A prominent member of the Dodge family in Discovery Channel’s Gold Rush, Freddy Dodge is a professional miner, prospector, and reality TV star. He has a spin-off series titled Freddy Dodge’s Mine Rescue. He is also associated with MSI Mining Equipment. As of 2023, Freddy Dodge has a net worth of $1 million.
Early Life
Freddy Eugene Dodge was born on December 30, 1966. He is from Colorado, United States and has three other siblings. His eldest brother, Derek, also became a miner and reality TV personality.
Because his grandparents raised him on their cattle ranch in the town of Walden, Fred grew up near the Fairplay Claim, one of the highest mines in the United States as it is located 10,500 ft. up. Dodge started mining at the young age of nine and spent his youth honing his skills in digging for gold. Little did he know, these skills would get him on TV!
Joining Gold Rush
Freddy first gained some popularity after a brief stint on Gold Rush in the first and second seasons of the show. By season three he finally became a regular cast member and got a lot more air time.
He became known as one of the best gold finders in the reality show. This earned him the nickname “Gold Guru”. Dodge is also known for helping other miners set up their operations. Smaller miners tend to struggle with setting up their wash plants to mine gold efficiently.
The Hoffman crew used his skills at Porcupine Creek and the Mazaruni Claim in Guyana. When he first met Todd Hoffman, he believed that he wasn’t a real miner. But when Todd left Gold Rush, Freddy clarified that he genuinely liked the guy.
Other Ventures
Dodge is no regular gold miner. He runs other business endeavors to make extra money. In season four of Gold Rush, he stated that he was the owner of the wash plant named Big Red.
Despite the rumors, Freddy is not the owner of MSI Mining Equipment. He is only a part of the Colorado-based industrial equipment supplier. Furthermore, he has appeared in other shows outside of the main Gold Rush series.
He appeared in the 2012 spin-off titled Gold Rush: The Jungle. In 2018, he boosted his fame by being a recurring figure in Gold Rush: Haulin’ Pay. More recently, he got his own show with Juan Ibarra, Gold Rush: Freddy Dodge’s Mine Rescue, which started airing in 2021. The show’s second season finished airing in May 2022. but it hasn’t been announced if there will be a third season.
Net Worth and Earnings
It is reported that Freddy makes $10,000 to $25,0000 per episode on the original Gold Rush show. It can also be assumed that he makes around the same figure in his own show and appearances in other spin-offs. On his show, he charges customers a percentage of the increase in gold he helps recover.
As for his business ventures, the celebrity miner hasn’t disclosed his earnings from them yet. However, it is safe to say that he makes a considerable amount from it, as his net worth is estimated to be around $1 million.
Personal Life
In 1997, Freddy married Lisa Irene Dodge. The couple has been blessed with two daughters, Nikki and Sammi. The Dodge family lives in Colorado, USA. Freddy once suspected that he may have cancer, but when he went to the doctor, he wasn’t diagnosed with any major illness.
