Oh yeah.

The TV show Deadliest Catch has been on for many years, showing the hard and dangerous life of crab fishermen in Alaska.
Fans have gotten to know many of the stars who risk their lives at sea.
But what has happened to them since then?
Some are still fishing.
Some have started new paths.
And sadly, a few are no longer with us.
Let’s take a look at the Deadliest Catch stars and see how they are doing now.

Number 12, Scott Campbell Jr.

Scott Campbell Jr. began his journey on The Deadliest Catch in season 7.
He came on the show as captain of the Seabrook.
Born and raised as the son of a fisherman, he had an attachment to the ocean like no one else.
Growing up, he already knew the career path he would be taking, and it would be the same as that of his father.
When Deadliest Catch came knocking, he took the offer without a second thought.
The enthralling spirit and enthusiasm Campbell brought were something most fans looked out for.
His tenacity and intelligent fishing techniques were some of the things that kept fans hooked to their screens.

Fishing was something he had been doing his whole life, and it’s the one thing he was really good at.
Out in the open sea, he felt and looked more at home than on land.
Sadly, his health could not cope with the stress of being an Alaskan crab fisherman.
Somewhere along the line, he developed chronic back pain, which made fishing for crabs while hanging on for your life really difficult and painful.
Physical aspects such as sitting for long hours in the cramped wheelhouse while waiting for a catch or trying to hang on for dear life in the middle of a storm became increasingly challenging.
However, he persevered and tried to hang on.

He eventually reached his limit after season 10.
Many fans were saddened by his departure, and for a while, the show had become less interesting.
During his time on the show, he gained a solid fan base and was the best fisherman on the show to many.
For a while, it seemed like his health issues had finally taken Campbell Jr. away from the sea and away from fishing.
However, Campbell was never the type to give up so easily.

In season 16 and 17, he made his comeback on the show.
First on the Seabrook and then aboard a new vessel, Lady Alaska.
During his time ashore, Campbell refused to be held down.
He went into business and became the owner and CEO of Cordova Coolers, now Cordova Outdoors.
The company, based in Idaho, manufactures high-end coolers, drinkware, and accessories.
He stepped down from that position in 2018 and began a new business venture, Beaver Creek Firewood, in 2023.

Number 11, Mike Fortner.

Being a crab fisherman on the high seas requires a lot of time, constant physical exertion, and death threats from the sea and the weather.
The weather is cold, the seas are rough, and if you ever end up in a fix, there isn’t much anybody else can do for you out there on the water.
For Mike Fortner, a point came when the time constraints of the job began to take a toll on his personal life, and he needed to make some life-changing decisions.

Crab fishermen spend most of their lives out on the sea, with only a few weeks separating the king crab and snow crab seasons.
This means that they spend most of their time on a boat trying to catch crabs and stay alive.
This made it difficult to maintain any other priorities since they are always out at sea.
For someone like Fortner, who had spent nearly all his life on the seas, he understood there were things he had to sacrifice to continue his life on the high seas.

Eventually, though, life gave him something too precious, even more valuable than the life he had built for himself on the sea.
As the longtime deckhand of the fishing vessel Time Bandit, Mike Fortner discovered that the time constraints of his job were going to be a huge problem in 2013.
His wife, Lacy, was pregnant with twins.
With fatherhood staring him in the face, Fortner realized that he couldn’t become a dad and continue as a fisherman.

He revealed that from 1998 to 2013, he spent 10 months out of each year on the sea fishing.
However, with babies on the way, Fortner decided that he had to sort out his priorities, and for him, his children came first.
In the season 9 finale, The Final Battle, Fortner tearfully announced his retirement from the Time Bandit.

In his own words, “I’ve never quit a job in my life.
I’m leaving for a good reason, and I’m leaving on good terms.
I want to be Mike the good husband and Mike the good dad, not Mike from the Time Bandit.”

His decision was understandable and, for some, heroic.
However, even though he was not out on the seas for such long periods of time, he didn’t stray too far from his passion.
Instead, he decided to put his knowledge of fishing vessels, boats, and fishing in general to good use.
Fortner got a job with Cummins Sales and Service, where he sells marine equipment across the West Coast, including Alaska.
In this role, he can also spend more time at home in Washington with his wife and daughters, who he says are into sports and being active.

Number 10, Dean Gribble Jr.

If there’s anyone who can explain firsthand the dangers of fishing in the Bering Sea, it’s deckhand Dean Gribble Jr.
Gribble did not spend much time on Deadliest Catch, appearing in only a handful of episodes.
His dream of being a reality TV star fisherman was short-lived after he had a close encounter with death.

In 2019, Gribble had set out like any other crab fisherman, with crabs and fish on his mind.
But the day soon became one he would never forget.
On December 31st, the fishing vessel Scandies Rose was on its way to the Bering Sea for the start of a new crabbing season.
What started as a normal trip soon turned tragic.

The vessel struck floating ice, tearing a hole in its starboard side, and sank.
There were seven people on board, but only two survived.
One of them was Gribble.
He and fellow crewman John Lawler managed to get on a lifeboat and were airlifted to safety by the Coast Guard.
They were rushed to a hospital in Anchorage and treated for hypothermia.

