Johnathan Hillstrand and His Masterful Pranks with Hidden Intent on the High Seas
Discovery’s long-running reality series “Deadliest Catch” is named for the extreme danger that comes with crab fishing in the tumultuous Bering Sea. Sadly, the series has lived up to its ominous title plenty of times, as multiple “Deadliest Catch” crew members have passed away over the years. The show has been plagued by numerous tragic incidents throughout its 18 seasons on the air, including the shocking death of FV Cornelia Marie Captain Phil Harris (some of which was caught on camera during the series’ sixth season) and the sinking of the FV Destination, which claimed the lives of six crew members.
Considering the inherent risk of death and injury that comes with this profession and the series’ long history of tragic accidents, it’s remarkable that some crew members still manage to have fun while braving the dangers of the open ocean. In the case of former FV Time Bandit Captain Johnathan Hillstrand, this involved playing numerous pranks on his crew and other captains — injecting a bit of life into what is undoubtedly a grim and nerve-racking line of work.
Johnathan Hillstrand’s favorite prank involved a pickup truck and Captain Phil Harris
Johnathan Hillstrand is known for his frequent pranks. These include his faux pirate attack on the F/V Northwestern, during which he and his crew shot paintballs and fireworks at captain Sig Hansen’s boat while hoisting up a large skull-and-crossbones flag, and the time when he made one of his crew members cover himself in tin foil to “tune the radar.” According to Hillstrand himself though, his favorite was the time he pranked Phil Harris with a buoy line and a pickup truck. Responding to a Reddit comment asking what his favorite prank was, Hillstrand wrote, “The truck on Phil’s boat. We tied a truck to his buoy line. He thought it was a crab pot, but he pulled up a truck!”
It is downright hysterical to watch the crew struggle to pull up an entire pickup truck from the depths of the ocean, especially since they initially believe it to be a massive haul of crab.
It’s easy to see why this Season 4 prank has such a special place in Hillstrand’s heart. Not only did he make the entire crew of the Northwestern laugh, but he earned the respect of the legendary Phil Harris himself, who congradulated the crew of the Time Bandit on a great prank. Hillstrands pranks are always a welcome relief from the treacherous lifestyle of the open ocean, and seeing the crew of the Northwestern perk up with smiles is undoubtedly worth the effort.
