Deckhand Overboard, Reunions, Fiery Arguments & More Season 20 Moments You Missed!

Deadliest Catch: High Stakes, Heavy Seas, and a Race Against Time

The Bering Sea doesn’t offer second chances—and for the captains and crews of Deadliest Catch, this season might be the most intense yet.

After 17 seasons at sea, Captain Jake Anderson finds himself at the edge of disaster. Once a greenhorn on the Northwestern, Jake rose through the ranks to co-own and captain the Saga—a multi-million dollar, 107-foot vessel. But this year, his dream nearly sank. Just days before the king crab season opened, Jake showed up to find a chain on the door and a repossession notice on the boat. With no warning and no answers, everything—his kids’ college funds, his savings, his future—was on the line.

“I feel like I’m totally in the dark,” Jake muttered, pacing the dock as he scrambled to reach his partner Lenny. With just 72 hours before fishing was set to begin, Jake had to make a choice: give up, or go all in.

Let the Derby Begin

Despite the chaos, Jake and his crew pressed forward. They blessed the boat, loaded gear, and pushed off—hoping for a miracle. “This is it,” Jake said. “Every string we drop could be our last. We have to fish like everything’s on the line… because it is.”

And they’re not the only ones racing the clock.

29-year-old Jack Bunnell, alongside veteran skipper Steve “Harley” Davidson, entered the fray in a new $2.3 million vessel—the Pacific Mariner. Jack cashed in everything, even his 401(k), while Harley brought decades of derby-style experience. With 60 more pots and 3.3 knots more speed than their old boat, they knew they had the hardware to compete—but the pressure to produce was crushing.

“If we don’t catch crab, we don’t make money,” Jack said. “And if I don’t deliver, I’m out of the chair.”

Dockside Rivalries & Strategic Tension

Competition heats up even before the boats leave the harbor. In a frantic race to load pots at the dock, the Pacific Mariner clashed with the Northwestern, led by Captain Sig Hansen. Despite Jack beating Sig to the dock, a heated exchange followed, ending with Jack “borrowing” a string of pots from Sig—an aggressive move that might win the battle, but start a war.

“If you’re not first, you’re last,” Jack joked. But the tension was very real.

Personal Drama Meets Professional Pressure

On the Illusion Lady, tempers flared. Jacob Hutchkins, captain-in-training, faced resentment from the crew—especially from a deckhand named Matt, whose verbal outburst included racially inappropriate comments. Captain Rick Shelford took swift action: “Matt, you’re off the deck. You’re done.”

With the team now one man down and the season already underway, Jacob struggled to keep morale high and prove himself. “You can’t learn this job from the sidelines,” he said. “But if I can’t bring in the quota, everyone suffers.”

Life, Death, and the Sea

Meanwhile, Captain Sig Hansen faced a different kind of stress. His daughter Mandy, an essential part of the Northwestern crew, had recently experienced complications with her pregnancy. Sig made the difficult decision to fish closer to town in case she needed family support. “It’s not a normal season,” he admitted, “but I need to be close, just in case.”

While Sig worried about family, disaster struck onboard: a camera operator fell overboard. In freezing waters, the crew sprang into action. “You think you’ve prepared for everything,” Sig said, shaken. “But in a second, everything can change.”

Thankfully, the man was rescued and stabilized—but it was a stark reminder that the sea takes no prisoners.

Battling the Elements

And the sea wasn’t done testing them. A bin board inside the Northwestern’s mid-tank broke loose, flooding the compartment with thousands of gallons of seawater. The sloshing created a deadly sway, risking capsize in 25-foot waves. Only quick thinking and fearless action from the crew saved the vessel—and their lives.

The Crab Are Out There… Somewhere

Despite the setbacks, the crab finally started coming in. “50, 117, 162—now that’s what I’m talking about!” Jake shouted as his crew pulled in full pots. The grind was paying off, but the season was far from over. The teams still faced mechanical failures, unpredictable weather, and shifting crab patterns.

King Crab Is Back

As the derby unfolds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about crabs. It’s about grit, sacrifice, and legacy. Whether it’s Jake risking everything for his family, Jack betting his future on a hunch, or Sig balancing life at sea with his daughter’s wellbeing, Deadliest Catch proves once again that no other job comes close.

This season, it’s not just king crab that’s on the line—it’s survival, redemption, and everything these captains hold dear.