Berkley Whiplash - 14/04/2009

There are an ever-increasing number of braided main lines available to carp anglers. A decade ago one of the few that were available was Berkley’s Whiplash. In fact, it was nearly 12 years ago that I purchased a spool for my marker rod, impressed by the extremely thin diameter of this Micro-Dyneema. Although the braid is 30lb breaking strain, it is roughly the same thickness as 6lb monofilament. As I had hoped, it casts like a dream and because of the relatively high breaking strain no shockleader is needed when launching out a big lead and float. To say that it revolutionised my angling is an understatement. Suddenly, feature finding became easy; the lack of stretch transmitting every detail of the lake bed to the rod. A 100-yard chuck became a gentle lob. However, all braided line can be prone to wind knots when casting. For the first couple of sessions, despite wetting the spool before casting, I suffered from this and had to patiently remove the knots. At approximately 10p per yard I was loath to simply cut it. Like a fine wine it improved with age. As the line bedded in, this problem disappeared completely and that same spool still resides on my marker rod. After years of use it is still as good as ever and the weave remains tight, with no signs of wear and tear bar a slight fading of the colour.

I decided that it was worth trying on the spod rod. Using a higher breaking strain, a shockleader is once again unnecessary. The diameter of the braid means that casting performance is excellent, even using 40lb or 50lb. The robust make up of Whiplash means that it is more than up to the rigours of spodding and, because it floats, it picks up on the retrieve easily. I have not used it as a main line for carp fishing, but the excellent casting performance would make it a contender for those needing to fish at extreme range.

Likewise, if boating baits out to the horizon, the lack of stretch means that bite indication is far more sensitive than monofilament. I have used it for touch legering for barbel, and also use it for lure fishing. In both instances bites are unmissable because the braid transmits the slightest knock or vibration. Whiplash has certainly stood the test of time and is still among the very best braided lines available. I am hoping to get another 10 years out of mine.

Product File
Berkley Whiplash Braid
Price: £29.99 per 270m spool
Contact: Pure Fishing (UK) Ltd on 01527 510570
Website: www.purefishing.com