Jake Anderson Wiki, Bio, Age, Net Worth, Wife, Kids, Family.

If you’ve watched Deadliest Catch, you already know Jake Anderson—the fiery, determined captain with a story as wild and unpredictable as the Bering Sea itself. But behind the wheelhouse confidence is a man who’s fought hard for every step: through addiction, loss, betrayal, and high-stakes leadership. Born and raised in the fishing town of Anacortes, Washington, Jake didn’t always see himself at sea. He dreamed of becoming a professional skateboarder—until a career-ending injury set him on a collision course with addiction and homelessness.

What followed is nothing short of a transformation. Jake clawed his way back from rock bottom, found purpose in the harsh world of commercial fishing, and rose from greenhorn to co-owner and captain of a multi-million-dollar crab boat. Over the years, viewers have seen him face down mutinous crews, heartbreak at sea, and personal demons—all in front of the camera. Through it all, Jake never stopped pushing. Never stopped growing.

This is the full story of Jake Anderson: the skater, the survivor, the fisherman, and the father—told through the moments that defined him both on and off the deck.

Early Life

Jake Anderson, born as Jacob Van Martin Anderson on September 16, 1980, in Anacortes, Washington. Raised in the small coastal town of Anacortes, Jake was surrounded by the rugged lifestyle of the Pacific Northwest. His father, Keith Arthur Anderson, a U.S. Army veteran and a fourth-generation fisherman, introduced Jake to the sea at a young age. His family’s deep-rooted connection to fishing shaped his identity early on, but Jake was drawn in a different direction during his youth.

As a child in the 1990s, Jake found an intense passion for skateboarding. It became his escape, his first true love, and as he later described it, his “original drug.” He spent countless hours skating, pushing himself with discipline and creativity, and dreamed of turning professional. However, his dreams came to a halt after a devastating ankle injury. The sudden end of his skateboarding future triggered a deep personal crisis. In the emotional aftermath, Jake began to struggle with addiction to alcohol and drugs.

By his early twenties, Jake found himself homeless, battling addiction and living on the streets. He later admitted that he believed he wouldn’t survive past the age of twenty-five. Burdened with guilt and ashamed of the person he had become, he referred to himself as “the man I most feared.” The turning point came when he realized that he had to give up the life that was destroying him and return to his roots.

Career and Redemption

Drawing strength from his family’s fishing legacy, Jake started over. At seventeen, he began salmon fishing in Bristol Bay, Alaska. By the age of twenty-five, he was crab fishing in the Bering Sea. He joined the crew of the F/V Northwestern and worked under Captain Sig Hansen, gradually climbing the ranks from greenhorn to deckhand, then deck boss, and eventually earning his captain’s license. The experience at sea gave Jake structure, purpose, and redemption. His hard-earned success and personal transformation were later documented on the Discovery Channel series “Deadliest Catch.”

Personal Loss and Resilience

Jake Anderson’s journey hasn’t just been about survival at sea—it’s also included profound personal loss. In 2009, his sister, Chelsea Dawn Anderson, passed away from complications related to pneumonia at the age of 37. She had lived with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since the age of two, a condition that limited her physically and often made her a target for judgment.

Jake later shared how she was “looked at funny, and constantly taken advantage of,” but that never broke her spirit. “She didn’t care,” he wrote. “She remained happy.”

Chelsea’s strength left a lasting impression on Jake. In his words, she was “the strongest, most beautiful person in the world” who “died while kicking the world’s face in.” Her ability to find joy and resilience despite lifelong struggles deeply inspired him.

Then came another devastating blow. In January 2010, nearly a year after Chelsea’s death, Jake’s father, Keith Anderson, vanished. Jake was 1,800 miles from home, working aboard the Northwestern, when he received the call—his father’s truck had been found with blood on the seat, but Keith was missing. At the time, Jake was pushing through physical pain from a self-inflicted knife injury sustained while working.

Reflecting on that time, he wrote: “This is always a hard day for me, Dad… I hope you know you can feel safe knowing how proud you would be of all of us.”

In June 2012, Keith’s remains were found by a hiker in a remote area of Skagit County, about a mile from where his truck had been located. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death remain unsolved.

Following these events, Jake chronicled his experiences in his memoir, Relapse, which details his struggle with addiction and includes reflections on the loss of his sister and father.

Deadliest Catch

Jake Anderson has been a prominent figure on Deadliest Catch since joining the series in 2007. Starting as a greenhorn on the F/V Northwestern under Captain Sig Hansen, Jake earned his stripes through perseverance, eventually rising to deck boss in 2012 and obtaining his USCG Mate 1600-ton and Master 100-ton Captain’s licenses.

