Pro fisherman, popular YouTuber charged with fishing tournament fraud

[WB Staff]

Benjamin Milliken, a Bassmaster Elite Series Fisherman with a large YouTube following who is accused of cheating in the state’s ShareLunker bass program, was arrested Thursday in Nacogdoches County and charged with freshwater fishing tournament fraud.

Milliken, 35, of New Caney, surrendered on the misdemeanor charge Thursday and was released quickly from the Nacogdoches County jail.

In February, Milliken caught a Legacy Class ShareLunker largemouth bass at Lake Naconiche and falsified his contest entry form, Texas Parks and Wildlife officials said.

Read it All: https://www.dailysentinel.com/news/loca ... c8879.html

[WRB]

Can’t fish without a valid license!
Tom

[jiggin4bass]

Who is this guy again ?

[WB Staff]

[jiggin4bass]

He forgot to renew his fishing license Big Deal get arrest for that. Gezzzz
Just hang in there Ben Trump will pardon you.

[jiggin4bass]

Shared linker program going to take hugh hit. Lot of fish taco being made from now on.
Getting arrested for for getting to renewing your licence.
You dont arrest a angler like that for and honest mistake. His viewership oncyou tube just went through the roof.

[mark poulson]

He should know better. He fishes the Elites.

[Bigdirty]

Anyone actually read what happ? The issue isn’t the fishing license ,it’s the fact that he entered the fish ,taking money knowing he didn’t have a license

[jiggin4bass]

What does this story have to do with fishing in Ca. Westernbass writer must be bored with nothing happen here. No big fishing news here in are state.

[Whoopbass]

Anyone actually read what happ? The issue isn’t the fishing license ,it’s the fact that he entered the fish ,taking money knowing he didn’t have a license

I don't think he took any prizes/money but was eligible to possibly win something and he allegedly knew he didn't have a license. He may have legitimately forgotten to renew his and that's what Californian's with fishing license's are going to face now that we have a year round license.
Him being arrested is just ridiculous. Some piss ant in the agency obviously did not like Milliken and used his/her powers to have him charged and arrested.

[jiggin4bass]

Nothing will happen he'll keep fishing BASS be on there board keep making you tube videos promote his products charge 4000.00 guide trips.
And really they'll all get over it. So what the be deal it's not like guy cheated gezzzzzz.

[WRB]

The accused lives in the State he didn’t have a valid license for and claimed a legacy Share a Lunker trophy. Ben’s attitude was screw you etc, etc. I am to busy to be bothered with having a current license. I hope he gets burned to learn a lesson he knew he was wrong. A simple apology goes a long way.
Tom

[mark poulson]

The accused lives in the State he didn’t have a valid license for and claimed a legacy Share a Lunker trophy. Ben’s attitude was screw you etc, etc. I am to busy to be bothered with having a current license. I hope he gets burned to learn a lesson he knew he was wrong. A simple apology goes a long way.
Tom

Exactly.

[WB Staff]

He responds...


I will NEVER do This again Before I go Fishing...

[bryanmc]

The accused lives in the State he didn’t have a valid license for and claimed a legacy Share a Lunker trophy. Ben’s attitude was screw you etc, etc. I am to busy to be bothered with having a current license. I hope he gets burned to learn a lesson he knew he was wrong. A simple apology goes a long way.
Tom

Exactly.

Mark, the statute they're using could be applied to anyone that brings a short fish to the scales (or in the case of Lake Fork a slot fish) in the case of one of the big bass events but has never been applied. Folks who did that merely get a ticket and pay a fine. All you get for entering a fish into the sharelunker program is an entry into a drawing (basically a lottery ticket). The ticket is for a drawing for a $5000 dollar prize package of which there are 2. If you enter a legacy sharelunker you get 2 "tickets". In order to win the required $10k to support the charges he would have to have won both drawings. He caught the fish with an expired license and paid a fine for that, Bringing this fraud charge is complete BS.

[mark poulson]

The accused lives in the State he didn’t have a valid license for and claimed a legacy Share a Lunker trophy. Ben’s attitude was screw you etc, etc. I am to busy to be bothered with having a current license. I hope he gets burned to learn a lesson he knew he was wrong. A simple apology goes a long way.
Tom

Exactly.

Mark, the statute they're using could be applied to anyone that brings a short fish to the scales (or in the case of Lake Fork a slot fish) in the case of one of the big bass events but has never been applied. Folks who did that merely get a ticket and pay a fine. All you get for entering a fish into the sharelunker program is an entry into a drawing (basically a lottery ticket). The ticket is for a drawing for a $5000 dollar prize package of which there are 2. If you enter a legacy sharelunker you get 2 "tickets". In order to win the required $10k to support the charges he would have to have won both drawings. He caught the fish with an expired license and paid a fine for that, Bringing this fraud charge is complete BS.

Bryan, what I was saying is that he's an Elite pro, he understands fishing rules and laws, and he should have paid better attention. There is no latitude when it's a rule or law, period. Just like at BASS. It's not his first rodeo.

[Whoopbass]

Mark, you would have made an excellent servant to the King.
No latitude when its a rule or law. lol.....You think these lawmakers are infallible? Heck, they don't even follow the rules. There are 10's of thousands of examples of this and not a thing happens to them. You're the type of guy that would call CARB on your neighbor when they're enjoying a fire in their fireplace on a no burn day.

[mark poulson]

Mark, you would have made an excellent servant to the King.
No latitude when its a rule or law. lol.....You think these lawmakers are infallible? Heck, they don't even follow the rules. There are 10's of thousands of examples of this and not a thing happens to them. You're the type of guy that would call CARB on your neighbor when they're enjoying a fire in their fireplace on a no burn day.

No, I'm the type of guy who obeys traffic signs, even if there's no one watching. And slow down to 5mph when I pass another boat who's stopped to fish. Rules and laws are how people get along and show respect for each other.

[Bigdirty]

So your the guy going by me at 5mph making big wake ,please pass me at 40 mph .its not rocket science

[mark poulson]

So your the guy going by me at 5mph making big wake ,please pass me at 40 mph .its not rocket science

My boat throws a much smaller wake at 5mph than at 40mph.

[Whoopbass]

So your the guy going by me at 5mph making big wake ,please pass me at 40 mph .its not rocket science

Yeah, I hate it when someone slows down to get by me. I do it for kayaks and other surf board type of crafts but if you're in a boat tough. It doesn't make a bit of sense to me to slow down. It's not the law and those heavy azz cruisers don't slow down a bit and they're putting out some serious wake.

What do kayakers prefer if i'm forced to go by you in a narrow channel? Lets say i'm forced to get within 75' of you. Slow down and put out very little wake which will take a solid minute to perform or buzz by doing 40-50 MPH?

[Drakestar]

So your the guy going by me at 5mph making big wake ,please pass me at 40 mph .its not rocket science

Yeah, I hate it when someone slows down to get by me. I do it for kayaks and other surf board type of crafts but if you're in a boat tough. It doesn't make a bit of sense to me to slow down. It's not the law and those heavy azz cruisers don't slow down a bit and they're putting out some serious wake.

What do kayakers prefer if i'm forced to go by you in a narrow channel? Lets say i'm forced to get within 75' of you. Slow down and put out very little wake which will take a solid minute to perform or buzz by doing 40-50 MPH?

Slow down. Obviously. If you don’t I’m forced to steer into the wake to reduce flipping risk, and when I’m out there with my kid I’m doubly worried that he will get flipped.