I’ll give it to you, Randy you did not try and bash Ben at all. It actually seem like you’re trying to stick up for him a little bit saying it could’ve been an honest mistake. That’s a class act.
@@RoundawgYeah but, that’s always gonna be Randy, he hates FFS Miliken likes it. I’m not even a Randy fan and disagree a lot but, for him to show a little bit of compassion and looking at Ben like a human being and how we all make mistakes. Randy could have taken this a totally different direction but, he didn’t. I like Ben a lot more than Randy but, this was a class act from Randy.
Thousand of dollars spent on fishing equipment and dude doesn’t renew his license! 🤡🎣 Not an honest mistake when you fish for a living. That’s like failing to renew your drivers license when you drive a truck for a living.
Randy's attempt to offer Ben some grace is commendable, but ultimately, it is undeserved. As a “professional angler,” claiming ignorance regarding licensing is not a valid excuse, especially when you can quickly check or purchase a license using your phone at the boat ramp. Additionally, Ben criticizes "old-timers" for not knowing how to use Live Scope technology; therefore, he should certainly be capable of figuring out how to buy a license on his phone. In today’s technological age, there is no excuse for any angler, especially professional tournament anglers, to be unaware of their licensing status or to have an expired license while on the water. Every angler has an obligation to respect public resources, adhere to the laws that protect them, consider the locals who also use these resources, and cooperate with law enforcement officers who uphold these regulations. Always ensure that you have all the required documents on your boat before heading out. This principle applies equally to operating a personal vehicle or traveling with a firearm.
It's called fraud. He caught the fish without a proper license then bought a new license and turned the fish in.So he wasn't legal when he actually caught the fish
@@andybales7318 When he entered for the Toyota drawing, it undoubtably has an affirmation/signature that states he caught the fish legally. He likely signed it knowing that it was a lie due to not having a valid license at the time he caught the fish. Just a guess.
Having it be an honest mistake is one thing, but attesting to having a current license on a tournament form is fraudulent. By signing that form, he should have realized that his license wasn't current.
Some states arrest for minor offenses to keep those offenses from being ignored, especially by non residents. The State likely wouldn't want to expend money on extraditing on an FTA warrant for no fishing license. The SCOTUS in Atwater v. City of Lago Vista made arrests for minor offenses permissable so long as probable cause exists. The intent here is clearly to ensure he shows up for court and pays their fine because it was an "arrest". It's ridiculous considering what society associates the word arrest with. This just as easily could have happened had he been pulled over for having a tag light out and charged. Same process. It's just an administrative way for the State to be heavy handed and flex. Allows the game warden to stick their chest out at the office too because their "arrest"s numbers were X this month and they got a famous scalp. Ben was likely never in handcuffs. He did what was right and showed up, filled out some paperwork and was out the door with a court date 30 mins later. He will show up at court later, pay a small fine and never spend a second in jail. He has money, so alternatively he can get his lawyer to talk to the head of Fish and Game and do some free public stuff to boost their resource protection efforts and probably get the charge dropped. The use of the phrase tournament fraud seems like complete hyperbole as any mistake anyone made with the rules could be considered fraud legally. It's absolutely over reach and another example of government being about the process and not the People. Break their minor petty offense rules and it's an arrest for fraud. Ultimately the State would have a high bar to prove intent to deceive beyond a reasonable doubt. What is more probable is that he forgot his license expired and will be able to show that and a pattern of having a license in the past, mitigating their intent argument. Before everyone piles on keep in mind that if you've competed in a tournament and even unintentionally broken ANY rule at all it could be labeled "fraud" if you didn't report it. Intent is key and a high bar the State won't likely meet.
At 1st I thought I was going to hear you bashing Milken due to his stance and heavy reliance on FFS. I'm glad to hear you are taking the high road and trying to empathize with him. Your are what I always believed you were, a good man, Randy.
It's not tough...he wasn't arrested for an expired license...likely arrested for catching a large bass with an expired license, then purchasing a license to qualify the fish...Money is involved, so it's considered fraud...probably a misdemeanor, but nevertheless unacceptable for an angler
I've known folks who didn't pay child support and they weren't allowed to get a license, even if they wanted to-just because they weren't paying for their children. The law knows how to make it hurt.
I just had a incident a month ago where I didnt know my license expired and it got me big time. I had it on auto renew and it didnt renew this year... People make mistakes
Milliken is a flat-out outlaw !!! Period. No integrity. No Morals No Sportsmanship . Not anybody that we want our young bass anglers to look up to. An absolute disgrace to the sport of professional bass fishing.. If BASS does not disqualify him for the 2025 season and also remove him from their advisory board, then they might as well dissolve their organization because they will lose all of what little they have left of their credibility. This is a disgusting act!!!
