Luke Nichols
American YouTuber (born 1978)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Luke Nichols (born October 3, 1978)[1] is an American attorney and YouTuber best known for the channel Outdoor Boys, where he primarily produced content on backcountry camping, bushcraft, survival, and outdoor cooking.[2] He launched the Outdoor Boys YouTube channel in May 2015, and as of April 2026, the channel has more than 19 million subscribers.[3]
George Mason University (J.D.)
Luke Nichols | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 3, 1978 Anchorage, Alaska, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Brigham Young University (B.S.) George Mason University (J.D.) |
| Children | 3 |
| YouTube information | |
| Channels | |
| Years active | 2013–2025 |
| Genres | |
| Subscribers | 19.1 million (Outdoor Boys) 1.23 million (Catfish and Carp) |
| Views | 3.3 billion (Outdoor Boys) 311 million (Catfish and Carp) |
| Last updated: February 8, 2026 | |
Since December 1, 2025, he has served on the Young Men General Advisory Council for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[4]
Early life and education
Luke Nichols was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska on October 3, 1978 to Melvin and Sharon Nichols. Growing up in Alaska, Nichols developed a passion for the outdoors. When he was 19, Nichols traveled to Japan on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Fukuoka and the surrounding area.[4] He attended Brigham Young University (BYU), where he briefly studied engineering before studying and earning his bachelor's degree in political science in 2004.[5]
After graduating from BYU, Nichols started a political consulting firm and ran 20 campaigns over three years. Nichols and his wife later moved to Virginia, where he attended law school at George Mason University and obtained his Juris Doctor in 2009.[5] Later, Nichols started his own criminal defense practice, Nichols & Green, focusing on traffic laws.[6]
YouTube career
In 2013, Nichols started posting videos on his first channel, Catfish & Carp, which was first created to advertise their law firm based in northern Virginia before focusing on fishing and outdoors related content.[7] In 2020, Nichols began to work on YouTube full time when his channels outpaced his law practice. Followers enjoy Nichols' content for its "simple and wholesome" nature.[6] His emphasis on "outdoor activities, self-reliance, and family values" is said to resonate with viewers.[8]
Retirement
In May 2025, Nichols announced via a video on his channel that he would be stepping back from YouTube, both due to privacy concerns and to spend more time with his family.[9][10] In the span of the 18 months leading up to this video, Nichols gained 12 million followers.[11] Nichols considered the resulting attention to be "overwhelming".[12] Nichols stated that he may post a final round of videos at the end of the year.[9] In November 2025, Nichols announced he would be posting three unfinished videos throughout the month.[13]
In December 2025, a guest video Nichols filmed was published on the YouTube channel MyLifeOutdoors, since the channel's regular host was on hiatus to care for a family member diagnosed with cancer.[14]
Personal life
As of 2026, Nichols lives with his wife Rebecca and three sons Thomas, Nathan, and Jacob in Alaska after relocating from Virginia during the COVID-19 pandemic.[6][12]
Religious service
In December 2025, Nichols was appointed to the Young Men General Advisory Council for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[4][15]