‘Deadliest Catch’: Where Is Freddie Maugatai & Why Isn’t He Back On Discovery?
The Deadliest Catch Season 16 has brought back some captains from the past. Yet, there is one popular crew member that Deadliest Catch fans always ask about: Freddie Maugatai. Is this former F/V Cornelia Marie deckhand still fishing on the Bering Sea?
Where is Freddie Maugatai?
The Deadliest Catch Season 16 has been a quarantine favorite. Discovery has been rewarded with high ratings. This is likely to the return of two old favorites. As TV Shows Ace has previously reported, Captain Johnathan Hillstrand has returned to the Bering Sea, un-retiring. He has become mentor to Captain Jake Anderson of the F/V Saga. Now nicknamed the F/V Saga-Bandit, Hillstrand has been showing Anderson some of his crab fishing tricks that have made him one of the kings of the Bering Sea.
Hillstrand is not the only big name to return. Captain Scott Campbell Jr. is back. Many TV Shows Ace fans may remember Junior from a few years back. But, his career ended short due to a life-threatening back injury. But, Junior persevered and he is now showing everyone he still has it.
While Deadliest Catch fans are now going through memory lane, many are asking where Freddie Maugatai currently is. Many fans first remember Freddie working for Captain Phil Harris on the F/V Cornelia Marie. He was the first to bite the head off of a fish at the beginning of the season. No one can forget the blood dripping down Freddie’s face as he practiced this yearly ritual!
He went on to V/V The Time Bandit, after Captain Phil tragically passed away. The last fans saw the Samoan-born crewman was on V/V The Wizard. Where is Freddie Maugatai now?
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc0TihKHhRd/
What Deadliest Catch Former Star Is Doing Now
Thanks to Freddie’s social media, we can catch up. Last year, he worked on the F/V Wind N Sea. This year, Freddie is now working on the F/V Polar Sea. Freddie calls it a “new year, new boat, new captain.” Things started out pretty difficult. Due to flight delays, he was not on the new boat to prepare for the fishing season.
The New Year brought on more challenges. He eulogized Captain Gary Cobban Jr. from the doomed crab boat F/V Scandies Rose. He shared that he nicknamed Captain Gary, “grandpa Gary,” because he always spent his time discussing his beloved grandchildren. TV Shows Ace fans are still awaiting official word on the tragedy of the F/V Scandies Rose.
A couple of weeks later, he shared to Facebook that they just returned from “the best” cod fishing season ever. Next, Opilio fishing! The ever optimistic crew member was sure that this next venture would also be “the best.”
But tragedy struck in the middle of his season. On March 3, Freddie posted to Facebook that while out Opilio fishing, he lost his mother. Freddie shared that he got the news while during a nasty, cold storm, in the middle of the Bering Sea. This was very tough news to get. He asked fans to pray for his father, siblings and the rest of his family during this difficult time.
Be sure to check back with TV Shows Ace for the latest Deadliest Catch news, including past and current crew. The Deadliest Catch airs on Tuesday nights on Discovery. Don’t forget to catch Bloodline, the new Hawaiian fishing show, featuring Josh Harris and Casey McManus airs right afterwards.
