Inside Elite Boats: Gerald Swindle

Gerald Swindle, an Alabama native and a two-time Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year, runs a TR21 Triton, powered by a Mercury 250 XS. Here’s an inside look at the rig he ran during the 2017 Elite season.

When it comes to trolling motors, Swindle sometimes uses a Minn Kota Ultrex â but he’s very careful with it. “When I’m running these super-shallow water tournaments where I’m gonna hit stumps and tear everything up, I switch out to a Minn Kota Fortrex.

A T-H Marine Troll Tamer Lockdown System keeps Swindle’s trolling motor in place.

A closer look at the Troll Tamer System.

Swindle uses a single Humminbird Solix 15 unit at the bow.

Here’s the Minn Kota Fortrex Swindle uses in certain situations.

The G-Force Trolling Motor Handle from T-H Marine is a must-have for tournament anglers and serious recreational anglers alike.

Like many anglers on the Bassmaster Elite Series, Swindle uses a Hydrowave Electronic Fish Feeding Stimulator.

Here’s a closer look at the Hydrowave’s placement.

A special magnet from T-H Marine helps Swindle keep track of hooks, spinnerbaits, jigs and other baits that he uses throughout the day.

Now, a look inside the left rod locker.

This is where the most important tools of the trade are kept. “I usually keep 22 to 24 setups in there,” he said. “I have Quantum PTs and G-Force rods all across the board. I’ve got some HD reels, the new Smoke X3 reel, some Vapor reels â just a whole mix-up in the rod box, and every one of them has the Rod Glove.

He pulls out a couple of his favorites â a 7-foot-4 Quantum PT rod his own new G-Force Quantum Rod, a 7-foot medium-action stick.

The Quantum PT is rigged with a 3/8-ounce brown ballhead jig with a Zoom Z-Craw trailer. The G-Force Quantum Rod is rigged with a Rapala DT6 crankbait. “That’s kind of like my two favorite things to throw,” Swindle said.

This shot makes it clear he’s not exaggerating when he says he has two dozen rods ready to go at all times.

The G-Man keeps a little bit of everything in his center box.

Zoom Swimmers hang conveniently from the inside of the center box lid.

There are times when the Swimmers play a major role in Swindle’s tournament success.

Every inch of the center box is stuffed with tackle. After these photos were shot, Swindle picked up a new tackle box sponsor, Lure Lock by Taklogic. You’ll see more of their products in his 2018 rig.

Swindle has a big assortment of Zoom Z-Craw Baits, both junior and senior sizes.

The Zoom Z-Craws are one of the favored baits in Swindle’s arsenal…

Especially the ones that come in green pumpkin and green pumpkin candy.

A buzzbait box carries custom buzzbaits built by Swindle.

Sometimes the Zoom Z-Craw finds its way onto a buzzbait.

It seems every pro has a box of Whopper Ploppers these days.

Swindle said he likes to keep, “One giant box of Whopper Ploppers, with small ones, big ones and all different colors.

A box of assorted jerkbaits includes Lucky Craft Slender Pointer 112s, the Megabass Vision 110, a little bit of everything.

As you can see, the jerkbait box doesn’t have a lot of extra space left.

Oh, and never forget the al-important frog box.

Swindle’s frog assortment includes everything from the BOOYAH Pad Crasher and the Dean Rojas Frog from Spro, to a few from Snag Proof.

In Swindle’s center compartment, you’ll find a hook box, which is full of Gamakatsu hooks, Rebar Worm Hooks for drop shotting, drop-shot hooks made by Gamakatsu â the little nose hooks and 6th Sense bobber stoppers. “So the hook box is kind of assorted for anything I might need,” Swindle said.”

Swindle’s red Bass Mafia Box holds weights, including Reins Tungsten that range from 1/16-ounce all the way up to 2 1/2 ounces. It also includes glass beads and all kinds of accessories for Carolina rigging.

Here’s a look at the outside of the nearly indestructible Bass Mafia Box.

Swindle keeps a box of Buckeye Balling Out Jigs, with the skirts separate from the heads. When he’s ready, he can just slide a skirt on a head all from one box.

Swindle keeps a large assortment of soft plastics in Ziploc bags.

The Zoom Z-Craw can be found in several of the bags.

A catch-all junk box holds all of the miscellaneous items that Swindle needs to keep track of.

A Plano box holds treble hooks that are all sorted in different sizes. A few of his choices include EWG styles and triple grips.

