'Deadliest Catch' Captain Busted for Bad Pot ... Of the Crab Variety

"Deadliest Catch" captain Sean Dwyer was in hot water after officials discovered his crab fishing gear wasn't up to par ... TMZ has learned.

According to court docs ... Alaska's Fish & Game officials busted Dwyer for having a crab pot on the F/V Brenna A with an undersized escape mechanism. For you landlubbers -- crab pots must have an 18" hatch held closed by biodegradable ties. It's designed to give crabs a chance to escape pots that get lost at sea.

We're told Dwyer's escape hole missed the mark by 3 inches. The fix only required one snip of twine, but it still cost him $1,500 in fines, and now he's on probation for 2 years.

Gotta mind your holes up in Alaska.

Capt. Sig Hansen Doctors Told Me No Cigs or Sex ... 1 Out of 2 Ain't Bad!

SIG ON TMZ LIVE
TMZ.com

"Deadliest Catch" star Captain Sig Hansen is calling it quits after suffering a heart attack -- that's right, no more cigarettes ... or at least, fewer of them.

The famous crabber came on "TMZ Live" to talk about his recovery from that heart attack he suffered last week while at sea. Sig says it was a huge wake up call and he's seriously trying to quit his smoking habit.

Cameras were rolling when Sig fell unconscious and we're told it will be part of the show's 12th season which starts later this month on Discovery.

But watch the clip ... he's not so down to cut sex out of his life -- as doctors recommended, temporarily. You gotta see why Sig's even got beef with the little blue pills docs slipped him.

Sig Hansen Collapses at Sea Airlifted to Hospital

4:00 PM PT -- Reps for Sig confirm he suffered a heart attack ... and is currently resting up.

Captain Sig Hansen narrowly dodged a true "Deadliest Catch" moment when he fell unconscious on the deck while fishing for crab.

Sources close to production tell TMZ ... Sig and the crew of the F/V Northwestern were at sea, with cameras rolling, when the captain briefly passed out. We're told Sig brushed it off when he came to, and wanted to keep fishing.

The production crew insisted he get medical attention, and he was airlifted to a nearby hospital.

His daughter posted a pic of him smiling in his hospital room. The family thinks he suffered a heart attack, but doctors are still running tests.

'Deadliest Catch' Star Died from Heart Attack ... In His Sleep

"Deadliest Catch" star Tony Lara didn't suffer when he died ... authorities believe he suffered a heart attack in his sleep.

Meade County Sheriff, Ron Merwin, tells TMZ ... the pathologist who performed the autopsy observed scar tissue on Lara's heart, which is consistent with the effects of a heart attack.

Merwin says they'll know for sure when the toxicology report comes back, but there were no signs drugs or alcohol played a role. We're told Lara's body is being transferred back to his hometown in Alaska.

He was found dead Saturday morning at a home in Sturgis, South Dakota where he was attending the famous motorcycle rally.

'Deadliest Catch' Star Tony Lara Dead at 50

Tony Lara -- who appeared on the hit discovery show "Deadliest Catch" -- died in his sleep Saturday. He was 50.

Lara was found early Saturday morning at a private residence in Sturgis, South Dakota. So far, authorities have no cause of death, pending autopsy results.

Lara was a crabbing catcher who appeared on "Deadliest Catch" to help Josh Harris out as captain of the Cornelia Marie after Capt. Phil Harris died.

'Deadliest Catch' Star Sig Hansen The King Of Norway Has Crabs Because Of Me

The King of Norway met with a Norwegian guy even more famous than him .... "Deadliest Catch" star Sig Hansen.

King Harald V of Norway came face to face with Captain Hansen in a Seattle fishing village, where Sig graciously presented His Majesty with a tray full of, what else, king crabs.

The King got a VIP tour of The Northwestern, the famous Norwegian vessel.

There's a strong connection between the King and the Captain. Sig grew up in Seattle where there's a big Norwegian presence. Sig's dad, who is Norwegian, taught his son the fishing ropes at 14.

Skal!

Jameis Winston Mocked Crab Leg Arrest for Charity ... Says 'Deadliest Catch' Star

HE'S A CLASS ACT
TMZSports.com

He knew he'd be a punch line ... but convicted crab thief Jameis Winston consciously decided to subject himself to crustacean mockery during a recent celeb event to help out a charity ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We spoke with "Deadliest Catch" star Capt. Keith Colburn -- who was at the Mike Alstott Family Foundation celebrity outdoor weekend with Jameis ... and he told us how it all went down.

"I had a giant king crab we were auctioning off," Colburn says ... when Jameis suggested that he should make a public spectacle out of the situation because he knew it would be "good press" for the foundation.

"He thought it was a gag, man!"

Colburn says Jameis couldn't have been a better sport -- and says, "He's an amazing kid."

Hey, if he could take a roasting from Kevin Hart ... he's gotta have thick skin, right?

'Deadliest Catch' Star Busted for Bad Case of the Crabs

"Deadliest Catch" star Elliott Neese isn't happy with his latest catch -- the salty captain just caught a stiff fine for hauling in undersized crabs.

We found out Neese was busted back in November at Dutch Harbor after Alaskan officials sampled his ship's cargo -- highly valuable red king crab -- and pulled 13 undersized "bugs." That's a rookie mistake and huge no-no, especially when you catch professionally on TV.

Elliott pled guilty and the fine was slashed from $6,000 to $3K.

'Deadliest Catch' Captain Masturbation Is a High Seas Sedative

"Wild" Bill Wichrowski has the cure for insomnia in the open waters ... a little self-gratification.

It's unclear why our photog and the "Deadliest Catch" captain were obsessed with talking about masturbation ... but they had quite the revealing chat about "relieving yourself" on a boat.

