NARRATOR: In Bayou Black, first-time captain
Brock Theriot and his deckhand Aaron Lee begin their season.
At just 19 years old, they're out to prove
themselves as the next generation of gator hunters.
BROCK: I'm 19.
I play college baseball.
Growing up down here in the South,
I doesn't have a passion for the outdoors, to hunt and to fish,
and that was planted into me by my dad, my grandpa,
you know, all the father figures and role
models that I had growing up.
I like upholding the tradition that they had.
And to make them proud, you know,
it would bring nothing but joy to me,
and that's my main goal for this year.
NARRATOR: Brock has gator hunted his whole life,
but this is his first season as captain of his own boat.
Going out there as my own captain this year,
it's a whole different sense of responsibility.
I don't have backup.
I got me and Aaron.
If something is to go wrong, we've got to figure
out how to get it done.
I'm super nervous, but I'm super excited at the same time.
You ready for it?
Let's get it.
Bang, baby.
NARRATOR: Helping out Brock this season is his lifelong friend
and hunting partner Aaron Lee.
I trust Brock as a captain.
Growing up, we've ridden boats our entire life together.
And to alligator hunt, that's a whole different story.
You know, it's a lot more dangerous.
Being young, like we said, we have to show
that we're man enough to do it.
NARRATOR: The young hunters look to start their swamping career
off with a bang.
NARRATOR: But today they're facing the same problems
as their fellow swampers.
Oh man.
Not even small ones, dude.
The hell?
NARRATOR: Faced with a disastrous first day,
new captain Brook decides to turn to his most
valuable resource, his family.
NARRATOR: Acting on Paw Paw's sage advice,
the young swampers spent their morning rebaiting
lines with white rags.
White flag, white rag.
NARRATOR: By essentially create egret decoys,
the boys hope to lure the gators out of hiding.
BROCK: For my Paw Paw to give me a tip like that,
you know, I'm 100% confident in it.
It's not scientifically proven, but, you know,
it's Cajun proven.
This might be a good one.
This is-- it's Paw Paw's white rag.
[yells]
[gun shot] AARON: You missed.
You missed. You missed.
BROCK: Watch out!
Whoa!
AARON: I'm going to rush that corner [inaudible]..
Hurry.
Hurry up!
BROCK: Come on!
[gun shot]
[yells]
NARRATOR: Look at Paw Paw's white rag.
AARON: That's what I'm talking about.
NARRATOR: This 11-foot gator weighed over 400 pounds
is a great start for the young swampers' careers
and a source of family pride for rookie captain Brock.
To see that big alligator pop his head up
and he's got that white flag chilling on his nose,
the first thing that popped in my head, I was like, Paw Paw,
he delivered.
Paw Paw's white flag got us a winner.
11-foot gator?
AARON: Without a doubt.
BROCK: You can't complain with that, bro.
You know, it's the first day.
You can't make a big alligator bite your line.
Sometimes you've got to work for it.
You've got to figure out ways to go get that alligator.
And, you know, I've seen my grandpa pulling big gators
my whole life, so I'll try any little trick
that my grandpa gives me.
[inaudible] down.
Go up to the tree.
I'm going to pull us that way.
Hurry up.
Before he goes crazy, hurry up. Hurry up.
Hurry up.
Hey, pull him up slow.
[inaudible] Get him.
You ready?
Hurry.
Hurry up.
Come on!
[interposing voices]
BROCK: Watch. Watch.
Watch.
Oh.
Oh, he's burning.
Watch yourself.
He's burning.
AARON: Get him.
Get him.
[gun shot]
That's a good one.
That's what I'm talking about, bruh.
AARON: Not bad for some 19-year-olds.
BROCK: I can remember my grandpa telling me stories
about them alligator hunting.
They didn't even use guns.
They used sticks and machetes to kill the alligators.
They go find them in the holes.
Man, so it was just a good feeling,
you know, using one of my Paw Paw's tips
and pulling big gators in the boat.
That white flag worked out.