Kopyto variations

Hi my usual summer perching involves little cranks fished in the upper layers. Yet my autumn and winter perching involves kopytos fished deep and slow.

I am just wondering how successful the kopytos are fished in the upper water - I would need to switch to a lighter jig head which is easy enough - but do they work?

I have had real problems with snagging and so stopped using them - but I do so well on them later in the year thinking of giving them a go?

Do you use them this way?

Mark

If you can keep the lure near the top it will still work. You just need to remove as much weight as possible otherwise your retrieve speed can only be fast. Normally for kopytos you can either slowly draw them in or bounce them along the bottom. I try to have a few different weights of jig head so I can change to suit. I keep meaning to try a lure on just a single hook to see if it still swims the same but expect there's a chance it might not.

If you're getting snagged maybe it's the technique. Hold your rod tip vertical pointing nearly upright and then flick the tip just a little. This way the jig head lifts up then drops down nose first keeping the hook away from danger. If the jig head digs in to something the flick should get it out. On unsnaggy canals I just use a normal retrieve and have no problems but if I fish the river I often use the second technique. If you are fishing a lure that gets down to the bottom you will have to expect to lose a few lures.

i do use them in that way especially around this time of year when the preds are fry feeding, the little 2" versions look just right and you will catch all sorts on them flicked under the trees on rivers and zipped back.
i recall catching very well recently on a white 2" when casting into a outflow and retrieving right away the perch were sat in the fast water and were hitting the lure as soon as it landed.