Catfish Pro Top Cat Rod 12ft 4.5lb

How well is it built?

The blank is high-modulus carbon fibre, which gives a powerful 12ft rod without loading it with unnecessary weight.

The Mk2b changes slim down the Duplon butt and shrink the reel seat, and I think that's a sensible update, as a slimmer butt is easier to hold for long spells and suits the catfishing reels most anglers use.

There are nine rings along the blank, and the tip ring is a super-tough Fuji, which is the ring that takes the most wear from heavy line. The reel seat is heavy-duty metal, so it's built to take the strain of a big fixed spool reel clamped hard under load.

One thing to know if you already own Top Cats is that the Mk2b doesn't match the Mk2 A, so a new rod won't make an identical set with an older one. That only matters if you're adding to a pair, though, and pretty much everything else about the build is solid, so 8.5 feels right.

Power & Action

So, why does a through action matter so much for catfish? A big cat doesn't just pull, it powers off and rolls, and a blank that bends right down into the butt should cushion those lunges and help keep the hook in.

The 4.5lb test curve gives you the backbone to lean into a fish and steer it away from snags.

Nine rings help with this as well, because they spread the line along the whole curve of the blank rather than letting it flatten between widely spaced guides.

That lets the full action do its job when you're playing a fish, which is exactly what you want with heavy line and a powerful cat.

At 12ft, it also has the length to pick up line at distance and to hold a big fish off margin weed. For me, this is the strongest part of the rod, and I think the 9.0 is fully deserved.

Handling

How does it handle on the bank? The slimmer Duplon butt is comfortable to grip with wet hands, and Duplon is hard-wearing, so it should stay tidy despite rod rests, holdalls and muddy banks.

The smaller reel seat is sized for typical catfishing reels while still taking any big fixed spool reel.

A 12ft, 4.5lb rod is never going to feel light, though, and on a tight river swim or a bank lined with trees the length can be awkward to cast and to land a fish under. In those swims the 10ft 6in Catfish Pro Top Cat Power is the handier tool, as it gives up reach for control.

On open pits, lakes and big rivers the extra length becomes an advantage rather than a hindrance. With a comfortable butt and a sensibly sized seat, I think 8.5 is a fair score for how it handles.

Is it good value for money?

It's a mid-priced catfish rod, and for that you get a high-modulus carbon blank, nine rings with a Fuji tip, a metal reel seat and a comfortable Duplon butt, which covers everything a big cat will test.

The Black Cat Battle Cat Elite has fancier fittings and a cork handle, but it's a far bigger spend for the same core job of landing big cats.

The Mk2b's mismatch with older Mk2 A rods is the main thing to check before you buy, especially if you're planning to add a rod to an existing set. Beyond that, there's very little to trade off at this price.

I'd recommend the Top Cat 12ft to UK catfish anglers on pits, lakes and bigger rivers who want a proper through-action rod with real power. It's also a sensible first specialist rod for carp anglers moving over to cats.