The Northwestern apprentice is on a winning streak | Deadliest Catch

Chasing the Crab: The Northwestern Crew’s High-Stakes Gamble

45 miles southwest, the Northwestern is on the move, chasing a massive biomass of king crabs. The decision has been made: haul up the pots and shift five miles south, tracking the crabs in an attempt to stay close and reap the rewards before other boats move in.

Captain Sig Hansen and his daughter, Mandy, have already caught more than half of their quota thanks to a lucrative fishing ground west of the Mud Pit. Now, they hope that this next move will allow them to finish the job and head back to port with a full load.

“I hope to see crabs in the pot when it comes up. Otherwise, this is a waste of time,” Mandy says, her tone filled with both anticipation and concern. “I really hope this is the right move. We don’t have much time.”

A strong haul would require an average of 35 crabs per pot. The crew watches anxiously as the first pot emerges from the frigid depths.

“Here comes the first one—let’s see what we’ve got,” Sig calls out over the radio.

As the pot breaches the surface and is lifted onto the deck, the crew erupts in cheers. “There are crabs in there!” someone yells. “How many?”

“Fifty-five!”

The numbers are looking good. The first pot sets the tone, and they’re off to a strong start. As the next pot is hauled up, the excitement builds.

“Here comes another—let’s go, let’s go!”

It’s another jackpot. The pots are full, proving that the Northwestern has landed directly on a gold mine of crabs.

Laughter and cheers fill the deck. “We found them! We’ve got them all!”

The strategy has paid off. The Northwestern is right in the middle of the biomass, and there’s no escaping now—the crabs are being loaded at a record pace. With cage after cage coming up full, the boat is edging closer to reaching its quota.

“Wow, that’s a lot of money,” Sig comments, watching the deck fill up.

As they near the finish line, Mandy steps up to take command. “I got this,” she says confidently.

Sig nods, impressed. “Good work, Mandy.”

Mandy’s leadership has not gone unnoticed. “I have to highlight what Mandy did here—she kept her cool. I wouldn’t have, because that’s just not how I am,” Sig admits. “The important thing is that she took the initiative. She said, ‘Let’s do this, let’s go here.’ I can’t force someone to do that. It has to come from them.”

Pride fills his voice as he reflects on his daughter’s growth. “That’s important to me because I’m proud of her. This job is serious business. Fishing is fun, but in the end, there’s real money on the line, and you have to take it seriously.”

As the Northwestern’s success continues, another conversation takes place—one about personal habits.

“How many days have you gone without smoking?” a crewmember asks.

“I don’t know, since Friday. Fifteen days,” someone replies.

“Fifteen days? That’s a lot! Let’s do the math—two packs a day, 365 days a year, for 30 years… How much is that?”

“730 packs a year, times 30 years… that’s 21,000 packs,” another crew member calculates.

“21,000 packs? That’s disgusting,” someone mutters.

“Yeah, it probably cost me about $250,000.”

Sig shakes his head. “You smoked a house.”

“Yep. Smoked a house.”

With the crabs secured and the quota nearly met, the Northwestern prepares to make the journey back. Their gamble has paid off, and with a bit of luck, they’ll be heading home with a full load and a well-earned payday.