National Geographic promises new blood and new battles for this upcoming second season of Wicked Tuna, the action-packed reality series that follows Gloucester, Massachusetts fishermen. Season two will kick off on January 13, 2013 at 9pm, once again shining the spotlight on these men and women who earn their livings one catch at a time on the high seas.
Over a span of just 14 weeks, the fishermen have to make a year’s salary. “If I don’t catch a fish, I don’t have money to provide for my family,” explained Captain Dave Marciano of the Hard Merchandise. “Money doesn’t just fall from the sky — it comes out of the sea.”
“Tuna fishing is a tough business, and you have to remain competitive,” said Dave Carraro, captain of the FV-Tuna.com, who led the fleet in catches and revenue last season. “My colleagues at sea don’t always agree with my methods, but I’ll do whatever it takes to stay on top.”
The Details [Courtesy of National Geographic Channel]:
Wicked Tuna follows a group of spirited fishermen from Gloucester, Mass., as they make their living the way it’s been done for centuries — man versus fish, rod versus fin, one catch at a time. The stakes are unforgiving, but the paydays can be huge, as the fleet navigates the frigid waters of the North Atlantic, searching for the magnificent and elusive bluefin tuna. One “monstah” catch can bring in as much as $20,000, but with a short fishing season and dwindling tuna populations, Gloucester’s fishermen are fighting for their economic survival every time they set sail.
This season, 24-year-old Captain Tyler McLaughlin and the Pin Wheel join the action. Hailing from Rye, N.H., the crew of young hotshots are often at odds with the veteran Gloucester fleet — the FV-Tuna.com, Hard Merchandise, Christina, Odysea, and Bounty Hunter — as the Pin Wheel seeks to capture the most fish and the biggest payload of the season. Each catch the Pin Wheel makes is a paycheck out of the other captains’ pockets, and the rivalry between the boats intensifies dramatically as each captain pursues his quest for “blue gold.”
Captain Tyler’s brash nature and arrogance create unprecedented drama between the Pin Wheel and last season’s leader FV-Tuna.com, as Captain Dave Carraro resolves to crush his new competition.
Wicked Tuna‘s second season brings viewers closer to the action, the drama and the hardships than ever before. Veteran captains Dave Marciano of Hard Merchandise and Bill Monte of the Bounty Hunter struggle to make ends meet after a disappointing season last year. For these captains, their careers are on the line, and failure is not an option. The arrival of the Pin Wheel only exacerbates the pressure as Captain Tyler and his crew quickly make enemies of the Gloucester fleet.
Tensions come to a head after the young crew messes with the biggest hothead in the fleet, Captain Ralph Wilkins of the Odysea, and their rivalry spills over onto the docks. And this season, cameras follow Captain Kevin Leonowert of the Christina as he returns to his roots as a harpoon fisherman, a high-octane chase that requires speed, smarts and precision.
Wicked Tuna Season 2 January Episode Guide
Wicked Tuna: Back in the Hunt
Sunday, January 13, 2013, 9:00 PM ET/PT
The fishermen of Gloucester, Mass., navigate the open seas in hopes of catching the first fish of the season. Dave Carraro, captain of FV-Tuna.com, finds his first fishing spot of the season, but his day is interrupted by an unwelcome visitor. Tyler McLaughlin, a New Hampshire native and the 24-year-old captain of the Pin Wheel, has headed south to invade Gloucester waters, with the expressed intent of catching more fish than Dave. The Pin Wheel anchors right next to FV-Tuna.com — kicking off a rivalry between the two cocky and competent captains.
For Dave Marciano, captain of Hard Merchandise, and Bill Monte, captain of the Bounty Hunter, the pressure is on after a disappointing result last year. Another down year could force Hard Merchandise off the water and potentially end Bill’s 35-year fishing career.
Wicked Tuna: Go Fish!
Sunday, January 20, 2013, 9:00 PM ET/PT
After an impressive first week against the veteran fleet, Tyler and the Pin Wheel gamble on making the 150-mile trip to Georges Bank. It’s an expensive trip to Georges and, with no word on whether fish are biting, it’s a risky one to take so early in the season.
Meanwhile, for Kevin Leonowert, captain of the Christina, there’s nothing better than the rush of harpooning. It’s a high-octane chase where boats specially rigged with a high tower and a bow pulpit can identify schools of bluefin, take aim and nab the tuna of their choice. But not everyone agrees with this method, and the rod-and-reel fishermen of the fleet fight to make their catches the old-fashioned way — man versus fish.
Wicked Tuna: The Numbers War
Sunday, January 27, 2013, 9:00 PM ET/PT
The fleet has invested time and money in searching for places where bluefin tuna congregate and feed — locations known as “numbers” — and no one knows these spots better than Captain Dave of the FV-Tuna.com. But for the young crew of the Pin Wheel, the entire ocean is theirs for the taking, and Captain Tyler sets sail in search of new hot spots. Meanwhile, Bill Monte, the captain of the Bounty Hunter, is drowning in expenses after three weeks without a catch. As Bill’s desperation mounts, he’ll go to extreme lengths to catch his first fish of the season.
(Preempted Sunday, February 3)
