Deadliest Catch on the Discovery Network features the gritty lives of the crab fishermen out at the Bering sea during the Alaskan King crab, snow crab, and bairdi crab fishing seasons. This adventurous show is also one of the most popular of its kind on television. 

Naturally, the show's star fishermen, including Freddy Maugatai and Elliot Neese, have garnered a niche fandom of their own. 

What Happened to Elliot from 'Deadliest Catch?'

Neese had been one of the most sought-after captains on the show right up until he left the series in season 11 back in 2015. Sadly, the father of two's fame was not built on his merits, as he was often the on-screen villain on the show. 

In 2015, the captain left his fishing vessel Saga to his first mate Jeff Folk and stepped out of the show. Soon after, he let his fans know via a tweet that he was off to a 60-day rehabilitation program for his substance abuse problem.

The intervention kept him sober for a couple of years, but sometime in late 2016 or early 2017, he relapsed. He reached out to his fans on Instagram and celebrated 90 days of sobriety in February 2017. 

By that time, he had put on around 20 pounds with regular workouts and a healthier lifestyle. 

Since Neese is not a fan of living the loud life on his socials, it has been that much easier for the fisherman to keep a low profile in the public eye.

From whatever else is available, he seems to be enjoying life in the company of his friends, children, and rabbits. 

What Happened to Freddy on 'Deadliest Catch?'

Much like Neese, Maugatai made a name for himself on the show for being a hothead. 

Maugatai originally started off on the Cornelia Marie and moved to the Time Bandit before he joined the crew of FV Wizard. Although the rest of the crew from the FV Wizard came back to Deadliest Catch, there were no signs of Freddy onboard. 

Despite his absence from the show, his socials indicated that the fisherman had found his way back to the sea.

Freddy Maudatai with the F/V Cornelia Marie Family

Freddy Maudatai with the F/V Cornelia Marie family (Source: Facebook)

As reported by The Cinemaholic, Maugatai was employed under Captain Jorge, who operated a vessel called the Polar Sea off of the Dutch Harbor in Alaska. In fact, he headed back to the sea right after Christmas in 2019. 

Although he got injured in that particular fishing trip, it turned out to be the best cob season ever, with a record catch of 1.1 million pounds. 

On March 3, 2020, the celebrity fisherman informed his fans that his mother had recently passed away. Although he was grieving, too, he made a promise that he would try to be strong for the rest of the family. 

He has since found his way back onto the FV Wizard and back onto the show as well. 

According to his bio page on Discovery's website, he was called back on board after Captain Keith Colbum realized that he needed Maugatai's expertise if he was to fish during opies.