Welcome to Eel Country! Maine is one of two states where eel fishing is legal, and it's the state's second largest revenue stream, bringing in approximately $40 million this past year alone! But in this icy New England state, catching this sort of liquid gold is slippery and dangerously fast! It all has to be done within a two-month window, so the fishermen who commit their lives to reeling in the loot (a maximum of 400 can obtain licenses) must endure all sorts of hardship, uncertainty and danger - all compounded by a lack of sleep -to turn eel fishing into COLD RIVER CASH.
On Thursday, January 2, at 10PM ET/PT, Animal Planet's COLD RIVER CASH brings viewers eight episodes of adventure and mishaps as three teams of fishermen take to the rocky riverbanks of coastal Maine to vie for an elusive but lucrative catch - baby glass eels - which are tiny cellophane-looking creatures also known as elver eels.
During the short two-month season, which begins every March, COLD RIVER CASH's three impassioned competitive teams -the Eelinators, Grinders and Maineiacs-- work round the clock to find prime fishing holes, protect profitable territory and haul in as many eels as possible, which can cash in at a hefty $2,000 a pound. High demand in Asia means the fishermen could earn hundreds of thousands of dollars in a few short months, but with only 60 days to make a year's income, each team is determined to find the most lucrative fishing spot.
COLD RIVER CASH features some of the Maine's saltiest characters as they hunt day and night amid high tide and a full moon. Invisible, deep holes, perilous rocks and frigid waters are but a few of these fishermen's natural obstacles. The stakes are high; the rivalry is intense; and the threat of danger is constant as each team struggles to come out ahead.
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