TYLER: Ah!
NARRATOR: It's an all-new season of Wicked Tuna.
PAUL: Oh! We're gonna get 'em!
NARRATOR: The most competitive one yet.
BRAD: Guys are catching 'em everywhere.
MARCIANO: He's too big for my fish cooler.
JOE: Yeah.
NARRATOR: TJ is fired up like never before.
TJ: I got him. We're en fuego, baby!
JARRETT: Yeah.
MIKE: Double, baby!
NARRATOR: Tyler lets his fishing do the talking.
-We're here to shock and awe the fleet. Thanks for playing!
DUFFY: Whoo!
-Yeah.
NARRATOR: Paul finally has a returning mate.
-The Shrafftinator!
NARRATOR: And it pays off.
-Now that's how it's supposed to be done.
NARRATOR: Brad is out for redemption.
MATT: Fish Hawk, worst to first!
Whoo!
NARRATOR: And Marciano delivers classic Marciano.
-When I want your opinion, I'll beat it out of ya.
I got him!
NARRATOR: But is it enough to dethrone longtime champion, Dot Com Dave?
DAVE: That's never gonna happen.
That's what I'm talking about!
GEORDIE: Yeah! Yeah. Yeah, baby!
NARRATOR: It's gonna be...
-Ugh. He broke the gaff.
NARRATOR: One...
-It's around the tuna.
NARRATOR: Wicked...
-Reel dammit!
NARRATOR: Fight.
-Stop!
SAVANNAH: No, no, no, no, no. Please, stop!
-Don't you ever call me a snitch!
NARRATOR: If they don't come apart at the seams.
-I will (bleep). -My finger's completely off. -I got to save his finger.
NARRATOR: That's why it's called Wicked Tuna.
PAUL: That blue gold, that's what everyone's looking for.
TJ: There's just something magical about Gloucester.
DAVE: And the fish we catch here are the most prized game fish in the world,
giant Bluefin tuna.
-We're on. We're on.
TYLER: A single Bluefin can earn us more than $20,000.
TJ: But landing them is a huge challenge.
Bluefin tuna can swim up to 45 miles per hour...
PAUL: Reach up to 13 feet in length and can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds.
MARICANO: And to ensure that the stock stays sustainable, it's a law that we can only
use a rod and reel,
a handline, or a hand thrown harpoon to harvest these giant Bluefin tuna.
We're doing this one fish at a time, man versus fish, and a new season starts today.
Time to make a living.
JARRETT: Here we go. First trip back out, baby.
TJ: Back in the land of the Bluefin tuna.
-First trip out back in beautiful Gloucester.
We can't wait to get out there.
It's a race right now.
Everybody's gunning for that first fish.
-This is a big trip.
You know, the first fish always brings a lot of money usually.
You know, we're here to play this year.
We're not messing around. We're focused.
So we're gonna give it hell.
Pa-pow!
-The stakes are super high this year.
We were on top once again last year and our goals this year are simple.
Stay on top.
Let's do it.
-Let's go close this thing out, bro.
-Let's go, bro! -Whoo. Seek and destroy.
-We got second place last year.
At least we're on the right track.
We're one of the top dogs in the fleet, but this year,
it's all about being a champion.
DUFFY: Put the meat across the deck.
TYLER: Call it a day.
MARCIANO: All right, we're gonna get this day started.
My job is to put the boat on the fish.
It all comes down to me.
Where I go will make the difference between us catching or not.
As long we catch enough fish to make a profit, it's not a bad gig.
BRAD: Fish Hawk redemption.
MATT: Yeah. Worst to first, baby.
-Last season, we had a tough year on the Fish Hawk.
Hey, we're not quitters, so this year, it's the law of averages.
MATT: It's a good year for the Fish Hawk.
Bad year for the tuna.
PAUL: Here we come.
We're off to the races, the beginning of the tuna season.
Rick and I are really stoked.
But so are all the other boats in the fleet.
All the guys I fish with are the best.
They're trying to get our same fish.
That's why it's competitive.
Do I like those guys? Yeah.
Do I want them to catch my fish?
Hell, no.
It's game on because it all starts right now.
(cackle)
TYLER: Wow! Look at the whale show out there!
Oh my, it's gonna happen today, bro.
It's gonna happen today, bro.
That many whales around, it's going down.
-I'd say so.
-When whales are around, they're feeding on herring, and tuna love the herring.
So wherever the whales are, the tunas are there.
So it's always a good sign when there's whales around the boat.
It's the perfect spot.
Let's drop anchor.
-I'd be very surprised if we don't see it here today.
SANDRO: We're gonna drop the anchors in here?
-I've been fishing for over 30 years and I keep track of when and where the fish bite
each and every season.
I drop anchor where I've caught tuna before.
-It's right here. -All right.
The beginning of the season,
everybody wants to be that first boat to catch the first fish.
There's no fish on the market.
You can make a lot of money.
-Clear that hook, bro.
-Throwing the anchor.
-Here we go. Get ready.
-All right, we're on the spot.
Let's go.
-All right. Throw it there.
-Oh, we're all in a race right now to get that first fish of the season.
First fish of the season always brings the biggest bucks.
-There she blows.
We haven't made as much profit as we would like in the last few seasons of fishing.
Bubby, grab that hook.
Nothing would get us off to a better start than to catch the first fish of the season.
Fish two dead baits and one livey on the down rod for now.
DAVE: Beautiful. We got three rods out.
One on the bow and two off the stern.
We have fresh live bait and now we just have to wait for the rod to bend and
hope we're the first in the fleet to catch.
-So we've got our color machine here or a sounder as some people refer to it.
Any kind of movement, any kind of heat will get a mark on the machine.
Sometimes on the bottom, we're looking for bait.
Where we know there's bait, we know there's fish.
Right here is balls of bait.
We know there's definitely gonna be tunas in that area.
So when a tuna comes on the screen, it's almost like a boomerang and
the bigger the boomerang,
the redder the boomerang, the more dense the fish is.
Thus, meaning the fish is larger.
TYLER: Oh, my God, I just marked a million tunas right on my bait.
Oh, my God 100 million tunas.
And we just marked like 35 Bluefin's.
-Oh, my God. -This is solid 30 in there.
-Oh, they're creeping up on us.
-A school of giants right here, dude.
Four of the last six seasons in Gloucester, the Dot Com has been the top boat.
They're gonna be a force to be reckoned with.
But I'm here to tell you, his reign will end this year.
-Oh, there he is. -There he is.
Definitely looking that one, huh?
Oh, my God.
-Oh, wow. -Ooh, there's a mark.
Come on, take the bait, take it.
-Come on. -Yeah, buddy. I see the streaks coming up.
-Oh, come on, come on, come on, come on.
-Still there.
MATT: I'm going up the bow.
PAUL: Big marks. Come on, tuna.
-There's a fish again. Coming up. Coming up. He's right under it.
All right. Come on.
TYLER: On the mark.
We're on the mark. It's the mother lode!
-Ugh, still coming up.
-Turn around. -No, he's turning. Come back up.
-Hey, come on.
-Coming up still.
Bow! Bow!
-Bow, we're on! We're on!
