Alaskan dredgers brave the frigid Bering Sea hoping to strike gold. They put their lives and their livelihoods at stake as they dive to the sea floor and vacuum gold with their makeshift hose pumps. Many of these first-time dredge captains have small budgets and big debts so they risk everything for a few ounces of that precious metal.
A rainy day leads to trouble when Shawn gets hurt in a bar fight jeopardizing his dredging season on the Christine Rose. Scott's Wild Ranger continues to cause him headaches as the main hose springs a leak. Zeke and Emily's day is over before it begins when The Clark breaks down and Ian calls a friend to help save the Sluicey using salvaged parts.
Sunny weather brings all dredges out to sea but conflicts quickly arise among the crew members. Shawn and his dad argue about responsibilities while Scott continues to struggle with his crew on The Wild Ranger. Meanwhile, Emily loses confidence after her first underwater diving experience nearly ends in tragedy.
It's halfway through the season and the crews are feeling the pressure to find new gold-producing spots. On the Wild Ranger, Scott's limited patience with his crew is wearing even thinner but they keep finding new ways to get under his skin. Cody has an accident on the Christine Rose and greenhorn Emily inadvertently drags Zeke along the sea floor as she maneuvers The Clark.
Tensions are high as time begins to run out in the hunt for gold. Shawn's back troubles keep him from dredging so dad Steve steps in to work the excavator. Scott Foster finds trouble when diving alone off the Sluicey and night diving proves difficult for Zeke and Emily.
Two dredge crews are involved in a potentially life-threatening car accident while out together on a frigid night. On the Christine Rose, Cody is thrown overboard due to the incompetence of a deckhand. Vernon realizes the Wild Ranger is losing gold from the sluice box and decides to be more proactive in the operation.
The end of the season is closing in and the crews scramble to finish with a profit but infighting threatens to derail their last-minute goldmining efforts. Zeke and Emily have different ideas about the state of their relationship and Scott M. humbles himself to request a conversation with Steve Riedel. Meanwhile, Scott Foster is tired of working for Ian on the Sluicey, and Steve deals with his own disgruntled employee's lack of trust.
The ice has arrived and the crews have one last chance to dive for riches. Zeke and Ian are solo after losing their deckhands but they each decide to dive alone. Scott M. is thrown a lifeline after quitting the Wild Ranger and the Pomrenkes get ready to bid on mining leases at auction for next summer's dredging season.