Fox Edges Armapoint Curve Shank Hooks

How well is it built?

Forged XC80 Vanadium steel is the main reason for the 8.5. Forging flattens the wire at the bend for extra strength, while the vanadium steel keeps the hook strong without making it heavy.

A light hook matters more than you might think, because it sits more naturally under a wafter and won't drag a balanced bait down.

The finish is a dark, non-reflective coating, which keeps the hook low-key on the lake bed rather than flashing in clear, shallow water.

It's one of eight patterns in the Edges Arma Point range, so it sits alongside the likes of the Edges Curve Medium and Curve Short if you like to mix hook shapes across your rigs.

To be fair, it's a well-made, practical hook rather than a showpiece. For a mid-priced curve shank, though, I think the forged XC80 wire is very good, and it should hold its shape on a hard-fighting fish.

Sharpness

So, how sharp is it? The point is a needle-sharp straight point made with Arma Point technology, which is used across the Edges Arma Point hook range.

A straight point goes in on a direct line, so it should prick the bottom lip quickly as a carp tilts down and moves off with the bait.

The pattern builds on Fox's original Arma Point SSC hook rather than starting from scratch, and that gives me confidence in the point.

The Korda Kamakura Krank goes a step further, as it's sharpened after production to an even finer point, which is why the Edges sits at 8.5 rather than right at the top.

A sharp point is only half the story, of course, because points blunt on gravel and mussel beds. I'd check it on your thumbnail after every fish or after recasting over a hard bottom, and swap it the moment it skids. For me, it's a very sharp hook straight from the packet.

Hooking & Hold

The aggressive curve in the shank is what makes this pattern work. When a carp sucks in the bait and tries to blow it out, the curve helps the hook turn so the point faces down and catches hold in the bottom lip.

That's why it's built for bottom-bait and wafter presentations, where the hook lies on or just above the lake bed and needs to flip quickly.

It's a natural fit for a knotless-knot hair rig, a blow-back rig or a simple D-rig with a wafter. The barbed sizes run from a big size 2 down to a size 8, with the in-between sizes 5 and 7 for fine-tuning a rig to the hookbait.

It scores 8.0 rather than higher because a straight point, while quick to go in, doesn't have the beak that helps a pattern like the Korda Wide Gape stay put when a carp shakes its head in weed. Overall, I think the hold should be very dependable on most open-water swims.

Is it good value for money?

Is it good value? It's a mid-priced pack of 10, and you're paying for forged XC80 Vanadium steel, the Arma Point and a coating that stays low-key. That's fair money for a hook you might tie on for most of your bottom-bait fishing.

The catch for some anglers is the barbless choice. It's only sold barbless in sizes 6 and 8, so if your fishery insists on barbless hooks and you want a size 4, you'll need another pattern, such as the Thinking Anglers Curve Shank.

The ESP Cryogen Curve Shanx is another curve shank worth a look, with barbed and barbless sizes from 2 to 10.

Overall, I'd recommend the Edges Curve Shank to carp anglers fishing bottom baits and wafters on hair rigs, blow-back rigs and D-rigs who want a strong, sharp hook from an established range. If barbless rules apply and you need the bigger sizes, look elsewhere.