A Texas angler has landed in hot water after state officials accused him of illegally submitting a fish for prize money.
Ben Milliken, a fishing influencer with over 500,000 YouTube followers, turned himself into authorities last week after Nacogdoches County issued a warrant for his arrest. Millikan had submitted a large bass to the state’s Toyota ShareLunker Program, which awards $10,000 prizes for contest-winning anglers.
However, a review process from Texas Parks & Wildlife determined that Milliken didn’t have a valid fishing license when he caught the 13.15-pound bass at Lake Naconiche in February. As a result, he “knowingly falsified the contest/tournament entry form,” state officials said.
“In addition to the charge for fraud in a fishing tournament, Milliken was disqualified from the Toyota ShareLunker Program and cited for fishing without a valid license,” a spokesperson for Texas Parks & Wildlife said.
Milliken, a 35-year-old Nebraska native now living in Texas, was quickly released after surrendering to authorities, he said. In statements posted to social media this week, Milliken called the incident a “massive misunderstanding.”
“In fact, the incident arose while I was recreationally fishing, and not in a tournament at all,” Milliken wrote in a Facebook post. “I very much look forward to creating a video(s) explaining this entire situation. But due to ongoing investigation, it’s best I wait.”
A Fishy Submission
Anglers looking to qualify for the Legacy Class ShareLunkers program must catch a bass weighing more than 13 pounds. The fish must also be caught during the spawning period of January through March.
Fishermen can then give the bass to Texas Parks & Wildlife for use in the state’s breeding programs. Those anglers are then eligible to receive numerous prizes, including a “catch kit” filled with merchandise, free taxidermy for the fish, and other benefits. The winning anglers are also entered into two lotteries for a $5,000 Bass Pro Shops shopping spree.
In a February news release, state officials praised Milliken and two other anglers for reeling in Legacy Class ShareLunkers. At the time, Milliken had just toured the ShareLunker facility at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. He praised the Texas program for improving fish populations throughout the state.
“I got to see the ShareLunker we caught at O.H. Ivie three years ago,” Millikin said in the release. “They kept the fish in the area and have bred a ton of other fish with it. It’s awesome and great that Texas puts a lot of value in stocking the best genetics throughout the state. We are seeing the results of that work.”
In a YouTube video, Milliken spoke directly to his followers, asking them for patience as he waits for the conclusion to an ongoing investigation.
“I was arrested for fishing this last week,” Milliken said in the video. “All I can say at this point is that I can’t make any statements or comments about it … Eventually, I’ll gonna be able to share a video explaining what, exactly, has happened.”
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