Zak Catchem Was Popular on YouTube Before Joining 'Swamp People: Serpent Invasion'

Since 2010, History Channel buffs (very different from history buffs) have been tuning in to Swamp People. The reality show follows the daily activities of professional alligator hunters as they tussle with the dangerous animals in the swamps of the Atchafalaya River Basin and beyond. Every alligator season, the titular swamp people attempt to meet their seasonal quota of alligator kills before their 30-day window expires. They're also known for hunting other species during their downtime.

The show's ongoing lifespan has lent it to be spun off into several new shows, including that of Swamp People: Serpent Invasion. The show follows a similar premise to the original series as it follows hunters in the Florida Everglades who address an overabundance of Burmese pythons in the area.

Serpent Invasion features its own cast of characters, including Zak Catchem, a YouTuber who currently has an enormous online following as he continues to appear on the show. Let's get to know him.

As a Florida native hunter, Zak is known for his resourcefulness when it comes to swamp life. According to his History Channel bio, Zak lives his life between the harsh nature of the Everglades and the "fast life of Miami South Beach." He spends his days fishing, trapping, and hunting regularly, which makes him a perfect fit for the Swamp People lifestyle. He has been on the spin-off since the beginning and continues to appear in current episodes as of 2024.

Like his Serpent Invasion colleagues in Troy Landry, Tes Lee, and Pickle Wheat, Zak engages with all sorts of dangerous creatures and invasive species in the Everglades. Zak proves that he has the skills and the experience to make it out in the swamp. Of course, he had a respectable career as a hunter even before appearing on the show. What's more, it's mostly on YouTube outside of the Serpent Invasion grind.

Zak started his own channel, titled ZAK CATCH 'Em, back in 2016 where he showed off his daily life as a hunter. He still posts regularly on his YouTube channel and many of his social media sites. And he has gotten quite popular to boot. Whether it was from the fame Zak garnered after appearing on Serpent Invasion or just a steady increase in subscribers over the lifespan of his channel, he currently has over 4.26 million subscribers.

Many of Zak's videos have cleared 1 million views easily, with his most popular video, "FISHING with a CHICKEN!", having garnered over 88 million views as of this writing.

It's safe to say that Zak is the breakout star of the entire reality show cast. New episodes of Swamp People: Serpent Invasion air on Thursdays at 9:30 pm EST on the History Channel.