wkcrew

When Keith was 22 years old he hopped on a plane with his best friend, Kurt Frankenburg, and landed in Kodiak, Alaska. They had no experience, a tent, and only $50 in their pocket! Keith wanted to try something new and exciting so he started as a greenhorn on the 135 foot crabber/tender, Alaska Trader. Keith loved the fishing lifestyle and comradeship that went with working as a crew member and against the outdoor elements. At first he was only looking for adventure, but then he unexpectedly discovered a career in Alaska's unknown waters. In 1988 he became a full share deck hand on the Wizard, and in 1990 he earned his USCG 1600 ton Mates license and moved from the deck to the pilot house. In 1992, he received his 1600 ton Masters (Captain) license and has remained there as the skipper.

In 1987, Monte joined his brother in Alaska and began fishing after arriving on St Paul Island in the dead of winter, onboard the 110’ F/V Juno, a partner vessel to the Alaska Trader. His first year in Alaska was a marathon working over 10 months before coming home. In 1988, he joined Keith on the F/V Wizard as a full share deck hand. When Keith took over in the wheelhouse, Monte became deck boss. Monte earned his USCG Mates license in 1992 and upgraded to a Masters 1600 ton in 1995. From 1992-1995, Keith and Monte operated as relief Captain and First Mate. In 1995, Keith and Monte began operating the Wizard full time together as Captain, and Relief Captain/Mate. Today, Monte is First Mate for Keith, and Captain when Keith heads south.

Gary has lived most of his life near the ocean. He moved to Alaska as a boy and began fishing early in life. Known as "Soper" on board the Wizard, Gary is a full time professional crabber, and currently serves as deck boss and First Mate. Gary holds a USCG Master License. Gary has been with the boat for over 20 years, during which he worked as a deck hand alongside both Keith and Monte. He is the guy who runs the deck and drives the boat at night when the Wizard operates round the clock. He also maintains and manages both the deck and the gear (crab pots). To Keith, Soper is the driving component to the success of the Wizard. He has helped build the business with unwavering dedication. As a long-time crew member and friend, Gary is part of the heart and soul of the Wizard.

Lenny was born and raised in Unalaska, Alaska (Dutch Harbor). Lenny is a Native American Russian Aleut, whose family has deep roots on the island of Unalaska going back over a century. The Aleut culture has a rich and diverse history of fishing on the Aleutian chain, and Lenny’s family to this day maintains their heritage by smoking and drying Salmon every year. Lenny has made his living fishing the waters of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands for over 25 years. Lenny joined the Wizard crew after a previous vessel that he crewed on exited the fishery with the sale of it’s fishing history into the federal Buyback program. Lenny is in charge of all the maintenance and up-keep of all the ships systems from the engine room to the forepeak, as well as working as a deck hand full time onboard the Wizard.

Frustrations with the IFQ program lead to an unsettled departure from the Wizard in 2006. Travis is back onboard the Wizard for the opilio, and tanner seasons after a year and a half hiatus from fishing. Having worked for both Monte onboard the F/V Norseman, and with the Wizard crew, Travis is a full share crewman, good all around deckhand and ship mate. Travis’ good nature, free spirit, and outgoing personality are all positive attributes and welcomed back onboard. A consummate bachelor, Travis was born and raised in Lynden, Washington. He is currently building a home in Kona, Hawaii.

Crosby came to Alaska in June 2001 to start his fishing career in South Naknek (Bristol Bay). In his own words, “I came to Alaska to see what fishing was about. My biggest concern was that I was afraid I would be eaten by bears”! Back for his second year on the Wizard, and stepping into the full share role vacated by Art. Crosby was still pretty green at the start of the 2006 red king crab season and had only one derby crab season under his belt. However, his fishing experience gained in other fisheries has him on the fast track to being a full share hand in the Bering Sea. He started fishing Bristol Bay salmon, and gained his first command in 2006. His debut as a Captain on the 32” gill netter the F/V Claude M Bristol was filmed in a National Geographic documentary Cowboys of the Sea.

Lynn, resides in Olympia, WA. where he graduated from Thurston High School in 2004. Lynn’s father, Marty, fished in the 1970’s during the king crab heyday. The stories his dad told him over the years sparked an interest in giving the Bering Sea a shot. Lynn has been working the summer months out of Dutch Harbor since he was 14 years old. The 2007 king crab season will be Lynn’s first job during the winter months onboard a big boat in the Bering Sea. Lenny Lekanoff is a family friend and recommended him for the job on the Wizard. As if being a green horn in the Bering Sea isn’t enough, Lynn has the added pressure of worrying about letting his family and friend down. Lenny’s not about to let that happen. Having been trained the old school way, Lenny and the Wizard crew aren’t about to cut any slack to the two new guys. In Lenny’s words with respect to Lynn, “ If the kid’s going to crack, I’m going to be the one to do it.”

Cooper Weatherby, the Wizard's latest greenhorn, starts his fishing career on Deadliest Catch in 2008. After a successful first season, he's definitely headed back to the Bering Sea next year. He admits it's "kind of addicting." When he's not at sea, he fights fires in Lake Tahoe during the summer and builds custom log homes. He also enjoys rock climbing, mountaineering and hiking. Cooper plans to return to school for a degree in Architecture at the University of Oregon. Originally from Eugene, Oregon, he currently lives in Lake Tahoe, Calif.