CAST LIST
Captain Sig Hansen - Northwestern
A fourth generation fisherman, Sig Hansen has been a captain for the past 18 years. A classic Norwegian skipper, Sig obsesses on every decision and revels in the competition and strategy of fishing. He can be extremely superstitious. His list of must-haves before he starts each season includes yellow Post-it notes and pencils with erasers taped to the tops.
Sig operates the Northwestern with the help of his younger brothers, Deck Boss Edgar Hansen and Deckhand Norman Hansen. The trio also inspired the all-new Xbox 360® video game titled DEADLIEST CATCH ALASKAN STORM, an intense crab fishing adventure that puts players at the helm of a crab fishing vessel to search for crab while battling the elements of Mother Nature. Sig hails from Seattle where he lives in the off-season with his wife and two daughters.
Captain Phil Harris - Cornelia Marie
A highly-experienced seaman, Captain Phil Harris worked in the commercial fishing industry for over 30 years, having spent 17 of those years operating and co-owning the Cornelia Marie. After suffering a stroke, Phil Harris passed away on Feb. 9, 2010. He was 53.
His previous vessels included F/V American Eagle, F/V Golden Viking and F/V Alaskan Monarch. Phil is survived by his two sons, Josh and Jake, both deckhands on the Cornelia Marie.
Captains Johnathan & Andy Hillstrand - Time Bandit
Brothers Johnathan and Andy Hillstrand share the skippering duties onboard their family-owned and operated vessel, the Time Bandit. Johnathan is the captain during king crab season. His love for living on the edge doesn't end when he gets off the boat; he's often seen wearing his distinctive leather jacket and cowboy boots and has a passion for riding his super-charged Harley. In the off-season, he splits his time between Seattle, Washington and Homer, Alaska.
Andy Hillstrand is the skipper during opilio crab season and spearheads the business side of the family's fishing venture. During the off-season, Andy lives on a ranch in Indiana where he engages in his other passion - training horses.
A third brother, Deckhand Neal Hillstrand, has two of the most important duties on board the boat - cooking and keeping the boat running. Neal resides in Homer where he also owns and operates a hydro-seeding company. Designed by the Hillstrands' father and custom built by the brothers, the Time Bandit features luxuries unheard of on other crab boats, including staterooms with queen-sized beds, a four-person sauna and a dishwasher.
Captain Keith Colburn - Wizard
Keith Colburn is the captain of the Wizard, a World War II-era Navy ship that was converted into a fishing vessel in 1978. He started out as a deckhand on the boat in 1988 and eventually took over the skipper duties in 1994.
When the owner was looking to sell the boat, Keith took a gamble and purchased it in 2005 knowing he would have to lease virtually all of his crab quota since he didn't own the boat when IFQs (Individual Fishing Quotas) were issued to boat owners earlier that year. This forces Keith to lease his quota from other boats year after year, as well as hire cheaper greenhorns to keep his costs down - making the stakes much higher.
Keith is a passionate crusader for the environment. He recently testified before a House subcommittee in opposition to off shore drilling in Alaska's Bristol Bay.
Keith's brother Monte Colburn joins him as a deckhand and relief skipper. Always the adventure-seeker, Keith recently ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. He lives outside Seattle, Washington, with his wife and two children.