Deadliest Catch 2024 Cast: Meet the Real People In Season 20 (Photos)

Discovery’s Deadliest Catch finally returned, so fans should meet the main people who will be seen in the upcoming Season 20 of the show.

First premiering in 2005, Deadliest Catch is a reality show focused on different fishermen who go out into the Bering Sea during one of two crab seasons throughout the year.

The series emphasizes the dangers that the captain and especially the crew face while trying to bring in literal boatloads of crabs.

Every Main Cast Member in Deadliest Catch Season 20

Johnathan Hillstrand

Instagram: @jhhillstrand

61-year-old Johnathan Hillstrand is billed from Homer, Alaska and is the captain of F/V Time Vessel (for those wondering, F/V stands for Fishing Vessel).

Hillstrand first appeared on Deadliest Catch in Season 2. The tenured captain announced his retirement after Season 13 but eventually returned in Season 16 because he couldn’t stay away from the sea.

Sig Hansen

Instagram: @northwesternsig

Sigurd Hansen (better known as just Sig) is the captain of F/V Northwestern and has been featured in every Deadliest Catch season since the show’s inception.

Hansen is a third-generation fisherman who has been on a boat all his life. His father and grandfather even played a major role in bringing opilio crab fishing into the mainstream so that fishermen could make a living at more times throughout the year.

It is also important to mention that the Northwestern has never had a single death onboard since Hansen became captain, an incredibly impressive feat considering crab fishing is one of the most dangerous professions out there.

Jake Anderson

Instagram: @captjakeanderson

Fan favorite Captain Jake Anderson returned for Deadliest Catch Season 20 under different and disappointing circumstances.

As Anderson publicly shared, his ship, F/V Saga, was repossessed in 2023, meaning he is no longer a captain.

Hopefully, the ship will return at some point in the future, but for now, Anderson has to go back to his mentor and close friend, Sig Hansen.

Sophia “Bob” Nielsen

Instagram: @sophiarosebud

Sophia Nielsen, who also goes by Bob, joined the Deadliest Catch crew in Season 19 as the youngest captain in the entire fleet.

Despite coming in second-to-last place in Season 19, the third-generation fisherwoman became a fan favorite, with many ready for her return in Season 20.

Keith Colburn

Instagram: @captainkeithcolburn

Keith Colburn is the captain of F/V The Wizard. The 61-year-old fisherman prides himself in catching many crabs, but he is also known as one of the safest captains in the fleet, as no major injuries have ever occurred under his watch.

It is also worth noting that Colburn appeared on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire with fellow Deadliest Catch star Sig Hansen.

Jacob Hutchins

Instagram: @jacobhutchins369

Jacob Hutchins is the first person on the list who is not a captain.

Hutchins works alongside Keith Colburn on F/V The Wizard and joined the show in Season 19.

However, his main goal is to become the first African American captain of a crab fishing boat on the Bering Sea.

Jack Bunnell

Instagram: @fishkillerak

Jack Bunnell just became a captain in Season 19 of Deadliest Catch.

Bunnell used to work alongside Jake Anderson on the F/V Saga but is now in charge of his own vessel, the F/V Barbara J, with Steve “Harley” Davidson.

It is also worth noting that Bunnell has had his fair share of drama on the show, as he was fired by Jake Anderson after becoming drunk onshore.

Steve “Harley” Davidson

Instagram: @official_capt.harley

Steve “Harley” Davidson first appeared on Deadliest Catch in Season 15, and since then, he has not been well-liked by other captains and boats.

Harley has been described through the years as “cutthroat” and “aggressive,” among other adjectives, and many get quite frustrated with him.

Rick Shelford

Instagram: @captain_rick_shelford

Rick Shelford is another new addition to Deadliest Catch who debuted in Season 19.

Shelford captains the F/V Aleutian Lady and is an experienced fisherman who has owned and acted as president of his company, Shelford Fisheries.

Wild Bill Wichrowski

Instagram: @captainwildbill_official

Wild Bill Wichrowski has had a tough road in the past few seasons of Deadliest Catch.

In 2020, his deck boss, Nick McGlashan, passed away due to a drug overdose. It was also recently revealed that Wichrowski himself is currently battling prostate cancer.

However, the fisherman does not intend to stop fishing, and his battle with cancer will likely be documented throughout Season 20 of Deadliest Catch.

New episodes of Deadliest Catch Season 20 premiere on Discovery every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.