Hand built in Scotland
About Bruce & Walker
Our Story
Bruce & Walker is a family business. It began in the 1950s as B James & Son, with Mr Jim Bruce and his father, James Bruce Snr , in a fishing tackle shop in Ealing, London. Mr Bruce Snr was a rod maker of split cane rods and was renowned for his attention to detail. The Bruce family moved to the small village of Upwood and met the lo
Bruce & Walker is a family business. It began in the 1950s as B James & Son, with Mr Jim Bruce and his father, James Bruce Snr , in a fishing tackle shop in Ealing, London. Mr Bruce Snr was a rod maker of split cane rods and was renowned for his attention to detail. The Bruce family moved to the small village of Upwood and met the local engineer and businessman, Ken Walker. All the machinery and equipment in the workshop of B James & Son was made by Ken Walker for every individual, specific purpose. A lifelong friendship and understanding was forged between Jim and Ken, and Bruce & Walker was formed in January 1959. It was soon to be the advent of carbon fibre and an exciting time in fishing rod manufacturing.
In 1983 Ken’s daughter, Kay, and son-in-law, Brian Potter, joined the family business. Both keen fishers, Brian brought practical skills and a perfectionist streak in keeping with the company ethos. After decades working successfully together in both fibre glass and carbon fibre, Jim Bruce retired in 1995. Sadly, he passed away in 2000. Ken Walker continued at the helm until his 75th year and then “retired”. He continued to pop into the workshop every day for the next 10 years. Sadly, he too passed away in 2014 aged 88 years.
Kay had been raised with a fishing rod in one hand and a 12 bore in the other. Brian and Kay married in 1980. Brian has a natural, easy casting ability and all the skills required for the salmon rivers, catching his first ever salmon within his first hour of fishing. Brian is also a very good shot. Both Brian and Kay are loyal advocates of all rural country sports.
Brian learnt every stage of hand making fishing rods under the tutilege of both Jim and Ken. There isn’t a single stage of the process he hasn’t done himself. Today he still hand fits and hand tests every single Bruce & Walker rod. His perfectionist streak and attention to detail is unsurpassed. He designs every Bruce & Walker rod in the current range, and designs and builds many other rods under different names for different customers. Under Ken’s wing, Brian met all the ghillies on the Scottish salmon rivers and tries to visit them as often as he can, whilst balancing the day to day running of the business. Kay and Brian both like a hands on approach with Bruce & Walker and offer a very warm welcome to visitors. Every Bruce & Walker rod is designed and made, from start to finish, in the village of Upwood, England. The third generation is as passionate about supporting British manufacturing, as their predecessors. We hope Jim and Ken are smiling broadly from that perfect salmon river in the sky.
Our Founders
The Founders of Bruce & Walker are pictured here:
Kay Potter, Ken Walker, Jim Bruce and Brian Potter (left to right) at the CLA Game Fair 1995
The Future
The Future
DESIGNED BY US. MADE BY US.
Proudly, Made in Britain.
We are delighted to announce that the fourth generation to steer Bruce & Walker fishing rods,
will be the new owner, Mr Neil Fox.
Neil inherits a very full order book and customers will be pleased to know that he will be manufacturing fully finished rods and repairs in Hawick,
DESIGNED BY US. MADE BY US.
Proudly, Made in Britain.
We are delighted to announce that the fourth generation to steer Bruce & Walker fishing rods,
will be the new owner, Mr Neil Fox.
Neil inherits a very full order book and customers will be pleased to know that he will be manufacturing fully finished rods and repairs in Hawick, Roxburghshire.
Bruce & Walker fishing rods will continue to be manufactured in Great Britain.
There will be a small period of transition, moving the factory from Upwood to the Scottish Borders, from 21st July. From 27th July, Bruce & Walker will be available at enquiries@bruceandwalker.uk.com
Brian and Kay put it best:
The fourth generation to steer Bruce & Walker fishing rods, will be the new owner, Mr Neil Fox.
We have worked with Neil for a while now. His philosophy and intent, for continuing the tradition of Bruce & Walker rods and blanks being Made in Britain, as as strong, and as committed, as our own.
Many of the fishing fraternity in North America will already know Neil, from his time living there. But he always planned to return home to his native Scotland. I know that all our customers will be pleased to learn that Neil will be manufacturing fully finished rods and repairs, based in the Scottish Borders.
There will be a small period of transition, during the coming weeks, as we help Neil move the Bruce & Walker factory from Upwood to the Scottish Borders. Thereafter, we will be on hand in the background, for help and support, if and when needed. Neil inherits a very full order book, and he will be up and running in no time at all.
Obviously for us, it holds mixed emotions. We will miss the wonderful network of customers, both within the trade and our fabulous private customers, who have been with us for generations. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your loyalty and support over the decades.
But we couldn't be happier to pass on our family business, after 66 years, to someone who shares the same high values as ourselves, and who will continue manufacturing Bruce & Walker rods and blanks in Great Britain. We wish him every success.
Brian and Kay Potter
Standard rods
Powerlite
Tournament Rods
Powerlite
Powerlite 3pc
Powerlite 4pc
GTO 3pc
GTO 4x4
Walker Series
Summer Run
Walker
Tournament Rods
Powerlite
Powerlite Trout 3pc
Powerlite Trout 4pc
Poewrlite Trout Speycaster
Tournament Rods
Tournament Rods
Tournament Rods
Tournament Caster
GTO TC
CCSOR
SOR Edition II
Spinning Rods
Spinning Rods
Tournament Rods
Powerlite Multi-spin
Norway
Spinning Rods
Accesories
Norway MK II 3pc
Norway MK II 4 Pc
Accesories
Spinning Rods
Accesories
Rod Bags
Ferule Stoppers
Bespoke Rods
Bespoke Rods
Bespoke Rods
Bespoke Fishing Rods
Your design using one of our