Wichrowski went on about the preferred locations for a little one-on-one, as well as how a quick session can help the guys fall asleep on the high sea.

Whatever happened to just counting sheep? Then again, sheep are a whole different ballgame.

'Deadliest Catch' Star No Viagra Needed ... Being at Sea Makes Me Horny Enough

Josh Harris from "Deadliest Catch" is unimpressed with the new dessert breakthrough -- Viagra ice cream -- because he says the last thing his libido needs after a fishing trip ... is a boost.

In other words ... batten down your hatches when Josh pulls into port, ladies!

'Deadliest Catch' Star Rubber Jungle Fever With Big, Black Sex Doll

It's your typical love story ...

Man walks into a bar ...

Man orders a beer ...

Man has simulated sex with a big, black inflatable woman ...

And it all happened to "Deadliest Catch" star Scott Campbell, Jr. -- who hit up a bowling alley in Kodiak, Alaska a few weeks ago when a bachelor party rolled in ... sex doll in tow.

So ... naturally ... Scott pretended to have sex with it.

We're told everyone had a blast -- including the doll.

(We hear she's kind of a whore)

'Deadliest Catch' Star Accused of Textual Harassment

"Deadliest Catch" star Elliott Neese is an unstable ticking time bomb waiting to explode ... so says his baby mama who just got a restraining order against the reality star.

According to court docs filed in Alaska obtained by TMZ, Neese -- the captain of the F/V Ramblin' Rose -- has been on bad terms with his baby mama Valerie Gunderson for a while ... and now she believes there are signs he could "snap" on her at any moment.

One of the BIGGEST signs, Valerie alleges ... is that Elliott has been drinking, possibly using drugs and harassing her through the phone.

In fact, Valerie claims on Feb 13 ... Elliott called her 38 TIMES and sent 15 texts her way in less than an hour ... when she refused to talk to him. One month before that, Valerie claims he called her 54 TIMES in one night.

Valerie claims Elliott also called her mother and told her, "If I can't have [Valerie] nobody can."

Valerie claims Elliott has a history of domestic violence -- smashing her belongings in 2010 and attacking her in 2006 -- and she doesn't want to be a victim again.

The judge felt Valerie's fears are legit -- and has issued a temporary restraining order against Neese ... banning him from calling Valerie or contacting her in any way.

We attempted to contact Elliott for comment ... but we're told he's currently out fishing and could not be reached.

'Deadliest Catch' Star Accused of Bathroom Beatdown

The badass Samoan guy on "Deadliest Catch" is in trouble for allegedly squeezin' one out in a men's room in Alaska ... as in, he's been accused of putting some guy in a serious headlock.

TMZ has learned ... Feleti "Freddy" Maugatai has been charged with misdemeanor assault over a violent altercation at the Grand Aleutian Hotel in Alaska on December 16.

According to the criminal complaint obtained by TMZ ... a female witness claims the Discovery Channel reality star got into a fight with her husband ... and it spilled over into the restroom.

When the woman went to check on the situation, she claims she observed that Freddy had her husband in a headlock.

The woman claims she tried to free her hubby, but Freddy grabbed her by the arm and "forcefully" pushed her across the restroom.

When cops arrived to the scene, police say they observed the woman had bruising and swelling on her arm.

According to the complaint, Freddy told police he didn't start the fight ... but was merely defending himself after the other man punched him in the face. Freddy says he "did not touch Katz."

A few days later, a judge ordered Freddy to stay away from the woman, her husband and the hotel. He's due back in court later this month.

TMZ attempted to reach Freddy for comment -- but he's currently working on the F/V Wizard crab boat in Alaska. A rep for Discovery had no comment.

'Deadliest Catch' Emergency Call CREWMEMBER DOWN!

TMZ has obtained the emergency radio call made moments after a member of the "Deadliest Catch" fishing crew collapsed while at sea Tuesday -- and according to the caller, the man showed "signs of shock and possible convulsions."

During the transmission, the caller says the unidentified crew member is "barely coherent" -- and probably suffering from severe dehydration.

The crew member in question -- who we're told was a novice crab fisherman AKA a "greenhorn" -- was airlifted to a nearby hospital in Alaska for treatment.

Sources tell TMZ, he's doing a lot better now -- and a rep for Discovery adds they are "thankful to the Coast Guard and F/V Wizard crew members for their fast action and coordination."

'Deadliest Catch' Captain ATTACKS Cameraman

"Deadliest Catch" captain Keith Colburn lashed out in a FEROCIOUS expletive-filled attack on one of the boat's cameramen recently -- bum-rushing the guy into a wall -- and it was all caught on tape.

Keith lost his temper after the photog in question -- named Brad Carper -- called up to the wheelhouse looking for one of the show's producers, interrupting Keith at exactly the wrong time.

Keith snapped.

The fight, which airs next Tuesday on Discovery, went down a couple months ago -- near the end of opilio crab fishing season -- and sources connected with the show tell TMZ, Keith was extremely stressed at the time ... and his fuse was real short. No kidding.

But it's all water under the bridge now -- according to sources, Keith and Brad are back on good terms and all is well. No hard feelings.

'Deadliest Catch' -- New Captain, MAJOR Tension

The guy who took over for Captain Phil Harris on "Deadliest Catch" could really use some sensitivity training ... because dude used Phil's death to rip a crew member ... in front of Phil's TWO SONS.

TMZ has obtained a clip from the upcoming season of "D.C." ... in which Derrick Ray -- the new skipper of the F/V Cornelia Marie -- gets into a serious verbal spat with engineer Steve Ward.

During the fight, Phil's son Jake pleads for the two to make up ... and that's when Ray heartlessly snaps and says,"Phil's not here, he's f**king dead, okay?"

To make things worse ... Phil's other son Josh is also in earshot.

The new season kicks off April 12.

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