Best Fishing Whips

On rivers and big stillwaters, the Guru Aventus Zero 600 System Whip is all about speed. It's an 8m take-apart whip in Zero 600 Tensile Carbon that weighs 335g at full length and closes to 113cm.

Three push-in solid carbon tips come with it, in light, medium and heavy, and each sits on a rotating Dacron connector. A Hollow Top 2 kit for elastic and a hook keeper band complete the set, while the Ultra-Fast Taper and Rigid Joint System keep it stiff on the strike.

Match and pleasure anglers chasing roach, dace and bleak, with the odd bonus fish in the mix, will get the most from it. Next to the Preston Superium 8m System Whip, it gives you three tips instead of one and costs a little less, which is why it edges ahead.

To be fair, it's still a premium spend for anyone who only whips a few times a year. For regular river and stillwater anglers, though, I think it's the best all-round whip you can buy.

Preston's Superium 8m System Whip is a take-apart whip for traditional line-to-hand fishing, and its slim, stiff blank is the reason to buy it. It's built to stay balanced at every length, so it shouldn't feel tip-heavy as you drop sections.

A flick tip with an integrated rotating Dacron-style connector comes as standard, along with a spare Hollow Top 3 kit. That lets you switch to short elastic when chub turn up, on slow or fast water alike.

Experienced canal and river anglers who prize presentation will get the most from it. Next to the Guru Aventus Zero 600 System Whip, it has one tip rather than three and costs a little more, while the Drennan Acolyte Pro Whip 800 costs less and leans further towards long-line river work.

To be fair, you'll have to buy spares if you want other tip strengths. For anglers who put balance and presentation first, though, I think it's a superb take-apart whip.

At around 265g, the Drennan Acolyte Pro Whip 800 is very light for an 8m whip. It's a hybrid, with a telescopic top three above five take-apart sections, made for speed fishing and long line to hand.

Put-over joints run from section four to eight, the joints are reinforced, and every section is numbered so you can see your length at a glance. A solid flick tip comes as standard, plus PTFE fittings to elasticate the number two section.

Big-river anglers after roach, dace and bleak on venues like the Wye, Thames and Trent are who it's made for. Against the Preston Superium 8m System Whip, it costs less and is more of a river specialist, while the Daiwa Connoisseur Pro System Whip is cheaper again and stretches to 10m as a short pole.

To be fair, there's only one tip in the box. For river anglers chasing big weights of silverfish on the long line, though, I think it's a superb buy.

With 1m extensions, the Daiwa Connoisseur Pro System Whip goes from an 8m modular whip to a 9m or 10m short pole. The blank is HVF carbon, and it weighs 360g at 8m.

V-Joint technology keeps the sections lined up, and the solid-topped flick tip comes with factory-fitted yarn for quick rig changes. A 2.9m Hollow Tele Top 3 kit rated to 12 elastic is in the box for bigger fish.

Where it shines is on canals and small rivers, where one tool can work as both whip and short pole. Compared with the Drennan Acolyte Pro Whip 800, it's heavier but cheaper and more adaptable, while the Drennan Acolyte Pro Tele Whip is a far cheaper 3m whip for close-in speed fishing.

To be fair, the extensions add to the cost if you want 10m. For anglers who like to switch between whip and short pole on the same venue, though, I think it's a very versatile buy.

The Drennan Acolyte Pro Tele Whip is a 3m telescopic whip in high modulus carbon, made for speed fishing to hand at close range. It weighs around 56g and has a forward action.

A spliced solid flick tip carries a knotted Dacron connector that pushes the rig away from the whip to cut tangles. The soft top cushions small fish while the lower section has the power to swing a better one, and the whole thing closes into three sections.

Canal, drain and river anglers after roach, perch, dace and bleak will get the most from it. Next to the Daiwa Connoisseur Pro System Whip, it gives up length and the option of elastic, but it's far simpler to use. Compared with the Preston Innovations Response Whip, it costs more and has the stronger build on paper.

To be fair, it's only 3m with a single tip, so it won't cover a far line. For quick, close-in silverfish work, though, I think it's a superb tele whip that should last for years.

Developed for catching big weights of silverfish, the Preston Innovations Response Whip is a 3m whip with a solid flick tip for taking small fish at speed. The blank is super slim and light.

It's built from Japanese carbon fibre and kept light enough to hold out for long spells without tiring. There are 4m and 5m versions in the range too, which helps if you need a bit more reach on a wider canal.

Canal anglers and anyone chasing big bags of dace on rivers will get the most from it. It costs a good deal less than the Drennan Acolyte Pro Tele Whip, which has the stronger build. Next to the Guru Aventus Zero 600 Tele Whip, it's a touch dearer, while the Guru adds three push-in tips.

To be fair, it's a plain package and it's made for small fish, so bigger skimmers or chub call for elastic. For canal and river silverfish weights, though, I think it's a very easy whip to recommend.

