Nash Claw Long Shank Hooks

How well is it built?

The Power Forge Bend is the clever bit. Rather than treating the whole hook the same, it focuses the high-carbon steel tempering on the highest-stress areas, which is where a big fish pulls hardest.

The bend also has a slightly flattened profile, and that adds strength, cuts down on unwanted rotation and helps the hook resist distortion under load.

It's XC80 steel with a nickel sub-layer and a PTFE coating free of PFAS, which is the same basic build as the Nash Twister X. The coating gives the hook a slick finish that helps it slide in once the point has caught hold.

A long shank puts more leverage on the bend than a short one, so a strong bend matters even more on this pattern. For me, the targeted tempering and flattened profile make this a very well-engineered hook, and the 8.5 reflects that.

Sharpness

So, how sharp is it? It's part of Nash's Pinpoint range, alongside the Twister X, and the stepped, angled Claw bend gives the point an aggressive, claw-like angle. That angle should help it catch hold as the hook turns rather than skating across the lip.

The PTFE coating helps once the tip is in, and on the micro-barbed version the small barb shouldn't need much force to push past.

A sharp point matters even more on a long shank, because the extra length makes the hook turn quickly and you want the point to bite the moment it does.

Barbless versions rely even more on a sticky point, so it's worth swapping a hook early rather than late. I'd give the point a thumbnail check after every fish and after any cast onto gravel or mussels. Overall, I think 8.5 is fair for a sharp, well-angled point.

Hooking & Hold

The extended shank is designed to play an active part in the rig. With the shank in-turned at 35 degrees, the hook turns quickly as a carp moves off, and that turn should make it harder for a fish to eject the rig.

That's why it suits Slip D, Fluoro D and Blowback rigs, where the hookbait sits on a ring that slides on a D or along the shank, and the Ronnie Claw, an anti-eject take on the Ronnie rig.

It scores 8.0 rather than higher because long shank hooks divide opinion, as some anglers feel the extra length gives a fish more leverage to work the hook loose during a long fight.

The flattened, tempered bend and the reduced rotation help with that, but I'd still rate the hold a shade below the Nash Twister X.

Overall, it's a very dependable hook hold for the rigs it's built for, and the anti-eject design is a real plus on pressured waters.

Is it good value for money?

Is it good value? It's priced alongside the Nash Twister X, and you get the same steel and coating plus the Power Forge Bend in a pack of 10.

That's fair money, but a long shank is a more specialised hook than a strong all-rounder, so it won't be the one you tie on for everything.

The sizes run from 2 to 8, with micro-barbed and barbless versions, which covers a big bottom bait or wafter right down to a small pop-up. That's a sensible spread for the rigs it's designed for, and it suits barbless fisheries too.

Overall, I'd recommend the Claw Long Shank to carp anglers who already fish Slip D, Blowback, Fluoro D or Ronnie rigs and want a strong long shank that turns fast and resists ejection. If you prefer a shorter, all-round hook for big fish, the Twister X makes more sense.