(inaudible) we're on!
We're on! We're on!
-Oh, baby.
First fish, baby.
First fish. We're on.
First thing we have to do is get off the anchor, so we can chase the fish.
And hopefully get the first Bluefin of the season.
Wow. Unbelievable.
Hey, get on the controls!
Wow!
How about, hey, I'm good.
Wow! Just put it out.
DUFFY: Any minute, cap.
(clicking)
(reel unspooling rapidly)
Oh, we're on! Whoo.
Yeah, baby! I got 'em on!
TYLER: How do you like me now?
Whoo.
-It's the one we need, bro!
-We're gonna get the first tuna.
-Whoa.
-Craziness.
There's not a better way to start the morning right here.
Nice big fish out on top.
This big screaming run, headed for the deep water.
-Big fish stretched way out there.
Hell, yeah.
-Good job, Duffy. You're doing great, man.
Just keep on winding.
-Come on, take the bait.
Take it!
Coming in last place in the Outer Banks last season has definitely fired us up
to come to Gloucester this year and to show these guys that,
"Hey man, that was an absolute fluke and that's not gonna happen again."
-Wow. That's a good mark.
-Come on. Come on. Take it.
Come on. Ah.
-We're on! We're on!
Somebody reel in the down rod.
Move, dogs.
-I'm on. I'm on. I'm on!
-First fish of the season.
Woo-hoo.
-Got 'em on, baby, first bite of the season, got 'em on!
We got this, guys.
MIKE: We're definitely gunning for Tyler on the Pinwheel and Dave on the Dot Com.
They're two great fishermen and if we could beat them, that proves to everybody that
we're back on top.
-First fish of the year here.
Playing back in the swing of things.
-Come on, baby, come on, baby.
First bite of the year, baby.
Come on, baby.
BRAD: Come on, tuna!
Here we, here we stay.
Waiting for a big tuna scream out some line.
I've hunted fish my whole life.
There's nothing like the Bluefin tuna.
-C'mon, fish.
Come through and chew, baby.
-Last year, I took a gamble by going out on my own as a captain and
buying my own boat, the Fish Hawk.
-He was, he was on that bait, man.
-Unfortunately, we made less money than every other boat in the fleet.
-I know that Fish Hawk's got a lot to prove, but if anybody can do it, we can.
This season means new opportunities.
We're gonna turn over a new leaf and we're gonna catch fish this year.
-How I wanna hear a screaming reel.
(reel unspooling rapidly)
-Here we go. -We're on! We're on! We're on! -Here we go!
We got one, baby.
Matt, help me move these rods out of the way.
-Excuse me, boss.
-Come on.
-Good move, Brad.
That was good work.
-We're all tangled up.
-Tangled. Son of a (bleep)!
-Hold on. Let me see if I can go over it.
-Over it or under it? -I think I'm under it. Hold on. This is a disaster.
Our first hook up of the season and we're all twisted up.
Nope. Other way.
We've got to clear this line or we're gonna lose the fish.
-You got this, Brad!
TYLER: Whoo.
I just wanna catch this one to get the pressure off then I can get excited.
Big fish. Big fish. Yo.
-Big fish that's probably been hooked.
He's trying to split the hook right now.
It's real aggressive when it takes.
Staying up high.
Try to get him down and in a pattern here.
-Reverse. Reverse.
Big fish. Neutral. Stop.
-Just talk, Dave.
-Reverse. Reverse. Neutral.
Very fast-paced here today.
-Well, I got (bleep) tangled everywhere, give me a second.
-I'm not yelling at you. -I know I'm just saying. -I'm just telling you.
Well, calm down.
-I'm very calm.
-First one of the year, girls. Come on, we got one!
JARRETT: I see color. It's a shark.
TJ: Let's get the hook out of him and let him go.
Lock him up, Jarrett.
Wasting our time on a shark right now is not gonna redeem the Hot Tuna.
We need a Bluefin on our deck.
That was a giant shark.
It acted like a tuna, man.
TYLER: Brother man.
-Whoo!
-A giant blue dog. -Unbelievable. -Hold on. Hold on.
-Almost clear, Brad. Bring the rod tip over this way.
There's always the first fish butterflies.
-All right, you're good, Brad.
-You wanna get that more than anything, you wanna get it out of the way.
You don't wanna start off on a bad note.
-Bring him home, Brad.
-I got swivel, Matt.
Get ready we got color.
-We got leader. Oh, it's a shark.
-Mako. -Just sucks.
-We wanted that first fish so bad.
I don't know even what to say and we have to release it.
BRAD: This is not the way I wanted to start the season.
It's nerve-racking to me because I don't want the rod to break.
I don't want him or me to get hurt or bit.
We'll catch our break and hopefully when we catch our break,
we'll catch a tuna too.
-Wow. How far away is he?
-He's not far. I'd bring the harpoon up.
Better get the dart up here.
Swivel. Go back, reverse.
I got the fish right here.
Got him right here.
We got to get this first fish of the season.
-Swivel. Deep color. Deep color.
Oh!
TYLER: We're gonna get the first tuna!
DUFFY: Swivel. Deep color. Deep color.
Oh!
-Missed him!
Don't let him go!
DAVE: (inaudible) come on, Sanchi.
Let's get this one.
First fish, baby!
(line snap)
Oh, wow!
SANDRO: Game over.
-No. He pulled the hook. Wow. (bleep).
(groans).
SANDRO: The first fish of the season ripped out of your hand.
GEORDIE: Just have to go catch another one.
-I'm trying to get an opportunity to throw the harpoon.
-Swivel. Fish.
-Deep color, bro. Deep, deep color.
-Yup.
-Let's get him. I see it, buddy.
-We got him here.
There you go. Take your shot. Nice.
-We don't got him yet.
-Not done yet, dude.
-Gaff!
Where's the big gaff?
I got right here.
Just get a tail rope on him all right.
-Whoo! Nice. -Hell, yeah, dude. Whoo. All right.
It's great catching the first fish of the season.
It's more likely than not that the first fish brings a market high price.
TYLER (over radio): Take that, Dot Com.
Wrapped up the first one of the season, boys.
Let the games begin. Whoo.
-Wow. Unbelievable. -Dammit. (bleep), dude. -(bleep) is right.
GEORDIE: That blows.
BRAD: All right. Good going, Pinwheel.
MARCIANO: Pinwheel's already starting out pretty strong.
He just got the first fish of the season.
PAUL: Tyler got the first fish.
I bet he's gonna get good money for it.
RICK: Well, it'll set the bar.
-Yeah.
TJ: So we're not gonna get the first one of the season.
JARRETT: Whatever.
-What are you gonna do?
-Yeah, well, let's just get the second one, how about that?
-Sounds good to me.
-And hopefully, it's bigger and nicer than the one he got.
-It will be.
-All right. Look at this butterball.
-Wow. He's round, buddy. Look at him.
-Beautiful fish. Watch out, Duffy.
-Hey. Hey.
-First fish of the season welcome aboard, partner.
-Hell, yeah.
TYLER: Pretty work there. Whoo.
Catching that first fish of the season sends a message to the rest of
the fleet that we're here. We're doing this. It's game time.
