Paul Larouche is certainly no flash in the gold pan.<\/p>\n
Standing knee-deep in Sooke River with his wetsuit on, he regards the spot as not only his happy place, but his workplace too.<\/p>\n
From a curious Langford teenager who found his first piece of gold in Sooke River to the present day, Larouche has never let go of that first rush.<\/p>\n
With grit, determination and a keen eye, Larouche has turned his self-diagnosed \u2018gold fever\u2019 into a successful career as a modern-day prospector, sharing his journey with folks online under the persona of Pioneer Pauly.<\/p>\n
When Sooke News Mirror first spoke to him in 2020, Larouche had 215,000 YouTube subscribers. Today, that number has climbed to nearly a million, with over 310 million views across 336 videos.<\/p>\n
Add TikTok, Facebook and Instagram to the mix, and Larouche\u2019s total following now tops over three million.<\/p>\n
These days, he gets recognized far beyond Vancouver Island \u2013 from Sooke to California and as far as down under in Australia and New Zealand. The sightings are especially common when he\u2019s out and about in his Pioneer Pauly-branded SUV.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great meeting people, making friends along the way,\u201d said Larouche.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like everywhere\u2019s sort of home now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Larouche even hints at a possible TV show in the works. \u201cOr a movie one day,\u201d he says hopefully. \u201cSomething where I get to share the adventure with a higher production value.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Larouche takes his success all in his stride.<\/p>\n
While he earns a living sharing his pioneering exploits, Larouche insists it\u2019s never been about fame and fortune. Growing up living with depression and anxiety, the outdoors and the search for hidden treasure became both an escape and a way to cope.<\/p>\n
That need and sense of purpose has never left him.<\/p>\n
Today, Larouche says he still faces \u201ca lot of demons,\u201d including PTSD and panic attacks.<\/p>\n
Living also with ADHD, being out in the wilds focused on the hunt, helps quiet the noise, he explains, offering both a mental reset and the steady dopamine boost he struggles to find elsewhere.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just doesn\u2019t feel like I\u2019m working,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen I\u2019m out here, it feels like I\u2019m living again. Time stands still, you\u2019re not thinking of anything else, it\u2019s just you in the moment and it\u2019s just priceless.\u201d<\/p>\n
His openness about those struggles \u2013 and how his adventures support his mental health \u2013 has struck a chord with viewers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like sharing the fact that like I\u2019m not perfect,\u201d Larouche said. \u201cPeople say you\u2019ve got to be healthy to get out or be in the right mood, but the truth is you just have to get out, and that stuff comes from that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parents have also told him that his videos have encouraged their children to get outside and learn new skills.<\/p>\n
\u201dI\u2019m proud of the people that I\u2019ve inspired to get outdoors,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
With the price of gold surging to record highs in January, following a bumper 2025, Larouche is aware folks may be tempted to try their luck at panning.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s one of the reasons he purchased the mineral rights to a stretch of Sooke River running through Sooke Potholes Regional Park.<\/p>\n
Ownership means curious newcomers can give it a go without worrying about \u2018claim-jumping\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s really the only reason why I have this one, so that the public can use it,\u201d said Larouche. \u201cBecause who\u2019s to say that if someone else had it, they\u2019d let people on it, right?<\/p>\n
\u201cJust by me having it, it makes me feel better that there\u2019s a place where people can go. It\u2019s kind of where I first learned too, so that makes sense to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
But for those dreaming of striking it rich, Larouche offers a reality check: it\u2019s far from easy money.<\/p>\n
Using methods such as panning, sniping and metal detecting, he\u2019ll often dedicate 40 hours working a single stretch of the river.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got to check the high benches, the low benches, the bedrock, upstream, downstream,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Even after hours combing through every nook and cranny of the riverbed, you may still come away empty-handed.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it doesn\u2019t mean there\u2019s nothing there, you just don\u2019t have enough data,\u201d saids Larouche.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it\u2019s a lot of hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for the value of his gold haul collected over the years, Larouche is coy. Most of what he finds are placer nuggets, which Larouche says are more valuable than fine gold, and would likely fetch a premium price from dealers.<\/p>\n
But with enough money rolling in from YouTube ad revenue, Larouche keeps every piece he uncovers.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople always ask me for the value of it, and it\u2019s hard for me to do that because it\u2019s more sentimental,\u201d he said. \u201cEven if I got double for what it\u2019s worth, it wouldn\u2019t be worth it to me, because then the money just sits there and it\u2019s meaningless essentially.\u201d<\/p>\n
Instead, Larouche prefers to use his finds to relive experiences or create content. In one recent video<\/a>, he leans into ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) handling $96,844 of gold nuggets.<\/p>\n \u201cI could make jewelry with it, maybe I\u2019ll do that one day,\u201d he pondered. \u201cBut for now, I just like to play with it.\u201d<\/p>\n