In 2015, Jake became captain and co-owner of the F/V Saga. Early in his captaincy, Jake’s leadership and authority were tested when his crew began questioning his decisions and reminiscing about the previous captain, Elliott Neese.

In a widely viewed moment shared by Discovery, Jake addressed the crew directly: “What they’ve said is they’d rather have a junkie running the boat than me.”

In a tense meeting, he asserted his role:

“This boat is mine right now… I’m the captain.” The confrontation marked a turning point in asserting control.

In another notable leadership challenge, Jake dealt with two returning crew members—Jamie Smith and Kenny Jensen—who showed up hours late and under the influence of alcohol. Jake ordered alcohol test strips and firmly told them,

“You compromised my sobriety by drinking around me like this… I’m an alcoholic myself.”

Despite his anger, he gave them a second chance, instructing them to retest at 5 PM to determine if they’d be allowed to work. After the incident, he asked the remaining crew, “Did I handle it okay?”—a moment that reflected his vulnerability as a leader navigating both professional expectations and personal recovery.

Over nearly a decade, he invested not just his time but also his personal finances, including his children’s college funds, into the vessel. However, in the lead-up to the 2023–2024 red king crab season, Jake received a call from his business partner warning that the Saga was running out of money.

This situation came to a head in the opening moments of Season 20, Episode 1. Arriving at the dock, Jake discovered the Saga locked and chained, with a repossession notice posted on the door. Shocked and left in the dark about the boat’s financial downfall, Jake called his contacts to try to piece together what went wrong. After 17 years in the industry—rising from greenhorn on the Northwestern to co-owner of his own boat—he now faced the prospect of losing everything.

Despite this setback, Jake quickly pivoted. Within the same episode, he accepted a role captaining the F/V Titan Explorer. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in his fishing career—no longer as an owner, but as a hired gun fighting to rebuild his legacy.

By Episode 3, Jake officially took command of the 125-foot F/V Titan Explorer. The vessel was a significant upgrade in speed and capability, but it also came with new pressures. Now operating without ownership and under close scrutiny, Jake saw this as a reset point in his career. The episode captured his reflections on everything he had overcome:

“I fought so long, so hard… my entire career. From deckhand, deck boss, engineer, captain, owner… I’ve done it all.” “I fought so long, so hard… my entire career. From deckhand, deck boss, engineer, captain, owner… I’ve done it all,” he said.

Now without ownership, he felt the pressure to prove himself all over again: “I’m just a hired gun. I can get fired at any moment.”

By Episode 12, Jake had completed a successful red king crab season and shifted focus to the highly competitive western bairdi fishery. With prices spiking to $7 per pound and pressure from new boats, Jake was shown using creative—but controversial—strategies to stake his claim. In a memorable encounter, he set up a makeshift floating “fence” of gear near Sig Hansen’s grounds. The move sparked tension and retaliation from Sig’s crew, who discovered Jake’s line in the water and laced their own pot through his setup.

In a surprising twist, Jake accidentally snagged his own line in his propeller. He later admitted to Sig over the radio, “I thought I was going to get you with that one—not myself.” Their exchange ended with mutual respect and a lighthearted reminder that the Bering Sea is as much about mind games as muscle. “You taught me a valuable lesson,” Jake admitted.

Jake’s recent seasons have also brought personal tragedy into sharp focus. In one of the most emotional scenes of Season 20, Jake received a phone call informing him that his best friend and longtime Saga engineer, Tom Brossard, had died unexpectedly from a heart attack. Jake was devastated. “Tom was my best friend,” he said. “Him and I rebuilt the Saga. We rebuilt the bow, we rebuilt the stern, we rebuilt the bathroom, we rebuilt the floors.” He added, “He taught all of us how to weld and fit—and he’s one of the best cutters in Washington state.” The moment captured Jake’s vulnerability and grief, but also his resolve to carry on in Tom’s memory.

Despite the heartbreak, Jake’s adaptability, risk-taking, and continued evolution in a fishery known for brutal conditions have remained constant. He has also appeared in series spin-offs like The Bait, Inside the Catch, and The Viking Returns, sharing deeper insight into the physical and mental toll of the job. In The Viking Returns Season 1, Episode 2, Jake was shown independently piloting a 193-foot Norwegian vessel while pursuing a potential new fishery. As he took command, he admitted, “Feels like the first time running a boat again.” Jake revealed that Mandy Hansen had offered him a 10% stake in the business, and while he welcomed the opportunity, he clarified his mission: “I’ll take whatever troll I can get, but I’m telling you right now—I’m here to hunt Reds.”

