Image Credit: Todd Stanley/Discovery
In preparation for the new season of Deadliest Catch that begins April 12 on Discovery, EW went on board the Cornelia Marie to talk exclusively to Derrick Ray, a longtime friend of the late Phil Harris who agreed to skipper the boat for the show’s seventh season. Now that Josh and Jake Harris have incurred debt by assuming part ownership of the boat (Washington-based Cornelia Marie Devlin owns the rest), the young men and Ray have decided to go after the elusive but incredibly lucrative blue crab found off remote St. Matthews Island.
EW Are blue crabs hard to get?
Derrick Ray My pat answer to everybody on that is I’ve had an illustrious Bering Sea crab career. I’ve been running boats out here since I was 23 years old. I’m the best of the best, and I’m not going to fail in 172 countries on cable TV, and reruns for 20 years. I will guarantee you that. We will catch those crab. There’s lots of room, lots of places to look. If I had a nickel for every time I heard somebody say, `Sig Hansen didn’t catch them last year,’ I’d be a frickin’ millionaire and I wouldn’t have to go do this.
EW They’re saying Sig didn’t get them?
Ray Exactly. It’s a bunch of bullsh–. Sig wouldn’t catch a pimple on my ass when it comes to being a fisherman. Okay? I’ve been retired for five f—ing years, but, I’m still one of the best out here.
EW You certainly don’t lack in confidence.
Ray I don’t lack confidence, I am an arrogant ass. But I’m also a very humble man. I know what I can and can’t do. I have been running boats for 25 years. And I have fished bigger seas than any boat on this show because I had a boat called the Siberian Sea. It was 137 feet long, it had 26 hundred square feet of living area in it. It was built to fish in the Bering Sea, it weighed over 1,500 tons completely loaded. I had it for 15 years. And I kicked a lot of guys’ asses out here, including everybody on this show. There was a lot of times Phil would call me up and go `Derrick, I need another twenty, thirty thousand pounds of crab to top off, you got a string?’ Sure brother, come right over and fill her up. I used to give him crap. My crew would get so frickin’ pissed. Like `what are you doing?’ I’m like, `We got plenty, don’t worry about it, we’ll fill the boat up.’ Old Phil’s just struggling, he’s trying to keep up. Don’t worry about it.
EW Why did you do decide to skipper the Cornelia Marie?
Ray We’re only here to finish the story. That’s what Phil asked, on his deathbed. Finish the story. So we’re going to solve two things at once. He’s going to get buried out here, his ashes are, and we’re going to finish the story, make TV, finish the story for the whole world.
EW What story needed to be finished?
Ray The end of his life, the end of the Cornelia Marie. Just shut it down. Get it off the show. I’m just the guy here to help, end the story, and try to teach the boys a little bit along the way if they will listen to me. I’ve told them `ask me questions.’ They don’t ask me good questions. Jake has still got so many frickin’ problems. He owns 25 percent of this boat now with his older brother. He’s an owner deck hand, which is an oxymoron in itself. Usually when you’re an owner of one of these boats, you’re driving them. Or you’re sitting on the beach not doing anything. But, you know, there’s no leadership, and it’s tough for him, because he doesn’t know how.
EW And Josh?
Ray Same with Josh. He’s trying. You know, they’re asking some questions but not the right questions. I’ve got to push them every day, tell them, `step up. Step up. Make lists, look around. See what needs to be done on your boat.’ I can sit here and tell you all day long what needs to be done. When I’m driving a boat, the crew is up, in the mornings, and they’re working together, there’s always something to do on a boat, fishing boat. It’s just, it’s a constant job.
EW Did you know it would be a tough transition?
Ray I knew it would be different for them. ‘I came in last year to take Phil’s place. I just let them be ‘cause they were in a tough situation themselves. They were worried about Phil, and everything else. I just stepped on board, protected them, caught the crab, got the job done, didn’t push them. We only had three deck hands anyway. You usually fish with five. So we just had to take our time and be patient. Now, we got five guys, and I actually never fished with Josh and Jake last year. They were not on the boat with me. The world thinks they were. You can only believe half the news, so don’t believe everything on a reality frickin’ TV show, okay?
EW Nice non-smoking sign you got here in the bridge.
Ray Nobody gives a shit. Steve told me, he’s — Steve looked at my engineer, he’s like – `f— Derrick, f— his rules, f— that sh–, I want Phil to be back here.’Well Phil’s dead, Phil ain’t coming back. You know what? You’re 55 years old, act like it. Don’t act like you’re a goddamn 12-year-old.
