Deadliest Catch returned for Season 20 without one of its key fishing vessels, the Saga.
The Discovery reality series is a high-stakes journey into the world of crab fishing, focusing on the crew members on board various vessels as they attempt to capture hauls of king and opilio crabs.
Deadliest Catch cast member Jake Anderson has appeared on the show for many years, but his trusty vessel did not return with him in Season 20.
What Happened to F/V Saga on Deadliest Catch?
The F/V Saga has been a part of Deadliest Catch ever since the series' first episode. It was mostly associated with Captain Jake Anderson for multiple fishing journeys between Seasons 11-19.
However, in Season 20, Anderson revealed the ship was no longer his. In the premiere episode, which aired on June 11, 2024, Anderson revealed that he learned the Saga was "possibly running out of money", but had "no idea that things were this bad":
"A couple weeks ago, I got a call from my partner saying that the Saga is possibly running out of money. King Crab’s open, and that was going to get us out of the hole, easily. But I had no idea that things were this bad."
Shortly before the season was due to start, Anderson arrived at the F/V Saga to find the door locked and labeled with a repossession. A significant amount of the Captain's finances were tied to the Saga, including his child's college fund.
"There’s a repossession note on the boat and I don’t understand why."
The repossession was a devastating blow for Anderson, which meant he was no longer a captain heading into the crab fishing season.
Why Was The Saga Repossessed?
There appear to be some ongoing legal issues with the F/V Saga which means the reason for its repossession is still somewhat unclear.
Anderson admitted in Deadliest Catch his business partner, Lenny, handled most of the finance side of the Saga, and that he handled the everyday business on the boat.
The ex-captain told TV Insider in an interview he still does not know what his business partner did to lose the ship to repossession:
"I found out my partner, with all due respect with the legal things going on, we don’t know what he did. I lost my boat."
Some fans online think Lenny may have been involved in tax fraud troubles which caused the IRS to repossess the boat, although this is just speculation.
After losing the Saga, Anderson joined Sig Hansen's crew on the F/V Northwestern, before he became captain of a new ship, the Titan Explorer, by the end of the season.
Deadliest Catch is available to stream on Max.
