Already a member?
Sign in
Welcome! Wikis are websites that everyone can build together. It's easy!
Keith Colburn, Page 2
◄ Go home: Deadliest Catch
 Jump to a Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Keith Colburn: I'm barely nibbling away at my “100 things to do before you die” list. I want to climb a mountain, a substantial one. I'd still like to travel, to places I haven’t been yet, like South America or Southeast Asia or Africa. Goin Home: I think you were more than fair with Moi. How did you maintain your patience with him? Keith Colburn: Good question. Sometimes you're willing to tolerate a certain amount from a new crewman or greenhorn because you want to see them succeed ultimately. Every greenhorn is different. Some may get seasick and you may not see the best of what they have to offer until they've been on the boat for one or two weeks. Other may start off great, then falter once they start to experience how hard the work really is after a week or two. One thing that's difficult is when you have attitude, and sometimes people have predisposed ideas and you can't necessarily convince them that the way you're doing it is the right way. Sometimes it takes a while to get to that point with some people, and if you're patient you may have a really good crewman or you'll find out it doesn't work. Etsy Bay: What do you do during the off-season? Do you spend time on your boat fishing for other things besides crab? Keith Colburn: I used to fish halibut, salmon, herring, pretty much anything that was in the water in Alaska. Now about the only thing I fish in the off-season is I dive for fun for abalone in Northern California a couple of times a year. I don't fish the Wizard for anything other than crab. Summertime is a bit of downtime: a lot of shipyard time, a lot of administrative work. And no, I don't get six months off a year. SoCA Redhed: Capt Keith...when the crab extend their range, does that mean that they all change their location as a whole, or does it mean an increase in crab population and the excess crab are spreading out? And if it does mean an increase in population, does Fish & Game also increase the amount you can fish? Keith Colburn: Greetings Redhed. Generally when crab are starting to extend their range, it means the population is expanding. If that is proven during the summer survey, then Fish & Game will increase our quotas in the fall. I believe now the red king crab and snow crab (opilio) are both expanding not only their range but also their biomass significantly right now. So the crab fishery looks good and plentiful for the coming season. Tonya: Hi Keith! So what’s it like working with your brother as you are both captains and have your own ideas? Keith Colburn: It's the best and the worst scenario all in one. My brother is very knowledgeable on the deck, in the wheel house, and in the engine room. So he is a jack-of-all-trades who can step in and do anything on the boat. But he's also for the last 7-8 years been captain of his own boat, and at times there are conflicts between Monte and myself on how to get things done. He's really good about stepping back and not pressing my buttons, but sometimes he does and we may have a flare up here and there. Tmac: Keith, which do u prefer - king crab or opie season and why? Keith Colburn: That's like saying which do you prefer, a rib eye or a T-bone steak. I love fishing both. King crab is different in that there are fewer crab per pot, but they weigh so much more that a half full pot of king crab is just an amazing sight. They don't hang around too long. You need to be constantly moving and checking and just fishing. You're trying to chase crab, and with king crab, you're really chasing crab. Snow crab tend to get in immense schools, so once you hit a school of them, it's an amazing sight to see pots full of snow. When the fishing is hot, it's hot. With king, you can hit a few hot pots, then it can fall right off. King crab is a lot shorter line - only two shots of line - so you're hauling gear a lot faster. But either fishery, you still have to deal with the weather, and this year the weather wasn’t very nice. Mandy: Hi Captain Keith! My question is, with the rising cost of fuel, has this affected the way you operate your boat? Are you more "fuel conscious"? Do you try to conserve as much fuel as possible? And how has the rising cost of fuel affected the fishing Industry as a whole? Thank you! Keith Colburn: Fuel costs are a nightmare. Fuel at the dock in Seattle is almost $4 a gallon now. 2 years ago, I left town and filled the boat for $2.05. It is absolutely killing us when we're going through 700-800 gallons a day. Are we changing our fishing patterns? I believe we're trying to be more frugal. I've installed a fuel-monitoring device that tells me different fuel usage at different RPM so I can maximize my fuel efficiency. The best way to not burn a lot of fuel is to find a lot of crab! It's becoming a very big issue not only for crab fishing, but for everything. Crab Guys Rule: How long do you see yourself with the fishing industry and at sea? How long do you see yourself on the show? Keith Colburn: I see myself in the industry for a lot longer than I see myself on the show. This show is different; it's something that jumped into my life and is very cool and I think the guys on board like it. It's a great way to document what I do for my family and maybe my grandkids in the future. But I'll be fishing long after “Deadliest Catch” has been turned into reruns. I'll be a fisherman for years to come, and if the fans like me on the show we'll continue to do it. 527miles SE of DH: Do you watch your own show? Keith Colburn: Yes. I watch very little TV, but I do watch “Deadliest Catch.” The main reason is I have no idea what they're going to show. They take hundreds of thousands of hours of footage, and even though I can remember most of the big events that occur during the season, I can't remember most of what I said. And I certainly can't recall a lot of the day-to-day things that happen. So watching the show is as new and fresh for me as it is for your “Deadliest Catch” fan. I watch it very nervously to see how bad I'm going to look on the next segment. Opie Bandit: How can you tell the difference between an opy and a bairdi? Keith Colburn: The big thing is bairdis have red eyes, opilio have green eyes. Bairdi has a pronounced V for their teeth, and the opilio have a flat set of teeth. Those are the primary things. There are quite a few more ways to tell, but those are the key indicators. Agacrisp: Capt Keith, my autistic 6 yr old loves you and watches the show every night it’s on. He has makeshift crab tanks, uses a measuring tape to pull in pots, and has his dad ring a bell to warn him of incoming seas. Could you please say hello to him? He is standing beside me and it would mean the world to him. His name is Aaron. Keith Colburn: Hello Aaron - Good luck! I hope your pots are full of crab. Log onto www.crabwizard.com and send me a message, and I'll send you something special. Bwest: Thanks for the great show. What is the penalty for exceeding your quota? Keith Colburn: You don't want to do that. That can be harsh. It's a very complicated process... let's just say, don't do it! Fines and penalties can run from seizure of the entire load of crab to fines of up to tens of thousands of dollars. Guitar Hero Master: Hi Keith! Super fan here! Watching the Captain's String competition, you seem seriously competitive! Do you guys ever take the game off the boat, like arm wrestling? Keith Colburn: LOL Yes, thumb wrestling, arm wrestling, nose hair pulling...pretty much anything we can come up with. And I do have a competitive streak, and I think every captain in the Bering Sea has one. Watermelon Bandit: Hi Keith, were you aware at all of how good the Time Bandit's Captain’s String was? Keith Colburn: I was aware that Jonathan was on some pretty amazing fishing at the end of the season, but I had no idea that it was one of the Captain's Strings. |
Latest page update: made by bchu
, Jun 6 2008, 1:17 PM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by bchu
view changes
- complete history)
Edited by bchu
view changes
- complete history)
Keyword tags:
keith colburn
live chat
More Info: links to this page