Crab Cage SMASHES Captain Keith’s Window In Pieces! | Deadliest Catch

High-Stakes Crab Fishing: Captain Keith’s Quest for the Elusive Bairdi Crab

Out on the open sea, time is of the essence. “Hurry up, Cody! We’ve got to get those pots set faster than that!” Captain Keith Colburn shouts as he steers the Wizard towards deeper waters. The hunt for the prized Bairdi crab is on, and the crew must push through the challenges to meet their ambitious 91,000-pound quota.

Navigating through the island chain, Captain Keith sets his sights on an 85-fathom canyon, a preferred depth for these elusive crustaceans. However, with a shorthanded crew, the mission is far from ideal. “Doing this short-handed is not the best way, but it’s all I can do right now,” Keith admits. With Jacob now working on another boat, the Wizard’s crew is down a man. OJ, a valued deckhand, is on shore leave after the birth of his child, leaving Robbie Schlosstein and Cody Ulm to pick up the slack.

The first spot of the 2023 season is chosen, and the crew prepares to set their gear. “We’re going to cover some areas we haven’t fished in years, some of them really deep,” Keith explains. With only a few hands on deck, the pressure mounts. “Alright, guys, ready to go? How’s it looking up there?” Keith calls out, urging his team to move faster.

But trouble soon strikes. As the crew struggles to manage the workload, a 1,000-pound pot is accidentally swung into the wheelhouse, shattering a critical window. “Are you kidding me?” Keith exclaims in frustration. With water threatening to pour in, Robbie scrambles to cover the damage with plywood. “This should get us back to town at least,” he reassures the crew. The setback forces the Wizard to regroup at Dutch Harbor before resuming their journey.

Upon arrival, the crew wastes no time fixing the damage and restocking supplies. “Last thing we want is to be in town with a bunch of gear still on board,” Keith says, pushing for a quick turnaround. But one major issue remains: the lack of manpower. Already three days behind the competition, Keith knows he needs an extra set of hands. He turns to OJ, calling him up with a proposition.

“Hey, OJ, how are you doing? I know you just had little Cassidy, but I’m running this with four guys, and I’m wearing them out. I need a fifth man on my deck. Would you be available to come back?” Keith asks.

Despite the short notice, OJ doesn’t hesitate. “Yes,” he replies, ready to rejoin the team. With time and fuel costs at a premium, Keith arranges for a boat-to-boat transfer instead of a full return to port. “We’re building a raft and doing a transfer,” Keith explains. “I know it’s asking a lot, but are you good with this?”

“Absolutely,” OJ confirms, proving his dedication to the crew. With their trusted deckhand back on board, the Wizard is finally ready to hit the waters again. The hunt for the elusive Bairdi crab continues, and despite the setbacks, Captain Keith and his crew are determined to make this season a success.