The other crew members were not so lucky.
The shipwreck made headlines, and Gribble and Lawler became famous overnight.
Sadly, the bodies of the other crew members were never found, including the captain and his son.

“The boat was on its side.
I’m screaming at the other guys.”

After the incident, Gribble decided that crab fishing in the Bering Sea wasn’t meant for him.
He loved fishing, but preferred safer waters.
After time away to heal and be with family, Gribble returned to fishing.
Today, he shares stories online under the name King Kraba.

Number nine, Wild Bill Wichrowski.

“First to do it or what you guys want to figure out, but explain it to me.”

As one of the oldest captains on Deadliest Catch, Wild Bill Wichrowski is a legend.
He came on the show in 2015, and in the long history of Deadliest Catch, he is one of the few captains still alive and active today.
His exceptional crab-catching skills and his ability to maneuver himself and his crew out of dangerous situations have kept fans drawn to him season after season.

With quick thinking and a deep respect for the sea, Wichrowski has proven he knows when to push and when to pull back.
For him, safety comes before crab fishing, a mindset many others ignored and paid dearly for.
His presence on the show stands as proof of resilience and survival against impossible odds.
To many young crabbers, Wild Bill is a role model.

However, at the end of season 19 in 2023, he had a close brush with death.
He received alarming news about his health that affected his appearances on the show.
Wichrowski revealed he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
It was a shock to fans who had always viewed him as nearly invincible.

He pushed through season 20, but eventually had to step back and focus on treatment.
For a while, he was absent as the show continued without him.
Then, in 2024, Wichrowski made his return.
He refused to let the diagnosis keep him from the sea.

In his own words, “I will keep going until I can’t.”
He kept fans updated through social media during treatment.
In early February 2025, he shared hopeful news, saying, “I seem to be cancer-free.”
According to him, the treatment had been effective and all signs were positive.

Number eight, Edgar Hansen.

Edgar Hansen appeared on Deadliest Catch from the very first episode.
He served as a deckhand and later became deck boss and engineer on the Northwestern under his brother, Captain Sig Hansen.
For over nine seasons, Edgar proved himself as a reliable and skilled fisherman.

In season 9, he even stepped in as relief captain, working closely with his niece Mandy during a grueling stretch at sea.
The dynamic between Sig and Edgar became a defining part of the show.
Fans watched them battle brutal weather and massive seas in pursuit of Alaskan crab.

Edgar’s popularity extended beyond Deadliest Catch.
He appeared on other TV programs, including This Old House and Cash Cab.
But everything changed in 2018.

Edgar Hansen was charged with sexually mistreating a teenage girl in Florida.
He pleaded guilty, paid a fine, and received a suspended sentence.
Although he avoided prison time, the consequences were immediate.
Discovery Channel decided it was best for him to leave the show.

After season 14, Edgar Hansen was no longer listed as a cast member.
Since then, he has kept a low profile and has rarely appeared publicly or on social media.

Number seven, Josh Harris.

“Just being there this whole time, you know, being a best friend, partner in crime.”

Josh Harris joined the Cornelia Marie as a greenhorn in 2007.
He was the brother of Jake Harris and the son of legendary captain Phil Harris.
After Phil’s death in 2010, the Harris brothers became one of the emotional centers of the show.

Josh debuted in season 3 and quickly became a fan favorite.
Over the years, he built a reputation as a dependable and intelligent crew member.
His skills and calm under pressure saved lives more than once.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Josh reached a career high.
He starred in his own spin-off series, Deadliest Catch: Bloodline.
The show followed him as he sailed the Hawaiian Islands using his father’s old maps.

But in 2022, his past resurfaced.
Josh Harris was linked to a 1988 case involving the sexual mistreatment of a neighbor’s daughter.
He was a teenager at the time, and the victim was four years old.
He pleaded guilty, served time, and completed supervision.

When Discovery learned of the case, they cut ties immediately.
Josh Harris was removed from Deadliest Catch.
Bloodline was canceled, and he was banned from future episodes.
Since then, he has maintained a very low public profile.

Number six, Jason King, also known as Tennessee.

Jason King became famous after just one episode.
His appearance in season 11 was brief, but unforgettable.
He was a deckhand on the Cornelia Marie during a season dominated by ice and crisis.

Two years later, King was arrested in Tennessee.
Authorities found 14 pounds of marijuana hidden beneath his house and a pistol in his kitchen.
He already had a criminal record before appearing on the show.

A federal judge sentenced him to 51 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Despite his short time on screen, his arrest forever tied his name to Deadliest Catch.

Number five, Zack Larson.

Crab fishing is often a family business, and Deadliest Catch has shown many family dynamics.
One of the most tense relationships belonged to Captain Wild Bill Wichrowski and his son, Zack Larson.

Larson appeared in season 6 as a greenhorn on his father’s boat, the Kodiak.
Over time, he worked his way up to engineer before moving to the Cape Caution.
Despite years at sea together, father and son rarely got along.

“Maybe you just don’t know enough about the jobs.”

In 2019, Larson finally stepped out from his father’s shadow.
He joined the Brenna A under Captain Sean Dwyer.
There, he decided to leave crab fishing altogether.

Larson transitioned into cod fishing and eventually became captain of the Eleanor J.
He has continued fishing, but on his own terms and his own path.