I'm here to win this year.
That's what I'm here for, that's what we're playing for, and that's the game.
-What do you got? -80, beautiful!
GUT: What's going on, Tyler?
First fish of the season, huh?
-Got off to a good start, man.
-Nice!
-I'm gonna get it up to you and you're gonna pay me well.
-Oh, yeah?
All right. We'll see.
Cut the head off.
-What are we looking at, Gut?
-261, Tyler.
-All right. -Whoo. -First fish, baby.
-We're gonna set the market.
-Yeah, we'll check it out.
-Really high-quality fish will pay up to $25 a pound or more.
For a top-quality tuna, the tail sample will have a thick band of fat just below the
skin and marbled fat clearly visible in the meat.
And the core sample taken from deep inside the tuna will show a consistent bright
red color and be shiny and translucent.
Is it gonna be a bell ringer?
-That is a real nice fish, boy.
-Wow.
-You got good fat.
In the minors, it's got fat in the majors.
-That's a (inaudible) -Beautiful core.
Beautiful core right here.
-What's this gonna do, Gut?
What do you think about it?
-This fish here.
Hmm.
That'll bring you $26 a pound.
-Wow. -Wow. -Yeah. I'm telling you.
-Oh my God, dude. -That is a nice fish. That's a nice fish.
-Thanks for ringing the bell to start the season off, man. All right.
-There you go. -Whoo. -We needed that.
-It's a good starter.
-The first Bluefin of the year.
How do you like me now, pally?
It's Pinwheel's year.
Bam! That's the way to start the season, baby.
-Pinwheel, baby.
MARCIANO: All right. First bait of the day going out.
Nice, sexy, crispy herring.
The market is hungry for these first few fish of the season.
-All that meat in the water. That's tuna food right there.
-I've got both my kids fishing with me this year.
My son, Joe, and my daughter, Angelica.
Looks good here.
Everything looks conducive to catching tuna.
ANGELICA: Hopefully, the tuna are hungry.
I don't think I realized how hard my dad worked,
especially when we were younger.
He actually wasn't around a lot because he was always out fishing,
because he always had to work hard to bring food on the table.
Do you want me to help bait it?
-There. Your new best friend.
-You ask questions, you get the scrub brush.
-Angelica, or Gel, as we call her, has got a lot to learn.
There's no doubt about that.
But she's a quick learner.
After all, she graduated Magna Cum Laude.
I didn't even know what that meant.
You're talking to a guy with a high school diploma.
But fishing is a different game.
But I've got confidence she'll get the hang of this in no time at all.
-Where else do you want me to scrub?
-Whatever's dirty.
-That's everything.
-Okay, then get scrubbing.
-When I signed up for this, I didn't want my Dad to sugarcoat it just
because I'm his precious baby daughter.
But I definitely have a lot to learn.
-You guys do good work.
Damn little, but what you do is good.
JOE: When the time comes and we do hook up to our fish, we're definitely gonna get
her on the reel.
It'll be kind of a learning experience for all of us, you know.
We've never really had her, had her aboard before so as much as she's comfortable
with, that's what she's gonna start off with, you know.
(beeping).
-There's a fish around.
He's way up high, but he's around.
You can hear just a faint little mark, there's one in the area.
Anything could happen.
-I don't even really know what I'm supposed to be doing when we're hooking up a fish.
I don't know where I'm supposed to be, I don't know where I'm gonna be in the way.
It's gonna be really tough, but it's a new challenge and I'm excited.
(clicking)
(reel unspooling rapidly)
-We're on. We're on. -Yup, we're on. Yup. Here we go. Yeah.
I think he's there.
-Coming at us. Coming at us.
Yup. Yup. Yup. Yup. Yup. Yup. That's a real one.
All right, backing it off.
-Back it off.
-Yeah.
-Ugh. Let's go. Let's go.
-Watch out! Watch out.
-Feels like a big one.
It's pulling hard.
All right, he's up where he needs to be.
-He's coming at us right now, so he's giving us a chance to get a little bit more line.
All right, you ready to hop on?
-Yup. Ready?
So, see what I'm doing?
-Yup. -There you go. Uh. -I got it, Joe.
Here's your gloves.
-Oh, (bleep)!
-All right, Gel, you're doing good.
-Ugh, I don't know.
-You see that?
Pull down the reel like this with this hand, that's why we have the gloves.
-Oh, okay. -Pull down the reel. -Pull down.
-Yup. -Oh, okay. -All right?
-Yeah, it makes it easier. -Yup, got it, got it.
-All right. Keep going there.
You got to keep it tight. Got to keep that rod tight.
-Okay. -Keep, keep, keep reeling. Reel, reel, reel, reel, reel.
-Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. -Okay. Reel, fast, fast, fast, fast. Keep reeling.
-Fast, fast, fast, fast! Reel. Reel. Come on.
You don't need to worry about the pole.
-Okay, okay, okay.
-Keep reeling. Keep reeling. Keep reeling. Keep reeling.
Joe, just keep your dart ready so we're ready when we get close.
-(bleep). -Yeah.
-It's my first time on the reel.
It's a lot harder than I would have ever thought it to be.
-Get it tight. Get it tight.
Get it tight. Get it tight. Get it tight.
-It's very stressful and I don't wanna be the reason we lose this fish.
-You're doing good, Gel.
-Okay. Okay. Okay.
-There you go. Okay.
Keep it bent.
-I don't think I can do this.
This fish is too strong!
(grunts).
JOE: You're doing good, Gel.
(grunts).
MARCIANO: Okay. Keep it bent.
ANGELICA: I don't think I can do this.
This fish is too strong!
-You need to switch? You need to switch?
-Yeah. -All right.
-There you go, Joe, he's gonna run, you know.
-Ready? Go. Go. -He's gonna run, Joe. He's gonna run.
-All right. Just letting the fish tire himself out, taking all that line.
So, we like when they take a lot of line, you know.
He's just really tiring himself out, he's hurting himself.
-Now's a good time to switch out, Gel. Switch out.
-Okay. -No pressure. No pressure.
-There's a lot of (bleep) pressure.
-Ya, mule! Ya! Reel, reel, reel.
-Keep going, keep going, you got to reel.
You got to reel. You got to reel. You got to reel.
We're getting her broken in and by the end of the season,
she's gonna have muscles like mine.
-That's funny.
-Good job, Gel. My turn now.
-The closer he's coming in, he's gonna take over.
And hopefully he gets a shot at him.
-Okay, a couple more circles, we should get a glimpse of him, guys.
Hey, Gel?
-I'm pretty stressed out, but I have faith in us.
I mean the fish is still on the line.
A lot can go wrong, but I have a good feeling.
-We just need that hook to hold and everything to go our way.
(line snap)
-Oh.
-(bleep) lost him. -Dammit.
-My dad depends on these fish to make money to bring home to support the family and
when he doesn't get the fish, it definitely hurts.
Well, we found a really good spot.
MARCIANO: It sucks. It hurts.
But it almost hurts more having to see it happen to Angelica for her first time.
I'm very proud of her.
She's a chip off the old block.
She picked it up just it was Algeblah, Algebra, Algebra, you know,
that math (bleep) which was always easy for her.
