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

[F14A-B]

[Cuivre]

Cerebral Tackle You Tube channel has dug and got some more details about this incident from the Game Warden's affidavit.  Worth watching!

[woolleyfooley]

On 1/21/2025 at 12:42 PM, Cuivre said:

Cerebral Tackle You Tube channel has dug and got some more details about this incident from the Game Warden's affidavit.  Worth watching!

Cliff notes?

[Glenn]

[Cuivre]

On 1/22/2025 at 5:40 PM, woolleyfooley said:

Cliff notes?

Being the administrator is mocking my post, I'll let you find it yourself.

[DinkDonkey30]

I’m gonna start by saying I’m a big fan of Ben. I also buy a lot of stuff from 6th sense. Ben’s part owner of 6th sense. I can’t remember the name of the main owner but he started out doing custom hard baits. Regardless of how people feel about Millikan 6th sense makes a lot of products that work as well or better than most. 

I watch a ton of fishing content and podcasts on all forms of fishing. From everything that seems fairly credibly reported from those sources the guy caught a sharelunker on an expired license. He then decided to turn it in for the benefit of sharelunker. At that time he realized his license was expired and renewed or bought a new one. Then proceeded to turn the fish in. The DNR only questioned the situation because someone took note of the time of license purchase vs time of catch. Now this is an angler who fishes all over the US and outside the US. I can understand not knowing a license was expired. I fish in 2 states for the most part neither of which have a very easy to use system and constantly change or add to what you need to purchase to be within the law. 
 

On top of that we’re talking about an angler who through sponsorship or independent wealth owns and earns way more than what would be gained through cheating what amounts to a very small prize for them. 
 

As others have said the whole things is based around intent. I personally don’t think he intended to brake the law and when he realized it he tried to rectify the situation. Then it blew way out of proportion through the fault of both parties. 
 

I can personally say I have absolutely forgotten to renew my license. The difference is I always check all my paperwork before I hit the water for the first time of the year. I have literally bought my license at the boat ramp. Did I intend to brake the law no.Did I intend to go fishing absolutely. Could I have easily gotten side tracked and forgotten to check my license status absolutely. 
 

Was he wrong for fishing without a license yes. I also believe the entire system for hunting and fishing laws could use an overhaul so it’s a good possibility some fault lies with the state. Does Ben make it harder for himself probably, some like his personality some don’t. I can’t say that every DNR official I have ever come across always has the best intentions either. In my opinion the best thing both parties could do is come together for the betterment of the sport. Ben has a huge following and could bring a positive light to the DNR as a whole if they settle for a light penalty and don’t hard line him. Community service, speaking events, YouTube videos etc all could be done to bring attention to issues like following the laws, correct angling practices etc. 
 

 

[Texas Flood]

[Cuivre]

So many unemployed comedians in the US today, and we get stuck with a couple of them using this post to try to still break into the business....🙃

[Texas Flood]

Imagine caring this much about someone who doesn’t know you from a can of paint. 
 

 

 

Couldn’t be me. 

[DinkDonkey30]

15 hours ago, Texas Flood said:

Imagine caring this much about someone who doesn’t know you from a can of paint. 
 

 

 

Couldn’t be me. 

You cared enough to tell other who don't know you how much you don't care. 

[Cuivre]

Definitely a pattern of that, isn't it?  Kind of an enigma, wrapped in a paradox, and shrouded in irony...

[J Francho]

I know you are but what am I. 

[VolFan]

Winter. Is. Inevitable.

[Pumpkin Lizard]

On 12/29/2024 at 3:09 PM, F14A-B said:

What could Ben Milliken possibly advise the Elite series on? 

 

Definitely not advice on hair styling.

[Pumpkin Lizard]

On 1/22/2025 at 5:40 PM, woolleyfooley said:

Cliff notes?

 

He bought his license 3 minutes before submitting the fish on the Share Lunker app.

 

I had no idea that Cerebral Tackle existed. It's like a TMZ Bass Fishing YouTube channel.

[Texas Flood]

10 hours ago, DinkDonkey30 said:

You cared enough to tell other who don't know you how much you don't care. 

I care for my fellow BR members wasting their time on this

 

 

And I’m easily a top five favorite on this site. We voted on it, but please don’t look it up or anything. 

[Susky River Rat]

[Glenn]

Milliken be like...

 

 

 

[Cuivre]

15 hours ago, Texas Flood said:

I care for my fellow BR members wasting their time on this

 

 

And I’m easily a top five favorite on this site. We voted on it, but please don’t look it up or anything. 

Thanks for your paternalism.

 

But, does that make you an "influencer"....like Ben? 😉

[Lyman X]

Our licenses expire at years end, simple. States having them expire a year from purchase date enables them to write more tickets. lol

[Logan S]

If you buy a license that's for a fixed time period, like Jan 1st to Dec 31st, and they don't pro-rate it based on your actual purchase date....Didn't you technically 'buy' all of the days in that time period?

 

Or put another way, a fishing license exists so that the DNR or whatever organization gets money to do all the things they do...If you buy it for a fixed interval - 1 year, 3-day, whatever - There's a cost per day.  If a person pays the full cost for every day of whatever period it is - Does it matter when they actually paid for it?  DNR gets all their money either way right?

 

Obviously if your state does it by time of purchase it's a different story, since that's technically a pre-pay for the days ahead...But for fixed interval licenses that's always a funny little question I've asked myself.  

 

I checked out of this story...But given the talk of licenses and when they are bought, etc...It reminded me of this little thought experiment.  

[Lyman X]

Fine paid, license paid for, share lunker got fish.  DNR wins. ( Ben got some views)

[J Francho]

[Cuivre]

17 hours ago, Lyman X said:

Fine paid, license paid for, share lunker got fish.  DNR wins. ( Ben got some views)

The issue wasn't him getting a ticket for fishing without a license, per se.  It was for affirming that he caught the bass legally when he signed the form on the app, when he didn't catch it 'legally'.  That is where the "fraud" entered into the equation, since the shopping spree (from Bass Pro Shop- not his company Sixth Sense like Luke Dunkin and Ben implied) was worth $5000, had he won it.  Who he is or what his net worth is should not be part of the formula.  If his license is suspended in Texas, it will also be suspended in other states that are part of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact (all 50 states).  That has very significant ramifications, obviously.

[F14A-B]

Yep^^ and the laws apply to us all right here on BR and all across this land..I’d also wager that anyone who would do something so asinine would also suffer the consequences of the laws.. apparently Ben thinks he is above the law. Why else would he do this ? At any rate, with the amount of exposure this case has received, Ben is more than likely in professional trouble..