Pro fisherman, popular YouTuber Ben Milliken charged with fishing tournament fraud

[MediumMouthBass]

(ill say it again so i dont get attacked, i dont like Ben, and think hes a not so good person, but this needs to be said)

 

Say what you want, but everybody knows who Ben is, theres 5 pages here. Only about 1 of them put together talk about the actual post, the other 4 are....

 

Hes also brought alot of attention to bass fishing, fishing in general for just about any species isnt as big as it once was, or should be. Covid brought people back to it but after that it dwindled down a bit. I dont know about you but i would rather my local tackle shops stay in business, they need customers for that to happen. The more the merrier. And his videos get a ton of views, not all of his supporters are the spawn of satan like they have been talked about here, some just want entertainment, and to see huge bass.

Is he an immature idiot along with a few other words? Well id say about 100% of us agree on that. Personally i dont like him or his ethics, clickbait titles, or his personality.

But hes one of the very few people on youtube to deliver big bass, over and over again. You have to agree he has talent or a special ability for catching bass most people can only dream about, and then adds 5lbs extra. I along with all of you would want him to treat these amazing fish with more care, and that part upsets me as it does you.

 

He makes the fishing industry alot of money as well, again i dont know about you but i would like bass fishing and the companies i buy from to last a long time. I really like 6th Sense lures, the baits and rods not so much. He definitely helped grow the brand, just by being himself on youtube.

And they wouldnt keep him on if that was the opposite.

 

Look at rockstars from the 70's, and 80's. 8/10 of those guys were worse people than Ben ever could be, im sure alot of us idolized them. Rock wouldnt be the same without them either.

 

This guy didnt buy a license and entered a bass fishing contest, is that unethical, and a jack fill in the blank move? Yes. But most of you are acting like he should be sent to Guantanamo Bay because you dont like him. Im sure all of you have went over the speed limit atleast once, if someone doesnt like you does that mean you should be given a felony?

[PhishLI]

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’ve fished with a hangover before and hit bass in the head with a rock and cut them up into pieces, I’m not gonna fault him 

 I take pride in my attitude regarding after-the-catch fish care. Killing a bass will simply ruin my outing. In the moment, I just can't slough it off. But everyone here knows what happens before landing a fish. We drive razor sharp cold steel through their faces without a second thought. Maybe blow out an eye in the process, nick a gill creating a bloody mess, or a nasty tongue hooking. How about dragging them by the face through 100' of lily pad stalks, or through tree branches or over dock cables. The cold fact is that my reverence for the fish after-the-catch is the definition of cognitive dissonance. With that understanding and ultimately my acceptance of the truth about how I get my thrills, I'm in no position to judge anyone else.

 

Until this light-line phase came into being with the advent FFS, I'd watched tons of B.A.S.S. derbs going back decades where fish were routinely boat flipped using heavier gear where they're left to flop around on a boat deck. It's not something I'd do, yet it's still widely accepted as business as usual. I don't have to like it, but with what I've illustrated above I'm in no position to pat myself on the back or moralize to others. I prefer not being a hypocrite, even to myself.

 

With that, I find it a bit odd how passionate some seem to feel about a fishing U-toober. Personally, I reserve feelings of love or hate for my immediate and extended family members, or anyone who'd harm a child. Oh, and let's not leave out those sickos who'd be cruel to or terrorize innocent animals whether they be domestic or wild. Uh, oopsie.

[TnRiver46]

I’m not trying to terrorize them, just trying to get my belly full 

[PhishLI]

16 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’m not trying to terrorize them, just trying to get my belly full 

I know that you're a meat fisherman, bro. I was referring to high and mighty C&R anglers like me.

[T-Billy]

5 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

I fear that one of the pyro-technicians who've worked with KISS might one day equip Ben's boat with flame throwers and fireworks launchers, which Ben would trigger every time he caught a bass and then he'd air guitar like Bill and Ted

I'll take that over Iconelli's idiotic screaming.

[Kirtley Howe]

6 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

I hope you're wrong. Their are still plenty of level-headed leaders in our sport, like Glenn. However, I fear that one of the pyro-technicians who've worked with KISS might one day equip Ben's boat with flame throwers and fireworks launchers, which Ben would trigger every time he caught a bass and then he'd air guitar like Bill and Ted.

 

 

Even then, there will still be low-key bassheads like me quietly moseying in backwaters and slipping bass back into the water with all due gratitude. 

I am envisioning the flame thrower guitar that was used in Mad Max Furiosa movie......

[Swamp Girl]

39 minutes ago, Kirtley Howe said:

I am envisioning the flame thrower guitar that was used in Mad Max Furiosa movie......

 

If he did that, I'd back that play...on drums perhaps?

3 hours ago, MediumMouthBass said:

went over the speed limit

 

Good point. Most of the time I'm under the speed limit, but even old lady drivers sometimes speed.

3 hours ago, PhishLI said:

I find it a bit odd how passionate some seem to feel about a fishing U-toober.

 

Another good point.

[Susky River Rat]

Unpopular opinion. If we cared that about the fish we catch we wouldn’t fish. I argued this with musky too. If you want to keep them and it’s legal have at it. I highly doubt any fish getting banged off the boat floor is the worst thing that’s ever happened or going to happen to them.  I think keeping them in a live well all day getting their brains beat in running 70mph for an hour  back to weigh in is worse yet that is the whole base of BASS. 

[Glenn]

Tangent airlines now departing....

 

Keep it on topic guys.