-Want me to warm you up a cupcake?
-No. -Yeah?
-Generally, I won't eat until we catch a fish.
-I know.
-So, that's just something you're gonna have to get used to watching.
Welcome to the game of tuna fishing.
BRAD: Really nice-looking bait, this thing.
If they don't eat this, they got problems.
We're rigging him up so he goes down and sits under the boat where we can see
him on our fish finder.
Over time, you'll learn how to do this over just trial and error.
And trying different baits, different hooks, different weights.
Every year, we come up with new ways to rig 'em.
When we rig baits like this, we call them stick baits.
Every fisherman has their own unique way of doing this.
It's really an art to try to outsmart these fish.
So, the tuna comes up and he thinks it's a real, live bait,
and hopefully the rod bends over and we land him.
Atlantic Bluefin tuna are pelagic, meaning a highly migratory,
open ocean roaming species.
Some of these fish travel from the Mediterranean clear across the Atlantic Ocean.
Some of them come from the Gulf of Mexico to arrive here.
They're here to feed in the rich waters we have, to grow and to fatten up.
They eat whatever they can find: anchovies, herring, mackerel, squid, whiting, cod,
pollock, ling, and a plethora of other fish.
This is just a hickory shad.
It's a type of giant herring we catch around the Coast of Maine.
Just sewing it up, so it looks like it's alive and it's aerodynamic going
through the water in the tide.
Okay, here we go.
Let's launch him.
If they don't eat this one, they're not hungry.
Look at this thing.
-Me and Brad have a lot to prove this year and I know we have what it takes.
We're a good team.
Fishing together as long as we have, we're gonna be dangerous.
-I would like to have a few of these every trip.
Look at this, dude.
This looks better than any herring we've ever had.
Look at that thing. Weew.
-Oh my God. -Are you kidding me?
-If we mark a fish, he's gonna eat it.
-That's like a bait you dream about.
Go get 'em, big boy.
I hope the tuna thinks it's as good as I think it looks.
PAUL: We are going to put a couple lines out with nice, fresh baits and
we're gonna get a bite and we're gonna win.
That's the bottom line.
Right out the gate, I want a fish worth money.
That's the biggest thing we all think of, is getting one of those first fish
that are paying big money.
I got my first mate back, Rick Schrafft, better known as the Schrafftinator.
Breaking in Rick last year was no picnic.
Pull! Pull the tail!
RICK: I am.
-I could do this in a half a second.
-I know, Paulie, I couldn't get the band off.
-Watch. I'm gonna show you.
Gaff, quickly! Give it to me.
-I'm trying my best here.
-I mean it's hard with a mate the first time.
You've gotta get on the same page.
When you do, there's no stopping you.
-Everything's going so smooth.
My goals on the Wicked Pissah this season, first, we need to catch fish,
so I can make a paycheck and support my family.
My second goal is to, you know, to do what I'm asked and just to keep Paul happy.
-I'm proud of the kid, man.
He has come so far. He's so good now.
We wanna pick up where we left off last year.
We had a really good season.
My goal is to come out on top.
I wanna catch a lot of fish.
This place is gonna go nuts tomorrow before this front that's gonna be coming.
They're gonna eat everything.
I've got to rely on Rick and I got to make sure he makes money for his family.
He's got three kids.
So, the bottom line is dollars and cents now.
Second is kicking everybody's butt.
Oh, we're marking. Big marks.
Wow, look at the tuna!
(beeping)
These are nice tuna fish.
(clicking)
(reel unsppoling rapidly)
-We're on! -Back in action. Whoo! -Good Lord.
This fish is strong, look at that!
Wow!
-Freight train. Yeah, Ricky, freight train.
This is our first hookup, he's a big monster, and it's nerve-wracking because you
don't wanna lose him.
There's a lot at stake.
This fish, he's up high and he's screaming.
-Wow. Could be a long night.
-He ain't giving up. -Nada. -This is a big, big, fish.
-I'm saying my Hail Mary's and my Our Father's under my breath.
Come on, baby! Come on.
I just wanna catch this fish.
-He's crazy huh, Rick?
-He's getting tired, then every once in a while he gets a burst of energy.
He's heavy, that's all.
-He's just going back and forth, back and forth.
We're gonna let him do whatever he wants to do.
Nice job, Rick.
-Swivel on the reel.
-Tell me when you got, oh, I see it.
-I got color.
Head up. Oh, yeah. Yeah!
-Dart. Gaff! Gaff! Gaff! Come on. Gaff. Gaff. Gaff.
Tail. Gaff him.
You got him?
-Yeah.
-Okay. Up, up, all your might.
Get him. Get him. Get him. Hurry. Hurry.
I'm losing my grip.
RICK: I got color.
Head up. Oh, yeah. Yeah.
PAUL: Dart. Gaff, gaff, gaff. Come on. Gaff, gaff, gaff.
Tail. Gaff him. You got him?
-Yeah.
-Okay. Up, up, all your might.
Hurry, hurry. I'm losing my grip.
We got him, Rick. Hurray.
-Yeah. Payday, baby. Wicked Pissah.
-You kicked his ass, bro.
-Nice job, brother. Nice job.
-You kicked his ass. -Nice job.
-That's how it's supposed to be done, like that.
Harpoon, boom, cut, round, done, game over.
-I hope all the other fish go as smooth as this one.
-That was the best teamwork we've ever had.
That was it!
Picture perfect. Everything.
In the mouth. Oh, there you go.
102.
-Wow, nice. -It's our first trip out.
We broke the ice with a 102-inch Bluefin tuna.
No better way to start off the season right there.
Yay. Yippee. Nice fish.
JARRETT: TJ, we got Pinhead on our tail.
TJ: What is this kid doing?
-I don't know, dude. He's not slowing down.
-Why is this kid following me?
MIKE: What is Duffy holding?
TYLER: We got your scrub brush.
Well, we brought your brush.
You forgot it in the OBX.
Last season in the Outer Banks, TJ had what I call an episode.
-Come on!
Put her in the slip! Put her in the slip!
Let's go.
-He threatened me with a scrub brush because he thought I was talking smack about him.
-Let's go!
-But with the new season, I thought that we could lighten the mood.
-It's a broom.
Oh, yeah, thanks.
-Tyler is chasing the Hot Tuna to give him his deck brush.
GEORDIE: Look, he's driving around.
Look at him, he's nuts, he's chase, he's literally chasing TJ around the ocean.
DAVE: Look. They got the brush.
MARCIANO: Pinwheel.
-Hey, let me go up on the bow. Let's do something fun here.
-Oh, God, here comes Dot Com.
DUFFY: It's mayhem everywhere!
-What is everyone doing?
-Come on.
-He just, yeah, Tyler pissed me off in the Outer Banks,
but we're not worried about that.
We're concentrating on catching tuna.
I'm not gonna let Pinhead get the best of me.
-Dude, dude we got jiu-jitsu moves.
-What is Dave doing?
SANDRO: That's probably the most ballsy thing I've ever seen Dave do.
-Yeah, right?
-Just having little fun.
-Whoo!
-Diamond, right here. This is the one, right here.
