Some people say lining this way isn’t as much fun as fishing with rod and reel. As he, Josh and I cruised out to check the lines at first light, we were giddy with anticipation. I’m proud to say Green didn’t get skunked on Lake Conway either. “If the water is deeper than that, catfish won’t come up for the bait because they can’t see or hear it splashing, or smell the scent stream it gives off.” “We catch the most and biggest catfish by placing Topcats in areas where the water is three to eight feet deep,” he continues. I tell folks if the bungee on the Topcat line is in the water, then you’re placing your bait too deep. “The more commotion it’s making, the more likelihood that big, lively baitfish is going to get eaten. “We like the bait up near the surface where it’s splashing and making a commotion,” he says. That’s when catfish are likely to be prowling shallow portions of lakes and rivers where Topcats work best. Green says Topcats work best in spring, as the water temperature rises from 60 to 80 degrees, then again in late summer and fall when the water temperature falls from 80 to 60 degrees. We baited each with a big lively sunfish near sunset the first day, then left the Topcats overnight and checked them at first light the following morning. Protruding at an angle from the collar is a short, ultra-sturdy pole on which you attach the provided line, which comes pre-rigged with a top-quality hook, swivel and rubber bungee specially made to handle the thrashing and twisting of catfish weighing up to 100 pounds or more.Īfter catching several dozen sunfish we kept alive to use as bait, we attached 30 Topcats to snags and stumps along a half-mile stretch close to shore in shallow water. It quickly straps onto a stump or standing snag to create a lining spot even where no overhanging branches are available.Ī semicircular “collar” at the base of each Topcat fits against a tree or stump, and an attached nylon strap wraps around and tightens down to hold the Topcat securely to the upright. So Steve went to work in his shop and created a sturdy metal device called the Topcat that solves that problem. The problem with limb-lines, Green determined, is springy green branches aren’t always available where you’d like to tie a line. When the cat takes the bait, it gets hooked and the flexible limb keeps it from pulling free. Each line is baited with a lively sunfish or other fish bait, and when a catfish detects the bait thrashing on or near the water’s surface, a light that says “Dinner time!” comes on in its little catfish brain. These are sturdy fishing lines with hooks that are attached to springy green limbs overhanging the water. The idea came to Green while fishing with limb-lines. He likes catfish so much, in fact, he invented a new way of catching them. He cut his fishing teeth on whiskerfish, and knows more about the behaviors and day-to-day habits of blues, flatheads and channel cats than just about any guy you’ll meet. Requests may be made directly to and every effort will be made to honor them within 48 hours.AugBy Keith 'Catfish' Sutton, This policy allows verified trademark owners to specify: (A) that their identifiable information be masked, or (B) that their trademark pages permanently deleted from.
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