‘Deadliest Catch’: Jake Anderson Talks Quitting Amid Massive Breakdown
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains spoilers for Deadliest Catch Season 21]
The captains of Deadliest Catch are used to rolling the dice in the “Bering Seas Casino” where there is no big reward without some risks taken. With 50 knot winds and rough conditions there was a lot of that aboard The Wizard during the episode that aired September 19, 2025. Captain Keith Colburn got heated with the crew not listening to him as they worked to dock at the Dutch Harbor. “Stress factory,” was how Keith’s brother Co-captain Monte described the atmosphere. Adding to the situation, they had a relatively unproven crew. Among them was Calvin, who showed red flags on a number of occasions.
One in particular rubbed Keith the wrong way when during a discussion in the wheelhouse, Calvin said he needed a money draw and more authority. Keith wasn’t ready to give him added responsibility after he hadn’t even hauled on pot. Calvin asked for $7,500, which Keith refused. Later, Calvin sent another text saying he needed $10,000 for bills in the next hour. Digging a little deeper, Keith found out his prior employer doesn’t really remember him. Monte thought getting rid of Calvin was the obvious answer. Keith felt he was underqualified for the job and axed him. This came after he fired another crew member Connor during the September 12 episode. Keith told Calvin he’d give him $2,000 and a plane ticket out.
Keith Colburn and Calvin (Discovery Channel)
Just when the Colburn siblings thought they’d gotten him out of their hair, Monte received a call from Captain Sig Hansen. The Northwestern captain said he’d been asking about a job. He wasn’t the only one Calvin had approached about work. Keith was fuming because he wasn’t going to eat a $850 plane ticket and have him going around town after his firing. Keith eventually found Calvin at a bar and confronted him. Calvin flipped him off with Keith threatening to cancel his plane ticket out. Eventually, Keith told him he had 60 seconds to check into his flight. “See you later you [expletive] maggot,” was Calvin’s parting words. For Keith, it was now about the boat leaving safely and getting back to work.
Elsewhere, Jake Anderson felt the pressure of a $3 million quota aboard the Titan Explorer. He readied 150 pots, looking to make the most of his four-day head start on the bairdi grounds. Engineer Felipe Miramontes investigated and found water in a tank, which was coming from the outside. The worst-case scenario would be it ruined the engine, and they lose everything. So, a big deal that Felipe can’t find the source of the problem. Jake had no choice but to head back to town, which meant losing any advantage he had. Breaking down, he checked in with his wife Jenna. “I’m done. I hate this job.” Jake said said. Going as far as to say, “I want to quit.” Jenna tried to calm him down and told him all his sacrifices were not going unnoticed.
Felipe needed to find any crack, leak or hole that was causing the issues while they were docked. Jake was headed to the clinic to make sure his mind and body were fit for duty. Jake revealed his doctor wanted him to quit the intense job. They talked about his panic attacks and past trauma catching up with him. Jake checked back in wife as his emotional state was off. Jake traced trauma back to when he lost his dad as he went missing in the woods 15 years ago. His skeletal remains were found more than two years later. Jake attempted to get his head back. He received encouraging developments with pots full of 80 to 86 crabs. A light at the end of the tunnel in this dark period for him.
Lastly, we visited with Johnathan Hillstrand, whose wife Heather was dealing with a 102 fever. The Time Bandit was hit hard thanks to a contagious norovirus. Johnathan seemed to be one of the few unaffected. “I drink so much milk, which is why I don’t get as sick as they do,” Johnathan explained. With the crew vomiting all over the place, they still had a deadline in the next four days. “You can’t let the flu win,” Johnathan said. They all banded together and made it through.
Deadliest Catch, Fridays, 8/7c, Discovery Channel
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WOW! With all the stress he has gone thru in life and job ,Everyone's comments are sure to bring him down.
Glad to know that YOU ALL could get in his head and figure out that he's on drugs!?! And a crybaby? And that the show is staged for fame?? Sincerely don't think this show has been around since the beginning that I have not only watched since 1st episode but is like, C'mon! Look at that roaring Sea! It's got to be one of the most fear inducing and stressful job there is.
And I have all of the Faithful followers have watched Jake grow up from a troubled drug addicted teenager to someone who has looked for Family in his Heritage and has grown as a person like we all do.. by meeting family we may have never known and listening to our elders speak about our parents and grandparents and uncles and ants. Our ancestors and our heritage. And what a horrible thing to happen to his father! So I think you guys have all experienced your father coming up missing in the woods and then finding his skeletal remains 2 years later? And you say he is a crybaby you people are supposed to be brothers out of us our brothers and we are our brothers keepers I don't understand why people even get on these messages to bring someone down. I understand everyone has an opinion but to be so judgmental and hurtful especially to not see his side of the story and I would love to see any of you hop in his captain's chair anytime. He is away from his major support group, his wife and kids.
🙏💕U Jake
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Yeah I realize there's fake drama but hey you got to make money right show's got to make money shows got to do good with all that being said I love Jake man Don't take this the hard way Jake if you see this Sig is my favorite top of line and you're my close second. And wild Bill is one of my other faves Keith I just can't handle He's a little too arrogant for me sometimes he's a cry baby but he's all right Don't go nowhere Jake we don't want no what to do without you
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V
Jake is such a whiner. He's great when he's catching, and it's going his way, but thro in some hardship, and he folds like a towel. He's always screaming and complaining about something. Maybe he should quit and think about his health and his family. If he did, we wouldn't have tonsee him have a meltdown every season.
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It's just part of life goes on every day he'll be okay
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R
It’s just for show. Obviously the weather and what not is real but some of the on screen antics are just part of a script. If you go back and watch when Jake and the crew had to abandon ship….. totally staged. One scene the water is rough the next scene total dead calm.
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Can u do it 🤔
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Team Jake forever and always, please don't give up, we've watched you grow up with us and so proud of you, you should be too!
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Jake needs to leave for his own health…..
If not for yourself do it for your family .
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B
That was like a drug withdrawal breakdown.
I'm sure he'll be fine now that he went to the clinic and got more drugs.
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Glad Keith got rid of that bozo Calvin..he was a bad dude. Congratulations to Time Bandit crew for working through the flu and getting it done. Time Bandit is my favorite.
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C
Unfortunately the show creates fake drama.
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Once you realize reality itself is fake....who cares anymore.
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LOL, actually very deep & philosophical.
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R
100%
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P
I've never liked Jake. He's a crybaby drama queen. As long as everything runs smoothly and goes his way, he's good to go. He needs to get a job where he doesn't have stress..maybe a circus clown?
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Jake is just like Elliot nut job, they both are cry babies, Jake's excuse I live with all girls, well grow so n e and be a man..He thinks everyone owes him something..
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Stay on the boat just find a better one. Find a way to get the SAGA back on the water
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I am so disgusted with how the captains treat each other. Deceiving each other and back stabbing each other. One minute they ask for help from a colleague and then they turn around and stab that colleague in the back. I’m tired of their selfishness. No longer a fun or interesting show to watch
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