PJ: Perfect, buddy. Go ahead, Dan.
-Yeah!
We broke the ice with a 102-inch Bluefin tuna.
Now what will top it off like the whip cream and the cherry is the big
$20 a pound payday.
How we doing?
What are we looking at for weight?
PJ: 444 pounds.
-Perfect size.
Let's check the meat out.
-Nice!
PJ: Let's see what it looks like.
-Nice shape. Good size.
PJ: Good weight. All right. Nice looking fish, guys.
-Beautiful.
-Nice looking color. Good texture to the meat.
This one here...
$18.
-That's nice. Thank you.
-Yeah, nice. Way to go guys. Keep 'em coming.
-Let's go get 'em again. -Payday, baby. -Good start.
Yeah, I'm competing against the best in the business and we can beat these guys.
Back in action!
Whoo!
-Well, for the guys today, we're gonna chum.
Cut up the bait and throw the little pieces and hopefully that's gonna draw
our fish in.
So, I took the time to give the guys a nice brand-new knife.
The guys and the gal, I keep forgetting with Gel on the boat,
things are definitely different this season, since my nephew Jay decided
to step off the boat this year.
Jay was my first mate.
He's fished with me over a decade.
All right, the Hard Merch is back in the game, baby.
And he's been one of the best employees I've ever had.
Get him, Jay.
-Yes! Yes!
-You got him! Nice job.
And he stuck around through the good times.
-Ah! We're on!
-That's Jay's Tyler impression.
-We're on! Ah!
-And the bad.
(bleep) you.
Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!
And I'm definitely gonna miss him this year.
You know not only was he my nephew, he was my right-hand man on the boat.
-Yeah. Good job, baby.
-That's how we do it on the Merch.
Yeah, baby!
-Yeah, baby.
We got 'em, Jay.
-Boom.
-Jay has moved off to Alaska.
He's got a girlfriend and two dogs, and that just seems to be the next
chapter in Jay's life.
So, I needed someone to step up and replace Jay.
ANGELICA: Well, I'm out here because I've got bills to pay, too, you know.
I have an apartment I need to pay for.
I've got college loans that I need to pay for.
My cousin, Jay, left some pretty big shoes to fill.
But I'm a fast learner, so I think I can do it.
And right now, being out here with my dad and my brother is one of
the coolest things I've ever done.
It's go time right now.
We definitely need the fish.
It means a lot to me to get those fish on the boat too.
JOE: We all work hard on this boat, you know, we're constantly fishing.
Hopefully, it's gonna pay off for us later in the season, you know,
working around the clock like this.
It's gonna be a little bit different with Jay not here this year.
Jay and my dad taught me over the years everything I'm going to teach Gel this year.
She's gonna really have to pay attention and learn from her younger brother if
she's gonna make it out alive.
-You know, like going out and tuna fishing, you know, for fun,
we used to do that like when we were younger.
But that absolutely doesn't compare to actually working on the boat,
you know, not like this.
-Oh, yeah.
You see, you see the grind out here, and we're working around the clock.
-Yeah. Yeah.
-We have small shifts and naps, it's definitely a grind out here.
We try to stay positive, we try to keep a good mood on the boat, and,
you know, joke around here and there.
You know kind of, I was gonna say bust your (bleep), but.
-Shut up!
I don't wanna threaten your masculinity.
-The Hot Tuna's bound for glory this year.
I feel good, physically and mentally.
I went on a diet when I was down in the Outer Banks, probably lost 65-70 pounds,
and I feel great.
I've still got a way to go, but it's amazing how good I feel,
and I need to get my act together.
If I wanna keep chasing these Bluefin's for many years to come,
it's about lifestyle change and that's what it is for me.
I just wanted to feel better and not die.
-Wow!
Noticing on the back deck of the Hot Tuna,
it looks like TJ has lost a lot of weight.
But it looks like Bubby has gained quite a bit of weight.
You never know what you're gonna get out of TJ, you know,
some years he's gonna go fishing, some years he's not.
After a terrible performance down in the OBX, I mean, I would hope he's coming to
Gloucester, fired up, and ready to catch some fish.
So, the brothers have reversed roles, and now Bubby's the big boy and TJ's the skinny one.
-What's Tyler doing?
-Captain Pinhead reporting for duty.
We had a rough going in the Outer Banks last year.
-We just marked one. -How deep? -120, small.
It looks like he's just coming up to your thing a little when you're
putting that line out.
-All we need now is this rod to bend.
(beeping)
Come on. Come on! Take it.
Come on. God.
-Come on, big boy. Let's go.
(clicking)
(reel unspooling rapidly)
-Oh, we're on! We're on! We're on!
-Double hookup. Double!
-Got about six of them on the screen.
We got a double on!
-Double.
Got 'em on, baby.
-Nice and easy guys.
-We got a double on! Double!
-He's fighting a double! -Shut up!
-They are doubled. Hot Tuna has a double on.
I guess between his weight loss and his Outer Banks downfall,
TJ could be back with a vengeance.
TJ: Come on, Jarrett. Reel, reel.
-You got to move it away from the anchor line.
Get ready with a gaff.
Get ready Michael, get a gaff.
We love double hookups.
But the problem right now is that one of our lines is getting so close to
wrapped up in our anchor, it could snap at any second.
If the anchor line and the fishing line cross, basically the fishing line
will get weak, it'll start chafing against the anchor line,
it'll melt, it'll pop, it'll burn,
and the fish will be gone.
So we need Michael to pull the anchor line away from the action.
Michael, gaff the anchor line and get it on the boat.
-TJ! -Gaff the anchor line! -Go, go back!
-Gaff the anchor line! -I can't reach it!
MIKE: We got a double on! Double!
TJ: Michael, gaff the anchor line and get it on the boat.
-TJ! -Gaff the anchor line! -Go, go back!
-Gaff the anchor line! -I can't reach it!
-Jarrett, easy, easy, easy!
-All right, well, you're clear. You're clear.
-I'm clear?
-Come on, Jarrett, reel, reel!
He's gone, right?
-We still got one.
Michael, get on the other reel!
-Whatever you want, man.
-Yeah. Come on, get on here.
-Anytime you got a bent rod, it's a beautiful thing.
-This feels like a good-sized fish, got to be at least an 85 incher.
About 60 feet down.
-Color. We got color, baby.
Got him! Get a gaff.
-Oh. Get his tail. Come on.
-A little higher. A little higher again.
-Whoo. Game over, baby.
-That's a big fish.
Pa-pow!
-I know. Way to turn the trip around.
-Yeah!
-Woo-hoo! Yeah. -Woohoo! Pa-pow! -Woo-hoo. Nice.
Wow, it's a pretty looking tuna.
-Beautiful fish.
-91, baby.
-91, yeah!
-Good job, buddy.
I'm confident this is gonna be a good season for us, and I think as long as
we just stay out here and keep on grinding,
and keep on trucking, it's gonna be a hell of
a year for the Hot Tuna.
I think we got a shot at getting another one, personally.
Pa-pow!
TYLER: Head to head fishing and this guy's coming for it.
And the battle intensifies.
MIKE: TJ, we're marking.
