailor who fell on hard times would take his iron to the pawnbrokers, or “pop” it in the slang. I don’t know for sure who made the cane, but some years later I damaged the top joint and took it to a Croydon cane maker known as the Captain to rebuild. To my surprise he did it for free and when I queried it, just smiled, and made a comment that implied it was originally his cane.Think he means Buller not Bullard? an extract from Nobbystackle reads “What’s all this to do with a fishing tackle blog? Well it turns out possibly the best rod maker of them all, Bob Southwell, created a hot metal system to compress and strengthen cane strips.I first learned of this from Chris Ball the carp angling historian who was shown a letter from Richard Walker sent to Bob Southwell which enthused about two rods he had held, made for Fred Buller, the owner of Chubbs of Edgware.Richard W was asking if the rods could be made economically and released to the public, but it seems that never happened.However, I started hearing rumours of a few rods that were made this way….and Chris Ball has actually tracked one down! It even bears the name ‘Weasel’.This rod is a 10’ 2 piece split cane example with red agate line butt and tip rings. Whipped red-tipped black. Bronze suction ferrule, 28” cork handle, sliding alloy reel rings. The rod is fishable today we would love to hear of any further information relating to this perhaps unique rod and its full history