‘Deadliest Catch’: Johnathan Hillstrand Embarks on Emergency Trip for Food & Supplies

The stakes remain high as the Deadliest Catch crews continue their crab expeditions in hopes of massive payoffs. During the May 29 episode of the Discovery Channel hit series, Johnathan Hillstrand ran into some massive issues that could derail his season. He’ll have to think fast to keep the Time Bandit going with potential seven figures on the line.

Elsewhere, Sig Hansen and Jake Anderson have another run-in in their respective territories. Captain Rick Shelford was also out on a big gamble setting gear on the border of blue king crab fishing ground.

Read on to see how each captain ended up.

Johnathan Hillstrand

Johnathan got some bad news aboard the vessel when his freezer stopped working. This meant bait was thawed out and their food spoiled. Thankfully, some bait ended up being usable. However, the ice box failing meant losing 5,000 pounds of bait and 500 pounds of perishable food earmarked to feed the crew. Going back to the Dutch Harbor to refuel and replenish their supplies would cost them three days of fishing and $20,000 in fuel.

Jonathan needed to find an alternative solution. A trip to St. George Island, home to 28 residents, saved him. The crew went on the hunt for caribou in order to get them back on track. Teddy, a deckhand, was able to get the Freon for the ice box. Other members of the team went on a hunt for some meat for their journey back on the water. They secured a big caribou that would get them through the three weeks.

Rick Shelford

Rick Shelford (Discovery Channel)

Rick took the Aleutian Lady to an area that hasn’t really been fished for decades, banking on a huge amount of Northern King Crab. He set 30 pots amidst the threat of building 20-foot seas. Rick ran into engine trouble, barely keeping the boat straight. Rick braced his crew for a monster wave on deck. The Racor fuel filter was part of the issue when it came to the motor. The crew managed to locate the problem and were able to continue their expedition. Then it became a matter of getting pots off the boat to find some crab. Rick’s intuition paid off with a big haul. With that came another swell, which served a sobering reminder of the danger involved in this line of work. With a good amount caught, it then became about making their offload.

Jake Anderson & Sig Hansen

Jake Anderson (Discovery Channel)

After Jake Anderson offloaded 100 pounds of king crab, he moved into Bairdi. “It’s not a bad way to make $2 million,” Jake concluded aboard the Cornelia Marie. With him in the West boundary, he attempted to lure crab to his side. Sig had the same idea and was on Jake’s tail. Ignoring Jake’s call, Sig triple baited to peel off crab from the West. Jake instructs the crew to gut two pots out, weld them together and throw them in the water. His idea was the pots would create a cloud to draw crab away from Sig and into his gear.

'Deadliest Catch': Fire Breaks Out Aboard Rick Shelford's Aleutian Lady

Sig located some of Jake’s gear and noticed the two pots welded together. “They’re trying to overpower us,” Sig said. Sig worked to have Jake’s bait pot work for him, and brought him big crab numbers to the tune of 200. Jake asked Sig to give him the coordinates to his pot. The two noticed they had some company, which could do some damage. Sig said if they work together, they could protect their real estate. Jake suggested the two set pots on each side of the line to funnel crab through their gear. This strategy pays off with full pots and the other boats bailing.

Deadliest Catch, Fridays, 8/7c, Discovery Channel

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