What can I say, the Peyton Manning of the crab fleet Sig Hanson just threw another touchdown in the race for the most Alaskan King Crab in Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch after offloading $800,000 worth of crab. Yes, your heard me and if you didn’t, let me repeat myself. $800,000 of crab was offloaded. Now Sig and the crew of the Northwestern are headed back out to their next line of 300 pots to rustle up even more of this crustacean gold. After loading up first few pots, the world could not be any brighter in darken Bering Sea — full pots of enormous king crab. All Sig needs to do is average about 40+ crab per pot on this string, then their season will be over in record time. Not only will they have delivered a small ransom of crab, but more than likely they will have won the captain’s wager for the most crab.
If we have highs, we also have lows. Well, you knew that the rookie Captain Blake’s luck would not hold. Well, that is the 
case here. After using all the knowledge from the other crab fleet captains to fill his tanks of crab earlier, this time Blake and the Maverick were rolling snake eyes. If they were in Vegas, they would run out of town with nothing but the shirt on their backs. Pot after pot came up empty. I mean no crab…well, I guess I take that back. He was getting one to two crab per pot. I guess that was something, but not in the race for the most crab being caught and the $900 on the line along with profits this boat needs to make for its owners. What to do…I guess it is now time for Captain Blake to leave the nest and strike out on his own. The Maverick is heading out to her own fishing grounds and will use the skill and “knowledge” of their captain to find the mother load again.
Not too far from the Maverick (69 miles) fighting 25-foot seas and 50-mile-per-hour winds, the Wizard is to pull up the last of her pots trying to get to her last 15,000 pounds of crab for her quota. The challenge has not been easy for the Wizard crew with the sea battling them from each side on top of being down a crew member after Lenny’s accident a few days ago. Like my boss says, “Best players play.” Lenny is no different and like any good player is ready to come off the bench and get back into the game. Too bad the crab was not ready. Wizard seem to have the luck of the Maverick.
After the daring, heroic rescue last week, the Time Bandit crew is ready to show they are not down and out in this race. A mere 267 miles north east of Dutch Harbor, the Time Bandit is approaching her first string on pots. Can their heroic act help turn around their sour season of fishing? Could their new passenger, the rescued deckhand Joss White be their lucky charm? I guess old King Neptune must have given his blessing to the Time Bandit, because her first pots were over flowing with beautiful crab. Almost 100 crab per pot!!!!! Time Bandit is back in the game!!!! Crab ho!!!!!
Another 47 miles to southwest of the Time Bandit is the Farwest Leader. If anybody could use a bit of the luck of the Irsh, this boat could. Her current string is bone dry. Not a crab to be seen. At this rate, this boat will be losing money before long. I can already hear Elvis in the back ground singing Heartbreak Hotel for this boat and its hardy crew. So if all else fails go where the gold is being struck – north to the grounds that the Time Bandit is hitting pay dirt.
As the crab moves, so do the luck of the fleet. A reversal of fortunes has now occur. Like every desperate poker player, once in awhile you need to go all in on a pot. Well, that is Captain Blake and the Maverick have down by throwing all their pots in a small chunk of sea north of their previous location. The gamble paid off…Jackpot!!! Pots are full with mac-daddy crab. To provide you with a bit of perspective, each crab is worth $25 a pop which make each pot they pull worth over $1,000. Now that is nothing to sneeze at.
Sometimes interceptions are part of the game, even a great quarterback like Peyton Manning throws one from time to time. So’s the case with Captain Sig and the Northwestern. As great as their luck with pots were going, that luck has quickly run out. They also are coming up empty pots and the dream of calling it an early season. Now they must focus on not only getting their deckhand to court in Seattle on time(to avoid a jail sentance), but also on meeting their quota on time. Can Sig’s original philosophy of lots of bait and a long soak pull him out of this bad luck funk? What do you think? Yeah, the master once again nailed it. Crab once again filling the boat.
Not to be forgotten in this race is the Cornelia Marie. About 275 miles Northeast of Dutch Harbor, Captain Phil is right on top of the crab. Each pot is coming up with increasing numbers of crab. Maybe the days in port to fix a bad wheel will not be as bad as originally thought. In mist of the crabbing, a bit of dentistry on Captain Phil’s son Jake is need. A tooth has gone bad and is causing Jake with a bit of discomfort. What to do when you are out in the middle of the Bering Sea without a dentist? You reach into your toolbox for your own dentistry tool — needlenose pliers. With any luck, the tooth will come out without too much trouble. If not, then you really will see what Jake is made of. I am glad to report Jake is truly a man of the sea. Homespun denistry like that takes balls!!
Now with everyone is on the crab - game on! See you all next week!
Season 3 Top Crab Totals at the end of Episode 5
Wizard - 385,00 pounds
Cornelia Marie - 298,00 pounds
Northwestern - 284,500 pounds
Farwest Leader - 171,000 pounds
Maverick – 88,000 pounds (rookie captain Blake Painter)
Time Bandit – 40,000 pounds
