Thinking Anglers Curve Shank Hooks

How well is it built?

The steel is the headline. It's forged, double-tempered, extra-heavy-gauge high-carbon steel, which is a lot of metal for a curve shank.

Curved patterns put extra stress on the wire because of the bend in the shank, so the heavier gauge and the double tempering are there to help the hook keep its shape under a big fish.

The PTFE coating is the other key part of the build. Its slippery surface helps the hook slide in once the point has caught hold, which is exactly what you want on a hook with this much wire.

The eye is in-turned at 15 degrees, which is a fairly gentle angle that keeps the hook versatile across lots of different rigs.

To be fair, heavy wire adds weight, so it's a less natural partner for a critically balanced wafter than a lighter hook. For a strong curve shank that should hold its shape, though, I think the build easily earns an 8.5.

Sharpness

The point is long, tapered and straight, and it's needle-sharp from the packet. A long taper gives you a fine tip that should catch hold at the lightest touch, while the straight line of the point means it goes in on a direct path rather than glancing off the lip.

Durability matters as much as sharpness on big-fish waters, where a rig might sit out for hours over gravel. The taper is built to be durable, so the tip shouldn't roll over the moment it meets a stone, and the PTFE coating helps the rest of the hook follow once the point is in.

Is it the sharpest hook you can buy? Probably not, as the Korda Kamakura Krank is sharpened again after production, but the gap is small. I'd still give the point a thumbnail check after every fish and every recast onto a hard bottom.

Overall, the 8.5 reflects a very sharp and hard-wearing point.

Hooking & Hold

The 15-degree in-turned eye, curved shank and straight point work together to make the hook turn aggressively.

As a carp picks up the bait and moves off, the eye angle and the curve pull the point down towards the bottom lip, and the positive angle of draw helps it bury in rather than skid out.

It's versatile too. It suits the knotless-knot hair rig and the blow-back rig, KD rigs, Slip-Ds, 360s and Ronnie rigs, which covers pretty much every bottom-bait and pop-up rig most carp anglers tie. The odd sizes 5 and 7 are handy for fine-tuning a rig to a particular hookbait.

It scores 8.0 rather than higher for two reasons. The extra-heavy gauge needs a firm take to go in past the bend, and a straight point doesn't lock in quite like the beaked point on the Korda Wide Gape. Overall, I think the hold is very dependable, barbed or barbless.

Is it good value for money?

Is it worth paying a little more than for other curve shanks? You get forged, double-tempered steel, a PTFE coating and matching barbed and barbless sizes in a pack of 10, which I think is fair.

It's a little dearer than the Fox Edges Armapoint Curve Shank, while the Korda Basix Kurv Shank is far cheaper if you just want a reliable curve shank on a tight budget.

The size range is the main limit. It runs from 4 to 7, so there's no big size 2 for large baits and no size 8 for small wafters.

Overall, I'd recommend the Thinking Anglers Curve Shank to carp anglers fishing barbless waters, or switching between barbed and barbless venues, who want the same strong hook on every rig from a hair rig to a Ronnie.

If you need a size 2 or 8, the ESP Cryogen Curve Shanx covers both.