Built for catching small fish fast on natural venues, the Guru Aventus Zero 600 Tele Whip is a 2.5m telescopic whip. It weighs 55g and closes to 116cm in four sections.

You get three push-in solid carbon tips in light, medium and heavy, each with a 360-degree rotating Dacron connector. Zero 600 carbon, an Ultra-Fast Taper and a Rigid Joint System keep it crisp, and the butt carries 3-inch depth markers.

River, canal and lake anglers fishing right under their feet for roach, perch, bleak and dace will get the most from it. Compared with the Preston Innovations Response Whip, it's a touch cheaper and much better equipped, though shorter. The Daiwa Connoisseur Pro Speed Whip costs a little less and comes in more lengths, but sticks with a single flick tip.

To be fair, three loose tips and a 2.5m length make it less grab-and-go than a simple whip. For quick, close-range silverfish on natural venues, though, I think it's a cracking buy.

Daiwa's Connoisseur Pro Speed Whip is a traditional flick tip whip built for finesse fishing, in lengths from 2m to 4.5m. Its blank is HVF High Volume Fibre carbon.

A solid-topped flick tip gives an extra level of response, and it comes with yarn fitted, ready for your rig. V-Joint technology keeps the sections in line, a rubber hook keeper is supplied, and the 4.5m model closes to 107cm.

For me, it suits canal, drain and river anglers who fish fine for small roach, bleak and dace. Next to the Guru Aventus Zero 600 Tele Whip, it costs a little less and offers more lengths, though the Guru adds three tips. The Daiwa Ninja Tele Whip is cheaper again but a simpler, more basic build.

To be fair, it's a dedicated small-fish tool with a single flick tip, so a bonus skimmer will test it. For delicate silverfish work at a fair price, though, I think it's a lovely choice.

At 85g, the Daiwa Ninja Tele Whip is a 3m telescopic carbon whip that's light enough to hold out for hours, and it has a solid carbon flick tip. It's built for fishing short and swinging silverfish to hand.

A woven lily yarn connector comes fitted, so there's no cutting or gluing before you tie on a rig. It closes to 116cm, has matt grip paint on the handle and carries an elasticated hook holder.

Canal, drain and river anglers after roach, perch, bleak and skimmers will get the most from it. Next to the Daiwa Connoisseur Pro Speed Whip it's less refined but costs a lot less, and it's a clear step up in build from the Nytro Impax Elasticated Whip, which is aimed at beginners.

To be fair, you only get one tip, and the blank isn't as crisp as a dearer whip. For anyone who wants a proper flick tip whip on a budget, though, I think it's the best value whip you can buy.

The Nytro Impax Elasticated Whip is a 4m telescopic whip that comes ready to fish, with 1.6mm elastic fitted in the tip and a ready-tied pole rig included. A disgorger comes with it too.

The rig uses a 0.5g carp pole float, 4lb main line and a 15cm, 3lb hook length to a size 16 barbless hook. The blank is composite G-fibre rather than carbon, so it's built to take a few knocks.

For me, it's the whip to hand a youngster or a complete beginner on a commercial or a pond. Next to the Daiwa Ninja Tele Whip it's softer and less refined, but the elastic copes better with F1s, and it's simpler to start with than the NGT XT-7000, which is a much longer carbon whip.

To be fair, the composite blank is heavier than carbon, and keen anglers will outgrow it. For a first whip that's ready to go the moment you unpack it, though, I think it's hard to beat.

Few whips give you as much reach for the money as the NGT XT-7000, a 7m full-carbon telescopic whip with seven sections. It's made for quick, simple fishing on canals, ponds and commercials.

It closes down to 123cm, comes with a cloth case and is finished in black and blue. Being telescopic, it's quick to set up and pack away each time you move swims, which makes it handy for roving.

Rovers and pleasure anglers who want to fish further out without a pole are who it's for. Next to the Nytro Impax Elasticated Whip it's carbon rather than composite and nearly twice as long, while the Guru A-Class Whip is a much shorter starter whip for youngsters.

To be fair, the finish is basic, and 7m is a long lever to hold all day. For cheap reach on a canal or commercial, though, I think it's a lot of whip for the money.

Aimed at young and new anglers, the Guru A-Class Whip is a 3m telescopic whip that weighs 135g. You just extend it, attach a ready-tied rig to the end connector and start fishing.

The build is light and strong, with a forgiving action once a fish is on. There's also a With Rig version, which comes with a ready-tied rig made to the whip's length and tackle for different fish sizes.

If you're buying for a child's first trips to a canal or pond, it's the one I'd pick. Next to the NGT XT-7000 it's far shorter and simpler to handle, and it costs a fraction of the Daiwa Ninja Tele Whip, which is the natural step up once they're hooked.

To be fair, it's heavier and less crisp than a carbon flick tip whip. For a cheap first whip that's easy to get fishing with, though, I think it's spot on.