Deadliest Catch: Jake Anderson Likens Every Fishing Season To A 'Nightmare'

The life of a crab fisher in Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" is rarely easy, but Jake Anderson has had more than his share of adversity since joining the show in 2007. Anderson's sister, Chelsea, died from complications of pneumonia in 2009 while he was at sea. He's convinced that his father, Keith, was murdered after the elder Anderson disappeared in 2010, and his remains were found by a hiker in 2012. The "Deadliest Catch" star also has a substance use disorder, exposing this raw truth in his book, "Relapse." 

Among fans and his fellow crew members, Anderson is known for displaying his emotions openly on the show. In a video interview for "The Jason Show," Anderson talked about the emotional roller coaster each fishing season brings.

"I go into it strong, and I'm like, 'Yeah, everything is great, we're gonna make all this money,'" he said. "And then out of nowhere, something always happens. And then I'm thinking, 'How am I going to survive through this?' And by the end of it, I always end up thriving. I don't know, it's a power greater than myself. But all of that is real, all those emotions are real. it's a nightmare."

Understandably, Jake Anderson is wary of the sea. He knows firsthand how treacherous it can be. In "Deadliest Catch" Season 11, Episode 13, the viewers witness this when two huge waves hit the deck of the F/V Saga, nearly washing several crew members overboard. Anderson was away from the wheel at the time, having assigned steering duties to Relief Captain Ray Flerchinger.

In a special Facebook interview featurette, Anderson reflected on the scary moment, agreeing with Captain Sig Hansen that leaving the wheel in the hands of another person during such difficult conditions is the biggest safety mistake he's ever made at sea. Anderson was a rookie captain during the incident, but, fortunately, luck was on his side. Everyone in the crew survived and Anderson took the close call to heart, using it as a hard lesson on his road to becoming a skilled captain.