(reel unspooling rapidly)
-Oh, we're on! Woo-hoo. Let's do it again.
-Second fish!
Woo-hoo! Pa-pow!
Woo, baby, woo!
-Aint got him yet, you know. -Hey, good action, man.
-Read 'em and weep, Pinhead.
This is tuna fishing at its best right here.
It don't get much better than this.
-Don't lose this fish, come on.
-Bubby, it's close.
Got him in a little death spiral here.
Looks like it's clockwise, so hopefully we get a shot at him, man.
Prices tend to be higher at the beginning of the season.
If we can land this second fish, it's really gonna send a message to the fleet
that the Hot Tuna means business this year.
-Deep color. -Color, deep color! -Get a gaff!
-Where is he? -Right here. Right here. -All right, I got you.
I got him, baby. Get a tail rope, TJ.
I got him, you're good, take your time.
He's alive, TJ, so.
Game over, baby!
-Woo-hoo! -Yeah! -Nice work.
-Yeah, boys, yeah. That's a day of fishing, man.
-We got 'em, baby! We got 'em, pa-pow!
-Oh, here we go. -Here he comes.
We'll take him.
-It's a great feeling to know that right now we are the only boat in the
fleet with two fish.
We're well on our way to erasing our terrible season in the Outer Banks.
88.
-Oh!
-Wow. Good job.
-Nice work. We'll take it.
-Nice work. Good job, buddy.
All right, sit down, you ready?
One for you. One for you.
Awesome! Giant Bluefin tuna fishing.
There's nothing like it, baby, pa-pow!
-Oh, it's devastating, bro.
We may have caught the first fish of the season,
but Hot Tuna is the first boat in the fleet to put two in the hold.
It's a bummer, but it's just more fuel to light Pinwheel's fire.
Dammit.
-Oh, yeah.
JOE: Gel's catching us some great baits.
MARCIANO: Oh, wow, yeah, a beauty.
Look at this one.
This is a runt, we'll let him go.
That's a decent one, that, yeah.
These are the ones that are gonna go.
I've been very impressed with the way Angelica has been working hard.
She's given me 100% effort.
Attaboy, lady.
Now get nice big ones.
She's been catching bait.
-That's a good one, in the middle one.
That's not bad.
-She's been throwing chum.
-Come on, fish.
-She's been watching the sounder machine.
-That's either, is that your fish?
-Yeah, that's our bait.
And she's even been getting on the rod a little bit.
-Fast. Fast. Fast. Fast. Reel, reel. Come on.
-If she keeps going the way she's going, I might even have her throwing the harpoon,
but there's just one thing.
-Dad, I swear to God, I'm gonna hide your damn cigarettes.
I try to get my dad to quit smoking every single day and he points to his sticker on
his boat that says.
-Harassing me about smoking may be hazardous to your health.
-Yup.
He likes to remind me of that, all the time.
-Like I say to any crewman, 'When I want your opinion, I'll beat it out of you.'
(laughter)
-What's shaking, Scottso? -What's up, Scottso? -What's up, going on, guys?
-Big trip, man. Big trip. -We got two beauties, bro.
You want to get them out? Get 'em up there?
-Let's do it.
-All right go. That's a nice fish.
-What we looking at, Scottso?
-256 pounds dressed. 378 pounds.
-That's a beauty, baby. Nice shape too, Scottso.
-Yeah, let's check 'em out.
This is the first fish right here.
Not a super lot of fat in it, but there's some in there.
-There's some in there, for sure.
-Yeah. Yeah.
-So what are you thinking, man?
-Well, I can get you guys...
$17 a pound.
-Hey now, Scottso, that's not so bad.
-Perfect. We'll take that man.
That's a paycheck.
-You were bein' a little gloom and doom there, I was getting nervous.
Wanna check out this next one?
-Yeah, let's do it. Yeah. -That looks good. -Well, decent amount of fat.
Well, it doesn't have any burn either.
-Good core. -Yeah. Bottom line, I can get you guys
$18 a pound.
-Whoo, Scottso! Pa-pow! -Yeah, man. -Scottso.
-We needed that.
-We're on a roll, and we're gonna head back out there, buddy.
-All right. Sounds good. -Turn and burn, bro. Turn and burn.
No better way we could have started our season.
I really wanna prove the Hot Tuna's a competitor this year, and it's a great way to do it.
Now we're all sharing in the Bluefin groove, baby.
Pa-pow!
NARRATOR: Midway through the first week of fishing, Hot Tuna's two fish launched
them off to a hot start, and single catches for Wicked Pissah and Pinwheel get
them on the board.
Meanwhile, last season's champion Fishing Vessel Tuna Dot Com,
Hard Merchandise,
and Fish Hawk have yet to catch.
PAUL: Good morning to all!
Woo-wee!
Yeah, baby! Today's the day.
RICK: Yeah, we got the Abbot Custom Wicked Pissah rod and reel.
-You like it?
-I love it.
-I do too.
-One for one on hookups for the season, the young year.
-Thank you, God, for sending me Rick.
He loves fishing.
He really likes fishing.
We're off to a really great start and I hope we can keep it going.
-Oh, it's a glorious morning.
Glorious morning.
I'm very proud. I'm proud of myself. I'm ecstatic.
I mean, Paul's happy, I'm happy, we're doing great.
We're catching fish; I mean let's keep it going.
-Cheers to the morning.
This is our, it's our second night sleeping out?
-Third day.
-Last night?
-Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night.
-Third day, second night.
-No, wait a second. What are we talking about?
-Well, third night, second day?
-No, third day. -Two.
If you wanna make a profit at Bluefin tuna fishing, you have to be married to
your boat in the water, 24/7, all summer.
I don't know what time it is.
5:00-ish?
Something like that?
-Got to be close to 5:00.
-The sun is not up yet.
We're ready to go and I'm gonna put another line out.
Whoo!
Hook him up near the head and you let him go and ripping!
Yhoo! Yes. Today's our day.
-It is.
-We're gonna get 'em today, huh, Rick? Right?
-Yeah, yeah.
TYLER: We all getting down. We all getting down.
DUFFY: We noodling? We noodling? We noodling?
-We noodling, bro.
The start on every season, it's all about setting the tone.
And catching that first fish of the year sends a message to the rest of the fleet.
It's Pinwheel's year.
Whoo, nice!
-Hell, yeah, dude.
-Take that, Dot Com.
Let the games begin.
DAVE: Wow. Unbelievable.
TYLER: Year in, year out, Dot Com's been the top guy and he's the guy I'm gunning for.
Dave's used to coming out of the gate quick, and right now, he's holding zero.
-Wow, there's herring all throughout here on the bottom.
A whole pile.
We've been off to a slow start this season.
But we're confident in doing what we do.
Come on, get in there, take a bite.
It's not luck that we were on top four out of six seasons.
Luck is a fairy tale.
Skill is what catches fish.
Sandro, keep an eye on that machine.
SANDRO: One thing is for sure, our biggest rival Tyler on the Pinwheel.
-There's definitely some history between the Dot Com and the Pinwheel.
-Stay the (bleep) away from my boat.
You just, don't, you don't own the (bleep) ocean, pal.