The episode also highlighted his emotional bond with Sig Hansen, whom Jake described as “a mentor, a captain, a father since I was 25.” As Sig stepped away to explore opportunities onshore, Jake stayed behind to run the vessel, stepping into greater responsibility while signaling a new phase in his career. It was a defining moment that underscored both trust and growth as Jake moved from mentee to leader within a multigenerational fishing legacy.

As of 2025, Jake Anderson remains a central figure on Deadliest Catch—not only as a seasoned fisherman, but as a story of resilience, humor, and earned leadership in one of the world’s toughest professions.

Net Worth – How Rich is Jake Anderson?

Jake Anderson’s path to financial stability is closely tied to his career at sea. As the captain and co-owner of the F/V Saga on Deadliest Catch, Jake has earned steady income and recognition across multiple seasons. His role not only highlights his capabilities as a crab fisherman but also reflects his persistence through professional and personal challenges.

Off the deck, Jake authored a memoir titled Relapse, released on April 4, 2014. The book candidly recounts his experiences with addiction, personal loss, and the ways in which the ocean helped him rebuild.

Outside the fishing industry, Jake stays connected to his passion for skateboarding. He launched his own line of skateboarding shoes, turning a personal interest into a practical business venture.

Factoring in his earnings from television, book sales, merchandise, and commercial fishing, Jake Anderson’s estimated net worth is around $2.5 million as of 2025.

Wife and Kids

Jake Anderson met Jenna Patterson at a festival in Seattle back in 2009—and that chance meeting turned into something pretty special. The two hit it off right away, and a few years later, on May 12, 2012, they got married. Their wedding was a beautiful outdoor ceremony by the water, with sailboats in the background and the Seattle skyline in full view. Jenna wore a strapless white gown with a ruched bodice and flowing train, and Jake showed up in a sharp dark suit.

Not long after, Jake and Jenna started their own family. Their first son, Aiden Benn Arthur Anderson, was born in January 2015. Then came Cadence in June 2017, and their youngest, Luka, joined the crew in March 2020.

If you scroll through their social media, you’ll find glimpses of their life together—family vacations, holidays, and silly moments with the kids. But behind the smiles are some tough chapters too. Jake has been open about his struggles with addiction, and he’s also had to cope with the loss of his sister and the mysterious disappearance of his father. Through it all, Jenna has been by his side, and together they’ve weathered every storm.

In a heartfelt anniversary post from May 2020, Jake gave a peek into the whirlwind that was their wedding week:

“8 years ago today was one of the best days of my life!” he wrote. “I landed in Seattle from AK. On Wednesday, Bachelor party Thursday, I was married to this beautiful woman Saturday at 12pm, flew to AK. 6 am Sunday, and back in the ice on Tuesday.”

It pretty much sums up their life—fast-paced, unpredictable, but grounded in love.

As of recent public updates, Jake and Jenna live in Seattle and continue to raise their three sons—Aiden, Cadence, and Luka. Their social media activity reflects a focus on family routines, shared outings, and time spent together at home.

Public Appearances

Over the years Jake has been seen attending several events including making appeareances for the promotion of Deadliest Catch. Here are some of them:

• Jake Anderson was seen signing copies of his book Relapse at Barnes & Noble bookstore at The Grove on April 29, 2014, in Los Angeles, California.
• Jake Anderson attended Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch” Season 15 Premiere Event at The Paley Center for Media on April 09, 2019, in Beverly Hills, California.
• He also attended Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch” Season 14 Premiere Event at The Space Needle on April 03, 2018, in Seattle, Washington.
• Jake was also attending Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch” Season 13 Premiere Event at Gallery I at Spring Studios on March 29, 2017, in New York City.
• Jake Anderson spoke at the 2016 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market at Salt Palace Convention Center on January 8, 2016, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Wiki/bio Facts:

Full name	Jacob Van Martin Anderson
Age	44 years old
Date of Birth	September 16, 1980
Place of Birth	Anacortes, Washington, United States
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	Caucasian
Eye Color	Greenish Blue
Hair Color	Brown
Gender	Male
Sexuality	Straight
Height	N/A
Education	N/A
Career	Television Personality, Commercial Fisherman, Captain
Net Worth	$2.5 M
Marital Status	Married
Wife	Jenna Anderson (m. 2012-present)
Children	Aiden Benn Arthur Anderson, Cadence Anderson, Luke Anderson
Father	Keith Arthur Anderson
Mother	Donna Anderson
Siblings	5
Sister	Chelsea Dawn Anderson
Zodiac	Virgo
Social Media	Facebook, Instagram, Twitter