Fishing for followers @EWLynette
What a penis!
I know, right! What an a-hole!
genitals have feelings too
I think Derrick Ray is a monster. Look how well Jake did under Tony Lara. Ray is cruel and paranoid.
I can see where Derrick Ray is comeing from,its a dangerous,place to fish,and you have to have total concentration,when on the deck,the youngest brother Jake is always out his rocket,he was caught stealing pills from his own dads cabin,then told phil he had a problem,between pills and hash he is a liability to his workmates and himself.Solve the problem Sack Him,for everyones safety.
“Sig wouldn’t catch a pimple on my ass when it comes to being a fisherman”. Seriously? WTF? I hope this idiot doesn’t catch anything! Moron!
Team Northwestern!!
this guy is a blow
Dead on
Actually, I kind of like him. Those boys need some no nonsense talking to. Although I’m not sure how much of the show we’ll be able to listen to – I think he’ll be bleeped out a lot (well, with Deadliest Catch’s fun bleeping out)
Kirsten, I’m with you. Those boys need to learn the fundamentals of ownership. And in this world, its sh!t or get off the pot. Its a hard and dangerous life. If you want to make money at it, then you have to work hard.
He sounds no different than any other fishermen I know-I see no issue here. They work hard in dangerous conditions.
Jake needs to go to rehab before he ends up killing somebody’ at land or sea. His poor father would kick him off
..
you are exactly right.
Derrick is a snitch they should of pulled mutiny & threw him overboard I wish I was on that ship the first time he opens his mouth to me I’d smash him!!!
Total DILF. Woof.
Guy’s got a point. Don’t believe everything on a reaity ‘fricking’ TV show.
If you think this stuff is faked then you must also believe that Nixon had nothing to do with Watergate and there really was a lone gunman during the Kennedy assasination.
You are one of those know nothing kennedy conpiricy guys too. You belive anything that T.V. feeds you. Obviously, you do not know what a deranged marksman can do. Get a life! Maybe I was the man on the grassy knoll.
Derrick, you are the only oxymoron on the boat. The boys do have by far a lot to learn about being a owner operator but you on the other hand are the worst fisherman I’ve ever seen! You got what? 13 blue crabs this season? I can’t wait to see after the catch with the real captains, maybe Jonathan and Sig can throw you thru the camera man for being a disgrace to mankind but most of all, being a disgrace to Phil’s memory. Yes, he is dead dip sh– and yes, he’ll never be back BUT he did everything you never will be able to. You’ll never live up to any of the DC’s crew or skippers because you are socially impotent. And that boat you “used to have”, you didn’t retire, no one would work with you so you went belly up. Being a leader by example is best left for the big dogs, go home, stay home, maybe even hang yourself, you’ll never get into heaven after running Phil’s death in the crew’s face like that. You’ll never be respected and you’ll probably need a face transplant to go out in public with out a knife stuck in your back.
I completely agree with you Shawna! I’ve watched every season of the Deadliest Catch and have never seen incompetence with any of the boat captains. Yes, they’ve all had to work to find the crab but they certainly never tried to screw any of their crew.
Derrick, find another job b/c you suck as a captain dude!
Jake and Josh: good luck in the future to you!!!!
I cant believe Phil was friends with such an waste. Derrick, I think you need to check yourself man. You blew on hell of an opportunity…for both yourself and those who put their trust in you.
How would Phil handled this situation…his kid or not?? taking the moral high ground, hes not here , but Im sure you ‘ALL’have a ;FAIR ‘ idea it wouldnot look like this … Amen
He’s no Phil!
It’s a shame Phil never saw this guy’s true colors when he was alive. Josh & Jake had the weight of the world put on their shoulders when Phil died. They are trying hard to do right by their dad and thought they were putting the boat & crew in good hands. Derrick’s lack of respect for the boys, the crew, and his fellow fishermen is appalling. It’s pretty sad that THIS is how he will be remembered…a sorry excuse for a captain and a sorrier human being.
it s really sad phil didnt see this maans true colors or live to see this A-holes real side ,as for jake or whoever smokin weed on the boat, it shouldn happen no excuses , but at the same timeon boat issuses should be handled (in house ) this spineless bastard, just wants to get his face out to 3 million vewiers ,in the 10 years this show has been running i have never seen anyone like this guy he ,s nothing but a crabless primodona , and his lack of finding crab ,or knowing what he ,is doing is put aside from throwing blame on the boys , someone should knock his ass out and kik him to the curb !!
