Plot Synopsis

This series -- titled WICKED TUNA: NORTH VS. SOUTH for Season 1 and WICKED TUNA: OUTER BANKS for subsequent seasons -- pits Gloucester's finest against the best Southern fishermen, as they fish for bluefin tuna near the Outer Banks of North Carolina. When it comes to commercial fishing in the Outer Banks, there's no such thing as Southern hospitality, and the captains from both Gloucester and the Outer Banks are in for a wild ride as they fight extremely rough seas, high winds and erratic currents in a race to catch fish before the government catch quota is met. Season 1 opens with WICKED TUNA's Captain Dave Marciano (Hard Merchandise), Captain TJ Ott (Hot Tuna), and Captain Tyler McLaughlin (Pin Wheel) traveling south into the waters of the Outer Banks, NC, to salvage their losses after a disappointing North Atlantic bluefin tuna season. In order to profit, the Northern captains have to overcome new fishing techniques, traverse unfamiliar waters, and battle the toughest competitors in the North Carolina waters. Marciano, Ott and McLaughlin face off against top captain Greg Mayer of the Fishin' Frenzy, the Meredith brothers of the Wahoo, and Captain Britton Shackelford of the Doghouse. In order to succeed, the Gloucester rod-and-reel veterans will need to master a different method of fishing -- greensticking, in which artificial squid are trolled from a 30-foot fiberglass pole in order to entice bluefin swimming near the surface -- during a season that only lasts a limited time with highly restricted government catch quota. Plus, the weather in the Outer Banks is notoriously unpredictable, so the New England captains must be ready for extremely rough seas, high winds and erratic currents -- not to mention the notorious Oregon Inlet, nicknamed "The Graveyard of the Atlantic," which is the main gateway to the open ocean.

On Sunday, July 19, 2015 at 9pm ET/PT on Nat Geo, this series returned for its second season with a new title, WICKED TUNA: OUTER BANKS. When the season opens, the captains battle it out to make the season's first catch. Captain Charlie 'Griff' Griffin may be new to the competition, but he's a legend in these waters. Griff fishes alongside his son and, despite the competition, he forms a friendship with Gloucester captain Dave Marciano of the Hard Merchandise. Griff offers to help Marciano navigate the treacherous currents that run through Oregon Inlet as boats pass under Bonner Bridge. It's a dangerous gamble -- if they make it through they'll reach the fishing grounds, but one wrong move could end both their seasons.

Season 3 of WICKED TUNA: OUTER BANKS premiered on Monday, July 25, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT on Nat Geo, including fan favorite Captain Dave Marciano of the Hard Merchandise, hot-headed Captain Tyler McLaughlin of the Pinwheel and Captain TJ Ott of the Hot Tuna. The Gloucester captains will fish against four highly skilled Carolina fishermen: Captain Greg Mayer, two-time champion and captain of the Fishin' Frenzy; Captain Britton Shackelford of the Doghouse; Captain Charlie Griffin of the Reels of Fortune; and newcomer Captain Dale Lisi of the Foolish Pleasures, who is determined to take the title away from Mayer. As the bluefin season takes off, the treacherous waters of the Outer Banks claim another victim, and the Fishin' Frenzy and Hot Tuna are first on the scene. Then, the unpredictable waters continue to cause problems for boats in their battle for bluefin tuna in the Outer Banks. Captain Britton Shackelford is in for the fight of his life as a family member deals with health concerns. Captain Greg Mayer is in a familiar place on top of the leaderboard and Captain Dale Lisi sets out early to try to catch up. The captains feel the pressure as the fishing season starts to slowly slip away from them.

The fourth season of WICKED TUNA: OUTER BANKS premiered on Sunday, July 30, 2017 at 10pm ET/PT on Nat Geo Channel, which opens shortly after the events captured in the WICKED TUNA Season 6 finale, which saw Captain Tyler McLaughlin (@PinWheelFV) of the Pinwheel losing the top spot on the leaderboard by just $19. Bolstered by his success in Gloucester, McLaughlin has invested in a new, larger boat and is determined to make his mark in the Outer Banks this year. Meanwhile, after bowing out of some fishing trips due to weather, Captain TJ Ott (@tjHOTTUNA) of the Hot Tuna has developed a reputation for not fishing as hard as his competitors. Ott arrives in the Outer Banks with a fervent need to prove himself and is ready to finally break out of the middle of the pack. McLaughlin and Ott will face some tough competition from experienced local fishermen, most notably Captain Greg Mayer (@FishinFrenzy) of the Fishin' Frenzy, who has claimed the top spot on the Outer Banks leaderboard for the past three seasons. Mayer is confident he can lead the fleet again, but the other captains are determined to best him. Captain Dale Lisi of the Foolish Pleasures, disappointed by last year's third-place finish, knows that he has what it takes to beat Mayer and will fish as hard as necessary to be the top-earning boat this year. Captain Britton Shackelford (@DoghouseFVOBX) of the Doghouse went toe to toe with the others last season, all while helping his daughter cope with a cancer diagnosis. Now, with his daughter in remission, Shackelford is fishing with a newfound sense of purpose. And Captain Charlie Griffin of the Reels of Fortune is trying to shake off his bad luck from last season and bring home some big paychecks this year. Though considered by many to be the nicest guy in the fleet, Griffin will stop at nothing to take home the title. Newcomer Captain Nick Gowitzka -- Mayer's former first mate -- joins the fleet this year at the helm of his own boat, the Little Shell. Knowing firsthand what it takes to be the best, Gowitzka wants to make a name for himself in his inaugural season, while ensuring he and his crew are able to bring home paychecks to help support their young families.

