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Independence, MO —
There is a mystique about calm early-morning lakes.
The surface resembles a pane of glass and half-submerged trees take on a shadowy, majestic look. Big fish pass through these far-reaching root systems and stumps that are partly exposed to this world where the food chain is constantly working. Small fish chase even smaller forage, attracting big predators and fishermen.
Top Cat limb lines set out the night before were baited with small bluegill and one bullhead catfish on Hillsdale Lake, a Kansas lake generally known for crappie. Steve Green’s boat slowly slipped across the glassy surface to a stand of trees. A quick check showed no bait, a sure sign that the cats or at least something was feeding.
The next set of limb lines were more promising as a line seemed to slowly dart back and forth as Green’s boat approached. Soon, a fine 3-pound channel catfish slipped into the net and back into the water.
“Not what we’re after,” Green said. “We want his grandparents.”
The morning continued with empty hooks as each line was carefully lifted. The bite was slow – until the last two trees.
Two lines remained to be checked and it was apparent from a distance that the approaching boat had alarmed something big that was hooked on Green’s line. A slight lift on the line set off an explosion of splashing lake water and surface disturbance that actually sent a small wake across the lake. He carefully picked up the line and slipped a net under the surging 27-pound flathead catfish that soon flopped on the boat’s floor.
An elated Green slipped his boat toward the last line and once again, the approaching craft made an unknown intruder create a huge disturbance on the surface. He cautiously raised the line for an instant before the big fish dove straight down to the safety of depth. A good fight continued until the 52-pound flathead catfish lay in the boat for pictures and immediate release.
“God provided us with two good cats this morning,” Green said. “My Top Cat Rigging did the job again.”
I am a veteran of running limb lines and have never fished with anything like the Top Cat Rig. This device is designed to fit on trees without limbs or other means where fishermen have tied on conventional limb lines for centuries. Baits were set shallow on all trees and both catfish swam up to feed. The biggest cat was taken on the small bullhead catfish. Green is manufacturing and selling this effective product nationwide with great responses from the public.
There is a mystique about calm early-morning lakes.
The surface resembles a pane of glass and half-submerged trees take on a shadowy, majestic look. Big fish pass through these far-reaching root systems and stumps that are partly exposed to this world where the food chain is constantly working. Small fish chase even smaller forage, attracting big predators and fishermen.
Top Cat limb lines set out the night before were baited with small bluegill and one bullhead catfish on Hillsdale Lake, a Kansas lake generally known for crappie. Steve Green’s boat slowly slipped across the glassy surface to a stand of trees. A quick check showed no bait, a sure sign that the cats or at least something was feeding.
The next set of limb lines were more promising as a line seemed to slowly dart back and forth as Green’s boat approached. Soon, a fine 3-pound channel catfish slipped into the net and back into the water.
“Not what we’re after,” Green said. “We want his grandparents.”
The morning continued with empty hooks as each line was carefully lifted. The bite was slow – until the last two trees.
Two lines remained to be checked and it was apparent from a distance that the approaching boat had alarmed something big that was hooked on Green’s line. A slight lift on the line set off an explosion of splashing lake water and surface disturbance that actually sent a small wake across the lake. He carefully picked up the line and slipped a net under the surging 27-pound flathead catfish that soon flopped on the boat’s floor.
An elated Green slipped his boat toward the last line and once again, the approaching craft made an unknown intruder create a huge disturbance on the surface. He cautiously raised the line for an instant before the big fish dove straight down to the safety of depth. A good fight continued until the 52-pound flathead catfish lay in the boat for pictures and immediate release.
“God provided us with two good cats this morning,” Green said. “My Top Cat Rigging did the job again.”
I am a veteran of running limb lines and have never fished with anything like the Top Cat Rig. This device is designed to fit on trees without limbs or other means where fishermen have tied on conventional limb lines for centuries. Baits were set shallow on all trees and both catfish swam up to feed. The biggest cat was taken on the small bullhead catfish. Green is manufacturing and selling this effective product nationwide with great responses from the public.
“Part of my Top Cat system includes cheaters,” Green said. “You drill a hole in old trees or brush piles, and then attach a Top Cat Limb Line. The big cats live under these structures. This morning’s 52-pound flathead was the 13th cat over 50 pounds I have released back into Hillsdale Lake – two this year.”
Green looks for certain transition areas before setting out baits. For example, he discovered flathead catfish will be where the lake and river intersects and flatheads can find a bit of flowing water and big trees where the top is broken off. Channel catfish are more in hedgerows and tangled brush.
“Big trees with the top broken off means brush is under water beside the stump,” Green said. “The stump has a lot of holes where bait fish hide. Pulling up to a tree like that where bait fish are breaking the surface to escapes says this is the right place for big catfish. The flathead come up every night, find a small fish in a hole and flair their gills to suck the little fish out. This is how they feed. My bait is never more than five or six feet under the surface.”
Green started fishing trot lines and decided there had to be a better way. He changed to limb lines and only caught smaller cats before devising a way to fish trees with no branches where the big cats stay. The Top Cat system straps to the tree with a metal base plate and an epoxy composite rod that flexes while an American-made bungee cord gives even more resistance to the fish. Basically, this rigging provides the strong branch commonly used for limb lining – a great technique.
For more information about Top Cat Rigging, check the website at topcatfishing.com or call 913-449-9128.
