In message , caroline
writes
a pole?

In other words what defines a whip as a whip and a pole as a pole?

Is it based on length, or line attachment...or other factors? Or a
combination of things?

IMO, a whip is a short pole, fished to-hand, which does not use elastic.
Lots of them are purpose-built telescopic poles, but when I got my 11m
for quite some time I left the spare top 3 with a flick tip and no
elastic, and I'd be quite happy to describe that as a whip.

--
Steve Walker