The 2006 Crab season is underway in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Fishing vessels and crews are preparing for the harsh conditions they will endure. Fierce seas, high winds, and ice build-up will make this season of Deadliest Catchdeadly.
Fishing is put on hold for boats in the area of where a fellow vessel sank, fellow fishermen search with the Coast Guard to locate survivors. Between faulty equipment and bad fishing crews are struggling with a rough start to the 2006 season.
The Bering Sea is relentless this season, claiming one life after another. The high seas are a dangerous place to work, a deckhand on board the Wizard is badly injured causing the captain to rush back to shore.
Despite the tragedies, fatigue, equipment problems, and weather the crews push on. Boats and crews are working forty hours with no sleep, making this dangerous job even more dangerous. With the Bering Sea still claiming victims crews are questioning decisions, working who will be the next victim.
The bright light at the end of the 2006 King Crab season is upon the fleet. Captains and crews muster up one final push for dropping gear, hauling pots in and getting crab off the boats.
The 2006 King Crab season has come to a close, so the Captains head back to Dutch Harbor. Despite the tragedy at sea, mechanical problems, and injuriesthe fishing has been good.
The boats head back out on the dangerous Bering Sea as the Opilio crab season begins.
A couple of days into the Opilio crab season a major storm system hits the fishing fleet. Forcing many captains to call their crews off their decks and even forces a few to head back to port because of breakdowns.
Forced back to port because of a blown engine, the Northwestern, a week behind is now back on the fishing grounds. Capt. Sig hopes that putting all of his gear far north will pay off.
Several greenhorns are put to the test as the Bering Sea's harsh winter weather deteriorates. The one on the Wizard is already faltering under the grueling working conditions; but the ones on the Northwestern and Cornelia Marie step up to prove their worth.
The 2007 Opilio Crab season continues to march on despite the dangerous risks faced by the fleet.
The 2007 Opilio season has been long, cold, dangerous, and filled with problems. The captains and their crews head to unload despite the freezing conditions, to cash in.