Season 5 of WICKED TUNA: OUTER BANKS premiered on Sunday, July 1, 2018 at 9pm ET/PT on National Geographic Channel, immediately following a brand-new special. The night opens with a new special (8pm), "Rewind," which revisits Season 4, as each captain fought to dominate the leaderboard. Then, in the 90-minute season opener, "Battle Lines," it's opening day of the bluefin season, and a reduced quota puts pressure on the captains. The Little Shell has some difficulty while trying to catch a fish on the first day of the season. Plus, Angelica Fisheries got a new boat: The Falcon.

On Sunday, June 23, 2019 at 9pm ET/PT, Nat Geo Channel premiered the sixth season of WICKED TUNA: OUTER BANKS, immediately following a new one-hour special (8pm). This season, captains Marciano, McLaughlin and Ott once again head south, where they meet four new Southern boats. Returning to the Southern fleet after a five-year absence is Reed Meredith, the famously no-nonsense captain from the first season of OUTER BANKS, who is back with a powerful new boat, the Kahuna, and his fun-loving brother Banks by his side. Both men are determined to bring home big paychecks for their families, and since the Kahuna enjoyed its best commercial season ever last year, they're confident that they will be the boat to beat. New to the series are the Rasta Rocket, Offshore Outlaw and Reel e Bugging. Rasta Rocket's fresh-faced 27-year-old captain, Zack Shackleton, knows his 28-foot 2000 Contender isn't much to look at -- but while the other boats laugh, the Rasta gets busy keeping pace with those over twice its size. Offshore Outlaw's captain, Adam Price, has been fishing for bluefin every season for over 20 years, and even though his 1969 boat is one of the slowest in the fleet, he's determined to prove his worth after losing his home to a fire two years ago. Reel e Bugging's captain, Robert "Bobby" Earl, is a former Wall Street hotshot who traded tailored suits for rods and reels when the stock market crashed in 2008. A Queens native with a big, boisterous personality and a tendency to trash-talk with every catch, Earl's 53-foot 1970 Hatteras Sportfisher is the biggest boat in the fleet. But bragging doesn't equal bluefin. Will Earl finish first among his rivals?

WICKED TUNA: OUTER BANKS returned for its seventh season on Sunday, June 28, 2020 from 8:30-10pm ET/PT, immediately following a one-hour special (7:30pm). In the season opener, "Clash of the Titans," all-star captains go head-to-head when bluefin season opens in the Outer Banks. Captain Greg Mayer of the Fishin' Frenzy returns after a one-year hiatus, and he competes against his former first mate, Nick Gowitzka, who now captains his own boat, Little Shell. Plus, Captain Dave Carraro of FV-Tuna.com competes in the Outer Banks for the first time. Other captains in Season 7 include: Bobby Earl (Reel E' Bugging), T.J. Ott (Hot Tuna), Tyler McLaughlin (Pin Wheel), and Zack Shackleton (Rasta Rocket).

Season 8 of WICKED TUNA: OUTER BANKS premiered on Sunday, July 18, 2021 from 7:30-9pm ET/PT on National Geographic Channel. This season, they face the most treacherous weather in the series' history, and captains must work together to catch the elusive bluefin off the coast of North Carolina. In the 90-minute season opener, "Danger Lurks," the Southern fleet of bluefin fisherman face one of their most dangerous seasons ever.
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The ninth season of the series, titled WICKED TUNA: OUTER BANKS SHOWDOWN, debuted on Sunday, July 17, 2022 with back-to-back episodes from 9-11pm ET/PT on National Geographic Channel. After a yearlong hiatus, the top captains from Gloucester, Massachusetts, have returned to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to battle it out against the best bluefin tuna fishermen in the South. Fan favorites and former WICKED TUNA champions Dave Carraro, TJ Ott and Tyler Mclaughlin arrive ready to take on Captains Greg Mayer, Bobby Earl and Nick Gowitzka, but the time away from the dangerous waters of the Outer Banks has put the Gloucester fleet at a disadvantage. To succeed in these waters, they'll have to compete against Mother Nature, a tight quota, and a Southern fleet that will do whatever it takes to win.