Curved hook points vs straight hook points

[Jessed]

I’ve been experimenting with different nymph and dry fly hooks lately. Ive have been super impressed with the barbless hooks that have a curved hook pointed back towards the eye of the hook (TMC 103 BL, TMC C450bl for example). I feel like I miss less fish and lose less fish once they are hooked. Besides the 103 being super fine, What’s the advantage/ scenario where you’d tie a fly on a barbless straight hook point like a TMC 100 barbless over a TMC 103 bl?

 

[Dave_W]

I'm still trying to make up my mind on this one.

For so long I've used traditional hooks with a straight point and with a barb flattened with pliers. It's what I'm comfortable with.

in recent years, I've purchased some of the typically barbless hooks with the "beaked" point that I think you're describing here (meaning the point is curved so as to point backward toward the shank). Hooks designed for use with bait have long had this beaked point. I've purchased more of these now mainly because this style is more common and I could not get the hook sizes and shapes I wanted with straight points.

I have avoided them in larger sizes as I like to sharpen my hooks and the straight point is easier to do this with than the beaked point.

I'm undecided about hooking reliability. In a few instances, I seemed to be missing strikes with beaked hooks but I can't say I have enough experience to conclude anything. There's no question that this is increasingly becoming the standard in hook design and many of the hook styles favored by the Euro guys are beaked and they seem to have great success with them.

I'd be interested to hear what some other folks think.