Captain Keith Coburn and Crew Battle Against the Odds for a Historic King Crab Season
As the Wizard heads out of the storm and into calmer waters, Captain Keith Coburn and his crew are gearing up for the final push of an incredibly fast king crab season. With only 4,500 crabs left to catch, Keith and his team have their eyes on the prize, ready to bring in the final haul that could make this season the quickest and most profitable one on record.
The Final Push: Pressure Builds for Captain Coburn and Crew
With five days of hard work already behind them, the team knows they can’t afford to relax just yet. Captain Coburn’s focus is sharp as he rallies the crew for the last stretch. “It’s not until we get to the dock that we celebrate,” he says, reminding everyone that safety and precision are paramount. The crew knows this final stretch is crucial—everything depends on getting the remaining crabs on board without incident.
“We’ve got about 30 or 40 average in the gear, and then we can start staging ourselves to consider getting out of here,” Keith calculates. The race is on, but even with all the experience the crew has, the unpredictability of fishing can’t be ignored. They need a bit of luck to get through the last haul.
Disaster Strikes: Tangles and Tensions Rise
As the team works tirelessly, the operation nearly derails. One of the pots becomes tangled in something heavy—something far more dangerous than the usual debris. The crew faces a critical situation as they battle a knot in the gear that is potentially causing catastrophic strain on their equipment.
“This isn’t your normal tangle. There’s something really heavy on the end of that pot,” Keith observes, his voice tense. With a million pounds of pressure tugging at the gear, every move is fraught with danger. The crew has to be careful—one wrong move could cause serious injuries.
Keith warns, “If our hauler can’t pull it up, it’s going to have no problem pulling your arm out of the socket through the skin.” The crew is on high alert, knowing that every second counts as they try to work through the dangerous situation.
A Risky Fix: Quick Thinking Saves the Day
After a harrowing 30-minute battle, the crew is forced to abandon the pot, losing a $1,000 piece of equipment and the valuable crabs inside. The frustration is palpable, but the crew keeps moving forward, knowing there’s no time to dwell on setbacks.
“$1,000 pots are cheap at the end of the day,” Keith says, trying to lighten the mood. “As long as nobody got injured, we’ll be okay.” With time running out and only a few more strings to haul, the crew pushes forward.
Keith, looking at the remaining crabs, knows this is their shot. “I’m real close to putting the happy stack on this boat,” he says. The “happy stack” is the final haul of the season, and it could mean a major payday.
The Big Haul: A Record-Breaking Finale
The moment of truth arrives. The crew hauls the final pots, with everything riding on what they find. The pots come up one by one, each more promising than the last. “Come on, baby,” Keith urges, hopeful. But the first pot doesn’t produce as expected—just a handful of crabs, barely enough to cover the bait and fuel.
Then, as if the ocean itself has decided to reward their persistence, the next pot comes up with a stunning 44 crabs. “Looking good!” Keith exclaims as the numbers climb. The crew’s excitement builds with every haul, and it’s clear they’re getting closer to the jackpot.
Breakthrough: A Massive Pot Pours In
Then it happens. The final pot is pulled, and the crew is stunned by the sheer weight of it. The numbers on the scale keep climbing—44, 61, 75. Finally, the last weigh-in delivers the goods: 106 crabs, a spectacular haul that promises a massive payday. “Smells like money,” one crew member jokes, as the crew erupts in laughter and excitement.
The Wizard’s Historic Catch: $132,000 in Just 10 Days
After an intense and challenging season, the Wizard lands a remarkable 132,000 pounds of red crab in just 10 days, making it one of the fastest and most successful king crab seasons in the history of the fleet. The crew is exhilarated, but Captain Keith’s focus never wavers.
“I’m so excited,” Keith says, taking a moment to soak it all in. “This is what we’ve been working for.”
Despite the hardships, the setbacks, and the close calls, the Wizard crew’s resilience and teamwork have paid off, earning them a historic payday that will go down in the books as one of the most successful king crab seasons ever.
