Captain Richard Gillett is risking boat and crew to reach the rich crab grounds before his competition. But his strategy involves punching through miles and miles of ice, and Richard knows better than anyone how dangerous that can be - back in '96 his boat struck an iceberg and sunk.
Richard loves the thrill of fishing for herring and the hefty paycheque that comes with it. And while he can nab that allotment in just a single cast of the net, finding the herring is next to impossible, even for this seasoned expert. His maniacal hunger forces him to take a gamble that puts his entire season and livelihood of his crew at risk.
An idealistic day of fishing takes a devastating turn for Richard when his tow skiff suddenly capsizes and becomes fully submerged under the boat. As the crew scrambles to recover the boat, they quickly realize a rare 10-thousand dollar piece of sonar equipment is busted, and they can't fish without it. But Richard's ultimate test comes when the buyer for his beloved herring backs out.
Richard's profitable capelin seining season is finally here, but finding these elusive fish is easier said than done. Immense concentration is essential if Richard is to hit the jackpot. But with Richard's 12-year-old son on board and struggling with severe seasickness, concentrating is no simple task.
For Richard, getting back at the hunt for herring proves near impossible. He needs to make up for a terrible season thus far and is hoping to turn a profit of $20,000 per day from here on in. But the local herring buyer throws Richard a curveball. Richard has no choice but to rule with an iron fist in an effort to bring his crewmates home a paycheck.
It's the beginning of mackerel season in Newfoundland and all our fishermen want a piece of the action. Richard hunts hard, hoping to fill his boat with mackerel. It's hard enough to find this tricky fish when things go well, but Richard and his crew come up against one snafu after another, from malfunctioning sonar to a jammed skiff motor.
It's late fall, and the mackerel aren't running at all on the northeast shore of Newfoundland. Fearful of losing his veteran crew, Richard has decided to take the biggest gamble of his career and head 200 nautical miles north to Labrador in search of the elusive and valuable fish. After laying down $10,000 on fuel and supplies, one of his most trusted crewmembers delivers crushing news the night before the big trip.
Donald is out to prove that he can stand up with the big boys. He races to Bonne Bay where reports of the biggest catches in memory are drawing in every boat in the region - all fighting for a share of the catch and the cash. But with so many boats in one spot, Donald has to make sure they don't all beat him to the catch.For Conway and his dad, sparks are flying on the water. It's old school versus the young buck when father and son face off on how to hunt the herring.Rough seas knock out the autopilot and threaten to capsize Richard's boat. But it's the new greenhorn skiff man who might really sink Richard's season.
After a tough season, Conway is hell bent on hunting down herring. Everyone is bone-tired, and winter-like weather has pushed them to the limit. They need to survive a series of screw-ups and get some fish. Donald is out for high priced mackerel to pay off his boat and prove he's the best damn fisherman around. His rival, Todd Young, is also looking for mackerel, but Todd has the advantage of a fishing boat the size of a cruise ship. Richard is hurting after a lousy season. His shorthanded crew will have to use every trick in the book if they hope to catch 100,000 pounds of herring and sail back as winners.
Herring hotshot Richard Gillett is determined to pay off his boat, and a huge order for fish from a new buyer might just be the ticket. But first he has to out-smart and out-fish the competition.Conway has lived up to his reputation as the "underdog" all season long. But now, he has a mega haul of mackerel in his sights. If he can wrap his seine around this bunch, he'll be able to trade up to a new boat and play with the big boys.Todd gets a massive order from a foreign buyer for half a million pounds of mackerel, which would allow him to keep his processing plant in operation. He's confident he'll get there - but the mackerel are nowhere in sight, and the clock is ticking.
A bad winter delays the fishing season, so Richard Gillett risks skipping crab to go for winter herring; Paul Tiller steams to the first crab strings of the season, while Conway and Rick set off to pull their first crab pots.
Richard Gillett struggles to train a new skiff man; Conway's new guy is finally getting the hang of things; Paul's crew enjoys the best crabbing in years but discovers his buoys are in the wrong spot.
Richard Gillett and the Midnight Shadow crew prepare for capelin season; mechanical breakdowns on the Sea Doo mean Conway Caines and his father Rick have not caught any fish; it's turbot season for the Atlantic Bandit.
Husband-and-wife team Andre and Michelle Jesso go after mackerel; Paul Tiller and the Atlantic Bandit crew gear up for their first seining trip in five years; Skipper Richard Gillett hopes for a monster catch of herring.
Morris Anstey is out for as big a catch as he can get, even it means going out in the worst weather to dangerous fishing grounds; Andre and Michelle Jesso badly need a catch; Richard Gillett must take more risks to get his catch.
Andre and Michelle abandon the search for mackerel in favour of herring; Morris navigates blind in dangerous fishing grounds; Rick Caines and crew are out fishing in their new boat.
Skipper Paul Tiller and crew fish for urchin, diving 40 feet down to get to them; Morris Anstey continues a hot streak of fishing luck; Andre and Michelle Jesso still seek their first big catch.
It's late in the fishing season and Skipper Paul Tiller's crew find conditions increasingly difficult diving for urchin; Skipper Morris Anstey races to catch as much herring as possible before the fish plant closes.
Conway and his father risk fishing 220 miles off the north coast of Newfoundland; rookie skipper Rick Crane wants to prove he's as good as any fisherman; Morris Anstey's crew launches their crab season in Iceberg Alley.
Six captains and their crews face mammoth swells and icebergs in the North Atlantic.
Morris Anstey battles rough seas as his crew fishes offshore for shrimp; the Seadoo battles mechanical problems while fishing for scallops; Rick Crane makes a road trip to inner Labrador, hoping to profit from the sale of his load of fish.
Conway Caines and the crew of the Seadoo are behind on their herring quota; Richard Gillett tries to stay on track in his quest for two-million pounds of herring; Morris Anstey has greenhorn headaches.
Morris Anstey deals with rookie problems on the Sebastian Sails; Richard Gillett and the crew of the Midnight Shadow race to catch their herring goal as mechanical failures threaten to end their season.
Relive the most exciting moments of the past three seasons, as told by the Cold Water Captains.
Captain Paul Tiller takes his crew to a new fishing spot that is further out to sea than they have ever ventured.
Morris Anstey gambles to change his crab-fishing luck, but could leave the Sebastian Sails worse off.
Just a few miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Paul Tiller and the crew of the Atlantic Bandit are fighting it out for capelin.
Skipper Morris Anstey is breaking into a new fishery - turbot. It's a tough fish to catch, however the profits can be huge.
The men of the Crewshell Chill are getting in on the ground floor of a brand new fishery - sea cucumbers. But getting into the game wasn't cheap.
Off the coast of Prince Edward Island, Rick Crane has stepped out of the captain's chair to take a job as a deckhand on a tuna boat. He's never fished tuna before and this fishery has a steep learning curve.
Skipper Lee Pond and his crew of the Jacob Louisa are on the hunt for herring and the pressure is on. Lee needs a successful season to maintain his steep boat payments. But it isn't going to be easy.
Skipper Lee Pond and the crew of the Jacob Louisa are on the hunt for a final boatload of fish before the long winter. But success eludes them.