It's an early kick off to the winter fishing season on Lake Winnipeg as temperatures plunge and the Ice Viking fishing crews scramble to get onto the ice with their nets.
The temperature drops as the fishing crews continue targeting the most valuable fish possible. But as the lake ice locks into place it presents a whole new set of challenges. Meanwhile colder temperatures and a dumping of snow marks the kick off to Bombardier season as the crews take these ice tanks onto the lake. It's a precarious journey as ice thickness becomes a factor in supporting theses mighty machines. The Bjarnason crew continues to face challenges of setting nets under the ice.
Chris Kristjanson receives delivery of his Dad's new lifting caboose but he is reluctant to use it. The 20 foot long metal box with a motorized net puller should make the -40 Celsius winter days easier on his crew. But all that is called into question as the machine breaks down in the middle of the big lake. Meanwhile the Husavik Crew faces frustration as they are unable to bring in the catch they need. The solution to their problems may be to move their nets further north, costing them time and money.
Another day, another breakdown. Trouble continues with the bombardiers for both Trevor and Chris Kristjanson. At the end of the day all three generations of Kristjanson fishers work on fixing up these cold war relics to get them ready for the back half of the fishing season. Meanwhile, Justin and Mike head up to Hecla Island where they hope the catch will be better than what they have so far. Husband and wife fishing team Gene and Candace have noticed the fishing has dropped off for them as well and they use an electric jigger to set more nets and try to increase ...
Richard and Mike have broken-down with their bombardier and can't get it started. But that's not all, when they do finally head onto the ice they find that the fishing has dropped off. Things go from bad to worse as a crack in the ice begins to open and becomes difficult to cross. Meanwhile the Kristjanson's are still dealing with an old issue on their bombardier, causing endless amounts of stress.
Trevor Kristjanson contemplates making big moves with his fishing operation and resolves to buy his own lifting caboose. He travels out onto the ice to see the one his Dad is using and get his advice on it. Meanwhile, Chris enjoys his new lifting caboose and is contemplating an early finish this year. So much so, he begins hauling equipment off the ice as the weather begins to warm up. Gene and Candace process fish before they take it to market. Gene's long standing obstacle and his overall health start to become a concern during the winter fishing season.
Trevor is set to finish early for the year. Not only does he have bragging rights of being the first one onto the ice this season but he's also set to be the first one off as he hits his quota - or so he thinks. Meanwhile, Chris is also nearing the end of the season and begins pulling up his nets until a phone call puts his entire season back on the ice. The Husavik Crew races to reach the end of their quota with only 25% remaining. But they need to employ a new tactic to their fishing schedule in order to finish the year. Night fishing - the guys head out in the dark...
Chris Kristjanson gets a call from a sick fisherman to finish his quota for the season. That means resetting nets and rushing to catch fish before the ice melts off the lake. Chris meets up with Trevor on the ice and tells him he's setting in the wrong spot. The Father-Son confrontation continues in the cutting shed as the time constraints begin to wear thin. Meanwhile, the warmer weather creates a large ice wall on the lake between the shore and the remaining nets, causing concern for all of the Ice Viking crews.
The Ice Vikings crews are eager to hit the ice, optimistic for the start of the winter fishing season. But Mother Nature has other plans. Inconsistent weather makes for tricky conditions and leaves Trevor and his crewman, Riley, on thin ice. It's a race to stake their claims with big money on the line and put nets in the most bountiful areas of the lake for what will be the longest winter of their lives.
With the ice on Lake Winnipeg still locking into place, the fishing crews risk thin shifting ice to venture further onto the lake. But fresh snow has introduced another complication: glare ice. This slippery form of ice wreaks havoc on the fishing crews and equipment, leaving the Richard Bjarnason's crew with a close call.
The pressure mounts as Chris Kristjanson sees the fishing drop off. Should he remove his nets or stay hoping the fish return? Time is money and no fish means no money for Chris. Meanwhile Trevor has assembled a new arsenal of equipment that has cost him big bucks and sets out on his maiden voyage. Justin and Mike contemplate fishing in Husavik Bay and how unpredictable the fishing season can really be.
Chris Kristjanson relies on his dad, Robert, as his crew goes on the hunt looking for where the fish has moved. It's a big gamble, can he find a way to haul in a big catch and keep his buyers happy? Meanwhile Mike and Justin attempt to take their bomber B12 on its maiden voyage but it's not what they expect. The Bjarnason crew is plagued by bad luck- could a cursed fishing net be at the root of their day from hell?
The temperature drops below -50 Celsius, leaving the Ice Viking fishing crews exposed to the unforgiving elements. Trevor and Matt are stranded far from shore as their bombardier breaks down forcing Chris' crew to embark on a rescue mission. Meanwhile Gene and Candace battle with an unpredictable bombardier of their own on the ice trying to catch their quota for the season.