You don’t want reach blindly into the hook box….

…and there’s no need to, with all of the sizes clearly marked on the outside.

A Rubbermaid box is filled with Sunline. “I have every size that I need in there,” Swindle said. “And I keep plenty of extra in my truck.

A box of ChatterBaits is always available if Swindle needs it.

A dedicated Zoom pro always carries plenty of Zoom Boot-Tail Flukes.

It may look like chaos, but there’s a method to the chaos that has led to two Bassmaster Anger of the Year titles.

In the right storage compartment of his boat, you’ll find two crates full of tackle. “Here’s why I use those crates: If the carpet gets wet on the bottom, it keeps the tackle up off the bottom so it stays dry,” Swindle says.

Another Ziploc bag contains a smorgasbord of all-purpose tackle.

Remember the old days of using a toothpick for a stopper? Things are a little more sophisticated now.

This case holds a mini-charging system for emergency jumpstarts on the water.

This is a box of the new prototype frog from Zoom Frog. Swindle guards this box as strenuously as he guards his deer hunting property. “I keep this box hid,” he said. “There are only 12 of them in the U.S. right now.”

This box is filled with Magnum Finesse Worms. “They’re one of my favorite flipping baits,” Swindle said. “Youâll see I have a large assortment of them in that box.”

Swindle has one shaky box with mostly small selections â from 1/8-, 1/4- and 3/16-ounce.

A second shaky head box holds bigger baits, ranging from 3/8-, 1/2- and 3/4-ounce. “I use the Buckeye Spot Remover head a lot because itâ a lot bigger. A bigger head is obviously better for throwing a bigger worm.

At the console, Swindle has a Braven speaker sound system with wireless Bluetooth capability. Because…you gotta have your music when you’re on the water.

When Swindle begins a Bassmaster Elite Series tournament sitting in this seat, he’ll likely be cashing a check when it’s over. He’s earned more than $1.9 million in B.A.S.S. events.

Swindle has complete confidence in the T-H Marine Kong Mount that holds the outside Humminbird Helix 12 at his console.

Another look at the all-important mechanism that relays Swindle’s tunes when he’s on the water.

At the console, he runs two Humminbird Helix 12s.

Swindle’s depthfinders are held in place by ultra-durable Kong Mounts from T-H Marine.

Swindle is known as a “smart, but aggressive” driver. Do you think this speedometer has been maxed out a time or two?

The controls at Swindle’s console include the up/down switches for his Power-Poles and the on/off switch for his T-H Marine Pro Air System for his livewell.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a sharper-looking set of seats than the ones Swindle has on his TR21.

All of Swindle’s Lakemaster Chips are kept securely in this box.

A miscellaneous bag hold several things, including the all-important Dude Wipes.

You’ll always find plenty of extra pairs of sunglasses in Swindle’s boat. “We never know what we’re gonna need,” Swindle said. “We could be sight fishing, dark frames â you just never know.”

Swindle is definitely part of the GoPro craze. Many of his best moments the past few years have been captured on film.

In this box, Swindle keeps markers, Sharpies, extra pairs of pliers, scissors and small parts for the motor. “It’s just a catch-all junk box for the floor,” he said.

The box behind the passenger seat, has one box of 6XD crankbaits, one box of Rapala DT6 crankbaits, one box of Zoom Ultravibe speedworms, one box of ChatterBaits and one box of Zoom Super Flukes.

He has every color of Zoom Utravibe speedworm he could ever need.

What would a Zoom fisherman be without a box full of Flukes?

If a day rolls around when the bass are biting topwater, Swindle is ready.

Likewise, a box of 6XD crankbaits means Swindle is ready for a deep bite.

For the fish in between, he’ll use the Rapala DT6.

The T-H Marine Culling Bar keeps Swindle’s tags neatly arranged until they’re needed.

When this livewell is full of water and fish slime, he’s about ready to make another deposit into the account of Gerald and Leann Swindle.

The back seat pole has yet another mount for a GoPro camera.

Swindle demonstrates the view he gets from the backseat GoPro.

A storage compartment holds various items, including extra life vests.

The all-important dry rags.

Life jackets are always available for Swindle himself, his marshal and anyone else who may end up aboard.

Seriously, how many Dude Wipes does a dude really need?

The T-H Marine Culling Bar is as simple and reliable as it gets. Put two fish on the bar, and the one that drags the bar down farthest is the one you keep.