You don't own the (bleep) ocean.
-Don't (bleep) touch my boat.
-You douchebag.
-We're used to battling back and forth with Pinwheel and I don't see this season
to be any different.
TYLER: On the mark. We're on the mark.
It's the motherlode, come on, baby!
-We're marking! We're marking! Come on, eat, eat!
(clicking).
(reel unspooling rapidly).
-Here we go! Whoo!
-We're on!
-Start it up. Start it up. We're on! We're on!
-Yes. Go. -Feels like a big one.
-We need this first fish, guys.
-Whoo! Got 'em on!
How do you like me now! Whoo!
-The one we need, bro.
Let's go to work.
-I knew we were gonna get a bite.
-Come on, gang, we got to get this one.
-Right off the bottom on that one.
-Yup.
-We're hooked up again and after losing one earlier, we have to make this one happen.
He's running, he's running.
Big fish right here.
-Good stuff.
Hope we get him.
Be a good way to get started.
-Woo!
Let's get number two, baby.
-Got a big old slob on here.
Oh, yeah, come around.
Come around, forward!
-I got you. I got you. It's all about momentum.
You know you get going and you just get on a roll.
-Hell yeah.
-Hopefully we can just get this fish up, catch some more,
cause theres some more around
-It's cooperating right now.
Hopefully we connect the dots here.
A lot could happen.
-Atta way, Sancho.
Beat his ass.
Get him.
-A morning workout. I got a long way to go.
-We got a really big fish here.
He's dogging for the bottom right now.
What he's trying to do is he's trying to bury his face in the mud.
Trying to go down to the bottom.
He doesn't know what's going on.
He's fighting for his life.
-He's kamikaze. -He's fighting for it.
Surrender, baby.
Surrender to the flow.
-He's pretty tired but could have another big run in him.
You never know with these big fish.
-Get him, Duff.
Get him. Wind. Wind. Wind!
-I think he's tail wrapped, Ty.
-That's scary, man.
Sometimes the fishing line can get wrapped around a tuna's tail.
The friction of line rubbing against line can make it break and
then it's bye-bye paycheck,
so we need to reel in our tuna slow and smooth, so we don't break the line,
and hopefully land our second fish.
-Fish is tail wrapped right now.
-So nerve-wracking.
-I can feel the tail hitting the line.
-Be very careful, Duffy.
Careful. Careful.
Oh, my God! This one's huge!
We can't lose him, Duffy.
DUFFY: Fish is tail wrapped right now.
I can feel the tail hitting the line.
TYLER: We're hooked up to our second fish of the season.
The line has gotten wrapped around his tail, which could cause us to lose the fish.
Oh my God!
This one is huge!
We can't lose him, Duffy.
It's very nerve racking when we have a fish that's tail wrapped.
Right now we're just trying to gain line without having that tail hit the line and
break him off.
DAVE: Come on, guys, let's do what we do.
Let's just get him.
We need this fish bad.
SANDRO: Real bad.
-We've got one pulled hook and zero fish on the deck this season.
We have to land this one if we want to keep up with the rest of the fleet.
-Oh, he's moving. -He's gonna go now. -That thing is cruising.
-That's it. That's it.
Nicely done. He's a big fish.
I bet he's 500.
You got this one, Sandro!
-Oh, we got mono coming, brother.
-We got one fish already, but Hot Tuna's got two, so we need to catch up.
When the fish gives us an inch, we got to reel down and take an inch.
Everything you can do to keep that rod tight, so you don't pull a hook or
break off a line,
pure effort and pure skill is what makes a good tuna fisherman.
-He's changed his direction so many times, that's what I'm worried about.
Weight coming up.
Deep color, deep color.
-I see him. I see him! -Drill him, brother.
(line snap)
Oh! Dude!
-He's gone, man. Broke the mainline.
Just broke.
Oh, my God that was a monster.
-That was a huge (bleep) fish, dude.
-That was a huge fish and for sure it would have put us in the lead,
but at least we're getting the rod to bend.
If we put our lines back in the water I'm sure we'll get another bite in no time.
All we can do is get back on the ball and get another one.
Nothing you can do when you're pulling hooks.
-Yeah. Yeah.
-Reel, Sandro, reel.
We've got to get our first fish of the season.
-Now he's coming.
Swing him around.
-Coming right up.
Color here any second. Oh!
-Gone.
-Brutal. Brutal. Brutal. Brutal.
-Damn. Gone.
-Only 20 feet from the boat and he's gone.
-Pulled the hook. -Pulled the hook, huh?
Fish kept changing directions.
We don't like when they change directions because it eventually bores a
hole in his mouth.
Quick headshake and pop, gone.
-I'm shocked.
It's almost the end of the first week and we have nothing to show for it.
-Dorks.
-Tough way to start off the season, but you know what, that's fishing.
Can't catch them all.
DAVE (over radio): We just pulled the hook on another one.
-Whoo! Karma's a bitch, Dave.
It's finally catching up to you.
Thank the heavens.
-Oh, man.
-Ugh!
BRAD: That's the Hot Tuna, TJ Ott.
Let's go say hello.
TJ is dedicated this year.
He's lost weight.
Hey, what's up?
JARRETT: What's up?
-Hold on we're gonna come out back for you.
-The tuna-bego.
MATT: You look good. Good job, bro.
-TJ's dropped a lot of weight since last season.
He's got a whole new lease on life and it's really a great thing to see.
I think the Hot Tuna's gonna be serious competition this year.
You are getting skinny.
You're getting skinnier than us.
We look like big bloated ticks compared to you now.
TJ: Got to get you start eating the rabbit food, bro.
-I got to get on that program.
-No more Kielbasa.
You got to eat carrots.
-You know you've lost so much weight your actually head is smaller.
-Really?
-He's a changed man.
He's a changed human being.
I'm happy for him. I'm proud of him.
I told him, your entire head is like half the size of what it was.
I said it was like a big pumpkin, dude.
Your head was like swollen.
Your, it wasn't just your hair, dude.
You had like a giant head.
-No more ice cream and pizza you know?
-Yeah, I mean.
-I'd like to eat ice cream and pizza, but I'd also like to live.
-It makes me want to go on a diet.
Get back into my 34 waist.
Then, maybe then we'll have luck hooking up.
-You're gonna get 'em, bro.
It ain't gonna be like last year.
You know you're gonna get 'em.
-Hey, only thing I care about is we catch more than Dot Com.
-Absolutely.
-I'm sick of his tired freaking nasty ass.
-Absolutely, bro.
-I can't handle him anymore.
-I just want to take that guy out.
-Right.
-We got to.
He's struggling right now.
If we get a few fish ahead of him, we're gonna leave him in the dust.
You're gonna get 'em, you know that.
You're dialed in.
You know you can catch more fish than these guys.
Come on, Dot Com?
-We'll get 'em. We got him.
-Brad's an absolutely amazing fisherman and what happened last year
was extremely shocking.
-Dammit!
-His first season captaining the Fish Hawk, they made less money than
any other boat in the fleet.
-We're waiting patiently for our fish here but it's not, it hasn't been coming.
-But, he just got the new boat.