Chris continues pushing his crews hard as he ventures further into uncharted ice for the big freshwater fish catch. Trevor's equipment troubles go from bad to worse, leaving him in dire straights about how to continue fishing with his own equipment this season. Meanwhile, Mike and Justin continue to toil with their bombardier as costs are up and fishing is down.
The crews continue their final push of the season, hoping to hit their fishing quotas that will either make or break their seasons. Some late season math forces Chris to put more nets in the water in hopes of making his quota- will it pay off big or blow up in his face? Meanwhile, Mike and Justin hire help as their bomber rebuild has put them behind on their fishing schedule. Gene and Candace get some help of their own, bringing their teenage kids out on the ice as Trevor takes to the sky to get an edge before the final days of fishing the winter season.
It's the final days of the winter fishing season as the lake ice begins to melt and becomes dangerous. Everyone is scrambling to bring in the big catch with big money on the line. Chris and Trevor's crews plan to go out with a bang as they race to remove their nets and equipment before the ice gives way. Mike and Justin find themselves down a lifting caboose motor as Gene and Candace work to see if they will finish off a quota everyone thinks is impossible to achieve. Meanwhile, Richard and Mike hit the jackpot, hauling in the big money fish in their last days on the ice.
While some fishers struggle to finish the fall season in wild weather, the Kristjansons make a pilgrimage to their ancestral home, Iceland. Back home, an early winter storm slams Gimli and commercial fishers risk life and limb to stake their claim on the thin ice. Newcomers Elena and Jamie have a tough first day when their snowmobile sinks. Trevor is determined not to take unnecessary risks this season, then purchases a 60-year-old Bomber that requires immediate attention.
Chris starts his season with a massive catch of Tullibee but happiness is short-lived when all of his nets freeze into the ice the next day. With terrible ice in Husavik, Justin and Mike start in Hecla and hit the mother-lode but the second major storm of the season nearly blows them off the ice. Everyone gets bad news when a critical fish market closes, leaving some fishermen unable to sell their catch. Richard has a close call on the ice.
Frightening ice conditions and poor weather make the early season treacherous. Justin and Mike experience a violent ice-quake that leaves them rattled. There are tales of experienced fishermen falling through the ice inside their vehicles, barely cheating death. Trevor contends with other fishermen setting their nets too close to his. After their best start ever, Justin and Mike's season starts crashing as two of their nets are swept away on the shifting ice.
It's January and the Ice Vikings confront blizzards and bone crushing cold on a lake that refuses to freeze solid. Trevor is having a terrible season with too few fish. He joins Chris at their base camp near The Narrows which leads to tension and results in personnel changes. 76-year-old Richard has several falls and injures himself. Mike and Justin's hopes of a good season have been crushed as they struggle to make quota. Most crews bring out their bombers now but Gene and Candace struggle without theirs because the ice still isn't stable enough.
A giant crack in the ice continues to be an obstacle for all crews as they try to set nets in deeper water. Mike and Justin are caught flat footed when the crack shifts and sends a violent ice quake to shake their location. Trevor suffers through more broken-down equipment and makes a major purchase to try and salvage his season. More storms roll through Gimli and Chris is forced to cancel a much-needed day of fishing. He has some ominous predictions about what comes next as the snow continues to pile up on the ice. Elena and Jamie try to keep their bare bones ...
It's officially the third highest amount of snowfall in Manitoba in the last century. Commercial fishers are plagued by deep drifts and hidden pockets of slush that can stop them in their tracks. Chris finds out the hard way that travelling alone is a bad idea when he gets his bomber stuck, axle deep. Gene and Candace team up with Richard and Mike to attempt a dangerous crossing over the heaving ice ridge as both teams need to lift deeper nets on the other side. Trevor has a day from hell as he battles the elements, a series of breakdowns and the same deep snow that ...
With less than a month left in the fishing season, all crews are desperate to catch their remaining quota; failing to do so means leaving money on the table. Justin and Mike are fighting to hit their target and an additional 20,000 pounds of quota they purchased. Chris shows off the sky hook prototype to his crew, a device he created to self-rescue his bombers if stuck, but the results are less than perfect. In what might be an historical first, mother and son fishing team, Candace and Alec Pishke, head out onto the ice. Justin and Mike make a terrible decision while ...
Emotions are high as the entire Kristjanson crew arrives to survey the damage and attempt recovery of what's left of the narrow gauge bomber. There are just two weeks left to fish and remove all equipment from the ice but the days are warming up too quickly. Justin and Mike decide to remove their entire Hecla operation despite being short of their seasonal quota. It doesn't go well when the bomber and lifting caboose become buried in slush, right on top of the crack over the deepest part of the lake.