I loved Phil but he never made those boys of his step up. They would have never made it on another boat and he knew it. Derrick tried to set them straight but they just couldn’t handle it. I doubt the CM fishes much longer.
Have you seen the video of how he tried to set them straight and set the crew straight? Do you know what he said and how he’s treated them? That’s not right. Those boys are bigger men than this turd.
Phil gave them a break and didn’t make them be responsible enough. He covered for them. Didn’t really groom them. The one boy didn’t even want to be a fisherman. They’ll loose their share of the boat….
Derrick if you were so retired, and you ONLY did it for Captain Phil as you said. I believe your a BIG LIAR as you are A know it all show off. I don’t believe you could hold a crew together long enough to get any fish. I know I’m older than you, and I do show respect to others, you don’t know respect for people. When your mouth opens, and all the filth comes out you show your IQ.and that’s OOO. I hope someone will give you several attitude adjustments which you need. The dirt on the bottom of The harris sons are better than you think you are. Harris Brothers We will be glad to see you both ok, again. Your Family Friends…
Derreik you dont have the balls to be agood captain of the FV CM and if the boys wanted to they could ahve your ass fired becasue they are part owners and your working for them and youll never be asig tyhat is for sure and you couldnt handle the job like the other captains your retired and you are arrogant soin comparions SIg is at teh top of the list and you should be the bait man . tha tis for sure.
One of the new Captains from another boat told me that the Harris Boy’s fall apart and basically they fail, they have too many problems. He said it is really sad. I feel bad, because Phil was one of my favorites. But, I am excited to see the new boats, especially the one captained by someone from my Home Town!!
Was it the guy from the Ramblin Rose? If so, he’s worse than Derrick.
I miss Phil terribly – how can you miss someone you never met? Feel sorry for Josh, but it’s fish or get off the boat. This is the most dangerous job in the world, they need to suck it up.
Bottom line is this folks. Phil left a legacy as a Captain and a partier like it or not the party part of his life took presidence over anything else. And if you disagree I ask you this? Why after all his years of fishing did he not own his own boat? He made millions out there in the early years. Guess what he spent it on? If you guessed extracurricular activities you would be right. Those kids watched him party all their younger years away and when he finally did get clean it was to late. It was obvious those kids had no respect for him. The kids are choosing to follow is legacy of partying and not fishing and working. It is their choice and theirs only. They will lose that boat and I am sure Cornelia is just waiting to buy out their shares. Derrick says that the only thing they own is debt and that would not surprise me. If they know that, why would they want to work for that boat? Hmmmm makes you think. They have no desire to fish and it shows.
Yuck, glad that ignorant fool is gone, like HIS boat! Janel is =.
someone needs to feed him his lunch
I agree!!
Hey guys, calm down. Derrick got replaced after two trips to catch crab. CM has a newer skipper than him. ok?
Hahrray, for the new skipper, he freed the slaves. Yippee!!!!!
no more pompous windbags (Derrick Ray)who likes to hear hisself talk.
Yeah, Jake from the NorthWestern will be the NEW Captain on the Cornelia Marie. Thought you all would want to know!
No… the new Captain’s name is Tony Lara…….. He, Jake, Josh, Ryan and 2 new crew members fish the whole Opie season and do quite well according to Morgan Howard, Cornelia Devlin’s son.
Wow if that were to happen, Jake will be short lived, you think the Harris Bros are gonna listen to him? Thats laughable.
This season may be the last time we see the Cornelia Marie, that’s why there’s a new boat in the rotation.
I thought they had the new boats there because they weren’t sure until just before King Crab that Sig and John/Andy would even be on the show due to the lawsuit. By the time they agreed to be on, they probably had the other boats in contract too. We don’t know yet what’s going to happen with the CM but I doubt it’s the last time for it either.
I THINK CAPTIAN PHIL WOULD HAVE HANDLED THIS DIFFERENT,AND THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, THE CAP. HEL COURT ON HIS BOAT. derrick ray IS A BOY!!
Thats right and it will be the fault of our highly regarded Captain of the CM because essentially he did not prepare his sons for fishing. Those boys do what they want and Jake proved it in the last episode. If he had tested dirty on that last show do you think that he would have been allowed into Captains school? Hell no they want people who are dedicated, disiplined and have will power. Jake will fail going to school Josh he has a chance.