He hadn't had all the cobwebs figured out and he hadn't had it dialed in and
that's a big part of it.
This year the playing field is leveled and I know Brad is gonna be a
major force to be reckoned with.
-All right. We're gonna go anchor up.
Keep up the good work.
-All right. -All right, thanks. -Good luck, guys.
See you later, good luck. Catch 'em up.
-Fish Hawk. Ka-kaw! Ka-kaw!
-Apparently.
-Me and you are blowing up like ticks he said.
Oh, yeah, that's right.
-Don't worry, Bubby.
You look great.
-It's almost the end of the first week of fishing and the only thing we've done
is pull the hook on two fish.
Wicked Pissah, Pinwheel; Hot Tuna are all ahead of us right now.
We've never had such a slow start.
Bunch of losers.
-Could be worse.
We could be on the Fish Hawk.
-We got to redeem ourselves.
-This year we're prepared.
We're ready to go.
We're tuned in, locked loaded we're gonna get 'em.
Worst to first.
-This season's all about resurrecting ourselves from the dead.
-Oh, whales right here.
That's a good sign, huh?
Maybe there's a couple of tunas swimming with him.
-Last year was my first as a captain of this fleet and we caught only five keeper tuna.
We're not gonna have another bad season like last year.
It's impossible.
It's not gonna happen.
-This is where we hook up, Brad.
-We got bills to pay.
We're a two-man crew we got two families depending on income.
-Let's get 'em.
DAVE: There he is. Coming through.
Oh, all over it.
-Yeah, buddy.
There he is perfect timing.
♪ God loves the moon and the moon loves me. ♪
♪ God loves the fishies in the deep blue sea. ♪♪
-Oh, come on. Go already!
(beeping)
-Come on, tuna.
(clicking)
(reel unspooling rapidly)
-There he is! -Here we go! We're on! -Oh, we're on, we're on.
-There he is.
I said we were gonna get 'em!
-Whoo! Yeah. -We need this fish.
DAVE: There he is!
GEORDIE: Here we go! We're on!
MATT: Oh, we're on, we're on.
-Starting to find them.
I said we were gonna get 'em!
-Got 'em on!
SANDRO: Got 'em on. Thank God.
We really need this one.
Just like that first one and the second one.
Definitely a fish.
MATT: Fish on!
Fish hawk, baby.
BRAD: He's a big mother.
(reel unspooling rapidly)
-That's why I do this right here; for a screaming reel, my friend.
Got him straight up and down, Brad.
-Strong fish, he's got a lot of weight it looks like.
-Getting close.
His runs are getting smaller and smaller.
He's getting weaker and weaker and I'm getting stronger and stronger.
-We waited all day for this.
And we get here, it's like walking on eggshells.
We can get him but any minute we could lose him.
That's scary.
-Deep color. All yours, Cap.
-Look out. Lock him up, baby.
Come here.
Come on up here.
It's a tough old bird.
-Here you go.
Watch out for your feet.
There he is. Nice one.
-Step back. Got him.
Here, you hold this.
-Nice gaff shot, boss.
-Get that tail rope quick.
Hurry up.
-Here you got this harpoon.
-Get that tail rope on him, quick!
-Nice hook right there.
-Right there.
There you go.
-Whoo! -Whoo! -Game over.
Wow, that's a big fish, man. Whoo!
Worst to first, baby. Worst to first, baby.
Fish Hawk! Game over.
-Good job, buddy.
SANDRO: Oh, let's get this one. We need this right here.
-I see color!
-There's no way this one's 73 inches.
-Oh, God. -Damn, it's a short. -Right?
-All right, let him loose.
In the United States every Bluefin tuna we catch has to be 73 inches
in length or greater.
Anything other than that, simply let it go.
Giving it the opportunity to go out and spawn and make hundreds,
possibly thousands of other tuna is what keeps the Bluefin fishery sustainable.
-That's the only short caught here.
But it sucks, our first trip out, we pull the hook on two fish,
and now we get a short.
That's a major disappointment.
Waste of time.
-Pretty work. That's a beauty.
-Okay. Haul him up. What a nice fish.
-Go. Ooh, bungee-gaga.
-Nice fish. We're happy today.
-Oh, my God. We are. -Good day.
Matt and I are gonna make the Fish Hawk a contender.
We're gonna resurrect ourselves.
We need redemption, salvation, and we're gonna do it.
-Let's give this fish a measure up.
-98 inches.
-98 inches. Whew.
Welcome aboard the Fish Hawk.
-Praise the Lord.
-Hey, that's bigger than any fish we got last year.
Way to crack the season off, boss.
First one of the season and it's a nice one.
-Not a bad start.
GUT: Nice. Let's check that thing out.
-Show me the money!
-We'll see.
-What have we got, Gut?
-445. -We'll take it, Gut. -Nice.
That's a nice fish there. I like that fish. You know you got good fat.
You got fat right into the majors on this one.
Beautiful core.
-What do you say, Gut? -Come on, Gut. -Let's see.
-We need some money here.
-Mmmh $22 a pound on this one.
-Nice. -Yeah! -How's that?
-Whoo! -Huh? -Whoo!
-Nice, Gut.
-All right, Gut. That's the Gut! Yeah.
We're gonna get 'em this year and this is a good start.
Let's win this thing.
Best one we had in a long time.
-Yeah, that's good. -We're gonna get them. -Blast off!
-Worst to first. No more back of the pack for us.
NARRATOR: After the first week of fishing, Fish Hawk's high-quality tuna
pushes last season's lowest earner into second place.
Meanwhile, long time champion Fishing Vessel Tuna Dot Com and family operation,
Hard Merchandise failed to land a keeper their first week out.
TJ (over radio): I don't know, we're out of here.
I think it's noontime.
We'll see what happens.
-Give me a, take a box of ice if you got it.
-Come on, bro.
I got enough ice for the whole (bleep) fleet out here.
I got to admit, it feels pretty good to be the top earning boat after
the first week of fishing.
And Dave Dot Com, the guy to beat, hasn't even caught a fish yet.
-All right, I'll take two boxes please.
-All right, only if you give Sandro and Geordie a hug right now and tell them how
wonderful they are.
-I did that already.
Am I disappointed we haven't caught a fish yet?
Yes. This isn't exactly the way I wanted the season to start for us.
TJ: Dave's been very lucky.
The last few years he hasn't had the hardships that some of the rest of us have had.
So, this is probably a big wake up call for him.
MARCIANO: You know usually Dave is right out there at the top of the pack.
So, it's odd to see him kind of falling behind right out of the starting gate.
BRAD: He's used to getting five fish before we have one.
And he's not doing it this year.
That's how it goes. Every dog has its day.
Dot Com is the dog today.
-Oh, man.
-I've never, ever, ever seen him behind in the beginning.
He's usually the first guy to catch fish out of all of Gloucester.
TYLER: Dot Com's off to his worst start ever.
I know he's panicking and I'm gonna do everything I can to keep it that way.
-Yeah, thanks, buddy. -See ya later. Good luck.
JARRETT: Good luck, guys.
PAUL: Dave is very frustrated. And right now, he's twitching.
(cackle)
Captioned by Cotter Captioning Services.