[Cuivre]

I saw this reply from BM to a friend of his' YouTube video.  It sheds some more light on the details and a bit of what/how Ben is thinking about:

 

A couple facts to provide that were missed: I actually wasn’t required to provide a fishing license at the time the fish was taken, had my license been checked, this would have been avoided. I was made aware a few hours after ShareLunker took the fish, that I needed to submit the catch to their app. I was still fishing and had terrible reception, so when I couldn’t find my license info on the TPWD nightmare of a website, I said screw it, I make a living fishing these awesome Texas lakes, I’ll just buy another year license for $40 so I can submit the catch and get on with fishing. I was 99% sure I had a fishing license purchased the previous September, I’ve purchased a fishing license every year since I moved to Texas and 6 times prior to moving to Texas…I also had a fishing license in 11 different states last year, plus Ontario. Also, regarding the prize packages in the drawing, I believe the drawing is for 2 different $5k fishing tackle bundles. Ironically, the company I own, 6th Sense, donated $5k worth of product to the ShareLunker program each year. So my “intent” was allegedly to win back tackle that my company donates to them.

[J Francho]

Cool story. 

[VolFan]

I’m just waiting for the new 6th Sense Clickbait to come out in Jailbreak (black/white) or Warden (Orange). If you’re gonna lean in, might as well go all the way. 
 

Obviously there’s no jail time for what he allegedly did but cmon that’d be funny

[Glenn]

One of the biggest narcissists I know routinely uses "poor" or "bad" cell phone reception as an excuse for his actions (or lack thereof).  BM could've waited until he had perfect reception to submit the entry.  Problem solved.

 

It's not rocket science. Bassmaster and MLF provide live coverage over massive lakes now - all use cell technology. Cell coverage is good enough these days that you're not far away from a solid signal.

[F14A-B]

BM and his story.. took awhile to figure it all out huh? Sorry but it sounds similar to an excuse my 14 yo son would have given many years ago. 
Guess he had to run that thru his attorney first 🤣😂🤣

[J Francho]

They've had 9 mos. to concoct, I mean perfect it. 

[MichaelN]

10 hours ago, Glenn said:

Cell coverage is good enough these days that you're not far away from a solid signal...

Have you been to my neck of the woods,  Glenn?  🤣  You're right though...i just have to drive a mile or so to get a good somewhat  reliable signal.

[TnRiver46]

On 12/23/2024 at 3:55 PM, PhishLI said:

I know that you're a meat fisherman, bro. I was referring to high and mighty C&R anglers like me.

I have to release like 99% of mine too, it’s a drag 😂 

[12poundbass]

Blaming the TPWD for a terrible site which caused him to say screw it and go buy another….

 

[Catt]

@Glenn I have a little experience with cell phone coverage around Toledo Bend. Quite often I have to ride around in the truck to get a signal or walk around outside the camp. But most of the designated weigh sites have wifi for cell phones & a land line to reach ShareLunker.

[Cuivre]

12 hours ago, Glenn said:

One of the biggest narcissists I know routinely uses "poor" or "bad" cell phone reception as an excuse for his actions (or lack thereof).  BM could've waited until he had perfect reception to submit the entry.  Problem solved.

 

It's not rocket science. Bassmaster and MLF provide live coverage over massive lakes now - all use cell technology. Cell coverage is good enough these days that you're not far away from a solid signal.

Kind of a close cousin to an excuse an old coworker of mine used who was Kuwaiti.  He was pretty direct and politically incorrect at times with women, so he figured out that whenever he said something that got him in trouble he would use the "its a LANGUAGE barrier!" excuse.  He could speak perfect English, but he knew HR couldn't devise a come-back for him when he said that.  It got to be such a joke everyone else started to us that excuse.  LOL.  At least Ben didn't say "I got HACKED!", but claiming the license he was 99% sure he had mysteriously disappeared comes pretty close. 

[Brian11719]

From reading the article and that reply from him above me my gut tells me he knew he didn't have a license. Knowing he didn't have a license my guess is he then let his ego (which seems a bit large) get the better of him and decided to submit that fish to the lunker program anyway, leave the license info empty and figured he was too big / cool for anything really bad to happen to him.

 

Also agree that the timing of all this is a bit suspect. Another thing I'll say is one of the things I don't like about social media is that it seems to make people enjoy ganging up on each other people over crap like this instead of say putting that anger towards something a bit more productive and important.

 

Dude isn't perfect but he seems to have figured out how to make more money than I do and can catch some fish. Agree there should be some sort of punishment for it, but I'm not going to pretend like I should decide what that is or that what I think that should be even matters. Hope he takes this opportunity to reflect and maybe pull his head out of his ass a bit...sadly from the looks of it I'm not sure I'd hold my breath on that one but I can at least decide to spend most of my braincells elsewhere...but before I do one final thought:
 

Quote

knowingly falsified the contest/tournament entry form

^ might have 'knowingly' left it blank...but not sure leaving it blank would qualify as 'falsifying'. Falsifying to me would be putting in a fake / bad number...it was blank. Contest person should have said "that's blank so it's invalid" and handled it there. Also interesting that he just got named to the Bassmaster Elite Advisory Board...if someone else didn't want him there for whatever reason and knew some people that might explain the timing...

[F14A-B]

What could Ben Milliken possibly advise the Elite series on? 

[VolFan]

Drawing attention.

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, F14A-B said:

What could Ben Milliken possibly advise the Elite series on? 

How to Win Friends & Influence People 

A-Jay

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, F14A-B said:

What could Ben Milliken possibly advise the Elite series on? 

December 12, 2024

B.A.S.S. announces Elite Angler Advisory Board, modifications to payouts, enhanced Angler Services

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

In an effort to facilitate better communication and collaboration with Elite Series anglers, the Bassmaster Elite Angler Board of Professionals (ABP) has been created, B.A.S.S. announced today. The Advisory Board consists of six Elite anglers who were voted on by their peers and who will speak on behalf of the entire field in communicating with B.A.S.S. in order to provide a more direct and efficient way of discussing any current challenges and future opportunities.