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Curve shank hooks

I use/have used lots of curve shank hooks for all sorts of fish.

There are plenty of different derivatives that you could call ‘curved’ which confuses things somewhat.

I tend to use the ones with a fairly standard length shank as per Korda Kurve and Fox curve. Note the difference in the way the eye is angled (or not). Fox did an earlier version that was heavier wire and a brilliant hook in small (8 and 10) sizes. Another good one was the Kamasan Carp Maxx - a great hook, particularly the size 7. That one did not have an in turned eye.

Last winter I used the Bank tackle version and it works fine; it also sharpens up nicely.

Longer shank versions are available eg Gardner, but I haven’t tried those.

Really long shank versions eg the old Fox series 5 are absolutely awesome hookers (with the right rig) but have a tendency to double hook the fish - so I’ve stopped using them. They were very effective for big chub. I have never used them for barbel.

Overall I like curved shanks, they seem to hook well and (for me) they stay in. But as Ash has just said whether they are better than a standard wide gape is difficult to quantify.

Where I fish these days, barbel are few and far between, so making judgements is even harder. But I like to experiment so I will keep trying different things in a never ending quest to get my rigs as good as they can be……..
 
I think curved shank hooks can cause larger cuts in the fish mouths as not a direct pull on the eye to hook point.
Understand it might lead to fractionally more hook ups as clears the bait slightly more but not worth the risk.

Certainly can in carp and that is why they are banned in some locations
 
I never found the need to use a curve shank hook for barbel, they just aren't cute enough to require them. Nash Fang Gaper tended to be my preferred pattern for barbel. I did use curve shanks an awful lot for carping. I drew the line at the really long shanked versions though. They often ended up with some horrendous hook holds that were difficult to extract even when barbless. More than the odd carp fishery has banned long curve shanks for this very reason.
 
After my stash of the discontinued Fox Sssp's and Sspb's in 9's and 10's all but got used up, last year I started using the Nash Claw hooks. Have to say I've been super impressed with the hook holds, this season I've also been using the Flota claw in a size 10 and 12 for barbel fishing and they have been bang on. No need for a curved shank for the reasons others have outlined.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
After my stash of the discontinued Fox Sssp's and Sspb's in 9's and 10's all but got used up, last year I started using the Nash Claw hooks. Have to say I've been super impressed with the hook holds, this season I've also been using the Flota claw in a size 10 and 12 for barbel fishing and they have been bang on. No need for a curved shank for the reasons others have outlined.
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Yeah they are great hooks. I’ve been using them now for almost 3 years and they don’t half hang on well.
for me one of the best features in the hook itself is that it’s not super unbendable strong like a lot of these curved patterns.
certainly strong enough for any carp or barbel but I can pull the size 8’s straight on 16lb fox Exocet line tied in a palamour. Can honestly say hand on heart I’ve not left a baited rig out in the water for a bloody long time.
 
If they have one down side it’s the point is maybe a little too fine and sharp and not quite turned in just enough.
they need regular inspections over gravel as they will go blunt after a while.
 
Have used up all my size 8 and 9 Raptor D7 hooks🙄

Got a couple of packs the Classic in size 8
( Don't do in odd sizes!!) and they simply are not as sharp Visibly
 
Graham Elliott said:
Have used up all my size 8 and 9 Raptor D7 hooks🙄

Got a couple of packs the Classic in size 8
( Don't do in odd sizes!!) and they simply are not as sharp Visibly
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Could be a good thing if they ain’t costing you on bites.
They can be too sharp in the respect that the contact area is so small and fine that they simply don’t keep a point.
the nash claws are on the limit of this I find.
 
I use korda choddy hooks in 12,10 and 8 depending on bait size. I may be completely wrong here lol,but once tied knottles the hair runs straight down the shank and the line leaving the eye goes up through the eye and leaves little or no pressure against the hook with a fish on,just an idea and i haven't experienced any problems 🤞
 
Another Nash Claw vote for me. Anyone who’s not familiar with them, give them a Google and don’t be put off by the unique pattern, they’re solid enough and really ‘stick’.

I messed about with a lot of hook patterns prior to settling on these, including a few curve shanks. As others have said, I don’t think Barbel are cute enough to require the aggressiveness they offer.

Bank Tackle wide gape are a decent back up, if I’m fishing anywhere rocky or over gravel bottoms, like @Richard Isaacs states, Claws are at that tipping point of being almost too sharp, and if you’re turning hook points every other cast, the £4.50 a packet becomes an issue. The Bank Tackle jobbies are cheap as chips.
 
I've still got a small stock of the brilliant Fox Arma SSBP (B) that I ended up using on the Teme, where you had to 'emergency stop' barbel. I'd had a couple of Drennan patterns straighten on me, and barbel aint gonna straighten an SSBP. I don't fish the Teme much these days, and the big girls have (mostly) all gone anyway, so I only use the SSBP's for snag fishing the Severn now (I think the 'SS' stands for 'super-stopper' 😂 )
Hook sharpness has never been an issue for me, but the one hook I've been most disappointed in was Pallatrax's 'Gripz'. They're very sharp out of the packet, but the point bends over easily, and try as I might I can't re-sharpened one enough to given me confidence. They're the only hook I'd actually say no to if they were giving away free samples.
 
Terry Simner said:
I've still got a small stock of the brilliant Fox Arma SSBP (B) that I ended up using on the Teme, where you had to 'emergency stop' barbel. I'd had a couple of Drennan patterns straighten on me, and barbel aint gonna straighten an SSBP. I don't fish the Teme much these days, and the big girls have (mostly) all gone anyway, so I only use the SSBP's for snag fishing the Severn now (I think the 'SS' stands for 'super-stopper' 😂 )
Hook sharpness has never been an issue for me, but the one hook I've been most disappointed in was Pallatrax's 'Gripz'. They're very sharp out of the packet, but the point bends over easily, and try as I might I can't re-sharpened one enough to given me confidence. They're the only hook I'd actually say no to if they were giving away free samples.
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I was gutted when they stopped making them in 10's and 9's.

The SSPB's and SSSP's are the best hooks I've ever had my hands on.
 
Interesting comments regarding curved hooks, can't say I've ever noticed an issue with them regarding mouth damage. I use them pretty much all the time in barbless as they very rarely pull out, where as wide gape patterns would.
 
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