Inside Elite Boats: Kurt Dove

<p>Kurt Dove of Del Rio, Texas, serves as a guide on famed Lake Amistad in addition to fishing the Bassmaster Elite Series and several Bass Pro Shops bassmaster Opens. Here, we caught up with him at the final Northern Open of 2013, the Lake Erie event out of Sandusky. His Toyota Tundra racks up tens of thousands of miles each year.</p>

Kurt Dove of Del Rio, Texas, serves as a guide on famed Lake Amistad in addition to fishing the Bassmaster Elite Series and several Bass Pro Shops bassmaster Opens. Here, we caught up with him at the final Northern Open of 2013, the Lake Erie event out of Sandusky. His Toyota Tundra racks up tens of thousands of miles each year.

Dove’s boat is a Skeeter FX20, a rig that many Elite Series pros rely on. It’s a favorite among Texas anglers.

<p>Dove's Skeeter is usually one of the cleanest and most organized on the Elite Series, something that's important to his being able to find things quickly. He has a dual console for his clients' comfort. Plus, they're easier to sell when he's ready to trade.</p>

Dove’s Skeeter is usually one of the cleanest and most organized on the Elite Series, something that’s important to his being able to find things quickly. He has a dual console for his clients’ comfort. Plus, they’re easier to sell when he’s ready to trade.

<p>This is a sign that's always visible when he's on the front deck fishing. All too often, anglers get caught up in what others are doing and forget to trust the instincts that got them to this level. Dove never loses sight of that.</p>

This is a sign that’s always visible when he’s on the front deck fishing. All too often, anglers get caught up in what others are doing and forget to trust the instincts that got them to this level. Dove never loses sight of that.

<p>Dove's office: A big Minn Kota Fortrex 101-thrust trolling motor keeps him moving, a HydroWave excites bass, and a Lowrance HDS8 lets him know what's going on down there.</p>

Dove’s office: A big Minn Kota Fortrex 101-thrust trolling motor keeps him moving, a HydroWave excites bass, and a Lowrance HDS8 lets him know what’s going on down there.

<p>In the forwardmost storage box is Dove's soft plastics. They weigh the most of all of his baits, and act as a counterweight to the motor, fuel tanks and batteries that reside in the back of his Skeeter.</p>

In the forwardmost storage box is Dove’s soft plastics. They weigh the most of all of his baits, and act as a counterweight to the motor, fuel tanks and batteries that reside in the back of his Skeeter.

<p>The next box down holds his terminal tackle and hardbaits. His hooks and weights are on top of the hardbaits and rest on a towel that cushions them and keeps them from banging around in the boat too much. Leader line is in here as well.</p>

The next box down holds his terminal tackle and hardbaits. His hooks and weights are on top of the hardbaits and rest on a towel that cushions them and keeps them from banging around in the boat too much. Leader line is in here as well.

The towel!

One terminal tackle box is all hooks…

…the other is all weights. This is a hefty Plano box.

<p>Beneath the terminal tackle Plano boxes and the magical towel are his hardbaits. They're organized by depth: On the far left are topwaters, and on the far right are his deep-diving crankbaits. Everything in between is, well, in between.</p>

Beneath the terminal tackle Plano boxes and the magical towel are his hardbaits. They’re organized by depth: On the far left are topwaters, and on the far right are his deep-diving crankbaits. Everything in between is, well, in between.

Here are a few deep divers. He likes Ima’s Beast Hunter deep-diving plug.

Ah, the rod lockers. No surprises here, folks. This is the left side of the boat.

Shimano reels and Powell rods dominate. Notice all the smallie baits tied on. He was at Erie, after all.

<p>In the right-hand-side rod locker, Dove keeps his rods that he plans on using most for any particular day. "The Rod Gloves are worth their weight in gold," he says.</p>

In the right-hand-side rod locker, Dove keeps his rods that he plans on using most for any particular day. “The Rod Gloves are worth their weight in gold,” he says.

In the day box in front of hisconsole, Dove stores things that he may need in a flash, like snips, pliers and frequently used baits.

This cooler is used to house a spare prop most of the time.

This one is for drinks and such.

Dove says that one of the benefits of having a second console is the added storage, besides keeping clients warm, dry and happy.

Moving to the back of the boat, we find Dove’s spare life jacket…

…a drift sock for the big waters like Erie…

…a weigh-in bag for emergencies. He has this in case he breaks down and needs to transfer his fish to another boat.

Also in that box is a dry bag for all of his important papers.

Skeeters feature a fancy cull tag keeper near the driver’s knee.

In the little glove box is super glue and a Power-Pole remote he uses a lot when guiding.

<p>Behind the driver's seat is more imprtant stuff, from documents to tools to spare terminal tackle. All of the things in his rear compartments are lightweight.</p>

Behind the driver’s seat is more imprtant stuff, from documents to tools to spare terminal tackle. All of the things in his rear compartments are lightweight.

Here are some spare trebles.

In tournaments when he’s catching a lot of fish that are of similar size, Dove keeps his culling beam close by. In this case, it’s behind his seat.

Marker buoys, jumper cables and tools also go in here.

Any responsible boater has a flare kit.

Dove’s Yamaha SHO 250 is nestled between two Power-Poles, mainstays on the Elite tour.

<p>There is a lot gong on in here: Batteries, chargers, throwables, oil tanks and pumps for the Power-Poles, livewell pumps and more reside in the rear compartment. Oh, and a pair of giant gas tanks.</p>

There is a lot gong on in here: Batteries, chargers, throwables, oil tanks and pumps for the Power-Poles, livewell pumps and more reside in the rear compartment. Oh, and a pair of giant gas tanks.

Like many Elite and Opens series pros, Dove never goes anywhere without his TowBoatUS member card. It ought to be required on Lake Erie.

Inside Elite Boats: Kurt Dove

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