Interesting that they did call it a "tournament". Ben said it was not a tournament in his post. If he immediately bought the license after the fact, he knew he was fraudulently signing the form which undoubtably has a signature stating the entrant was fishing legally. Once he signed that and knew he had renewed his license after the fact, he painted himself into a corner he couldn't talk his way out of.
The shared lunker program isn’t a tournament. It’s turning in bass to help further the species. They also enter you into a drawing for 5k. I sure wouldn’t call that a “tournament”. Also, there is no way he bought a license and turned in that fish for a chance to win 5k.
@@horbie5039 The folks who are speaking for the law he broke sure as hell called it a "tournament". What some rando on the internet considers it is irrelevant. It is literally stated as "tournament fraud" on his booking sheet.
@@cuivre2004 Exactly. Oh, it isn't a tournament. It is an event. Who cares. He tried to claim 10k in winnings on an illegal catch. What kind of event it is doesn't matter. LOL!
It’s not a tournament. I live in Texas and am familiar with it. It is a “government ran program.” Which is what makes it likely a more serious ordeal. Assuming he “intentionally” falsified it. I’m curious to know how they know it’s an intentional falsification. I guess it doesn’t matter though because ignorance to the law doesn’t make you above it regardless.
It was one day out... It's because of the money that was on the line. It's a fishing infraction but tournament money is what probably caused the arrest. If you fish professional level there's no room for mistakes. I understand it probably was an honest mistake. That doesn't make him a Mike Long...
Not necessarily. You don't have to do Sept. - Aug. you can do a year from date of purchase. Year from Purchase All-Water Package: For fishermen who don't want to follow the traditional September-August license dates
The only problem is that you have been fishing all summer, maybe even the day before, so thinking about buying your license isn't on your mind. Our date is Dec 31st and the COs always go out on Jan 1st to bust people who forget.
Falsifying information to the tournament isn't a crime against the state - it does not violate a state statute, so I can't see him being arrested for that. Fishing without a license requires a fine, not much more. I suspect there is more to the story somewhere.
Fishing is his profession. That said if its a man's income and life revolves around, it you make it PRIORITY to ensure all your licenses are current and valid. No sympathy from this guy for what is happening. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy 😊
VALID QUESTION: Did Ben Milliken recently speak out publicly on a hot political topic? Getting arrested for something that everyone else gets FINED for smells. Reminds me of the Ted Nugent "poaching" case and himand being strong arm persecuted by a politically driven prosecutor on a law that was never enforced in the history of Alaska and even the judge was unaware of.
Signing a statement to a lie (stating all laws were adhered to) to try to obtain the $10,000 under Texas law is Fraud, same someone would be charged with if they cheated in any tournament. Nothing political about it, he lied, he broke the law by not having a valid fishing license and commited fraud by lying to win money. If he was not trying to get money he might only have gotten a ticket for fishing without a valid license.
Some fish and game agencies consider a citation an arrest. 28 years game warden retired. I always gave the perp the phone number to buy one unless it was a repeat offender. That way I knew the money was going back to the resource. Fines in some states go to the general fund.
No, it is more than that. Did you watch the video? He entered a fish in this event that was caught without a license in order to get 10K in prize money. If that is actually the case it is fraud.
I had an issue once where the local DNR site was down and I couldn’t get a license. I drove way out of my way to the DNR office and they were closed. The next day I actually did not fish but I was arrested because they thought I would fish that day. It’s a true story and the worst government over reach you have ever heard of. These government agencies are not our friends.
I appreciate your reporting on this being unbiased and actually a bit defensive of Miliken. I 100% expected the opposite. After reading everything available, it’s 100% a minor snafu of forgetting to update your annual license which should be obvious for a guy that fishes every day but is also more easily forgotten by a guy that fishes everyday
Very objective report about a guy who once said you have not caught a fish since 1980. I’m not sure he would not have been as kind to you if the shoe was on the other foot.
It doesn't seem like any of us know all the facts of what is going on. If he filled the form out in the mindset that he had a valid fishing liscense not realizing it was expired could it be an honest mistake. Did he fill out the form knowing his liscense was expired? Maybe but it has to be proven in the court of law. Until this happens isn't he innocent until proven guilty? I mean come on man I'm sure a lot of the people in here have fished without a liscense knowing and unknowingly before. It could have been an honest mistake.
He should've withdrew himself from the tournament once he realized his license was expired. That would be an honest mistake. Buying a license after the fact is trying to cover your tracks.
He caught a 13lbs bass and did not think anything about the catch until a friend told him he should enter it into the contest. So, he did. When they were doing their due diligence, he was found not to have a fishing license, when he caught the bass. He was fined, paid it, got his license and was removed from the contest. He agreed to it all. So, there was no crime, right? No monetary loose. To commit a crime, you have to have intent. There was no intent. Like I said he was told he should enter. The Texas fish and wildlife took it a step further and falsified an affidavit saying he did commit fraud for falsifying an entry form and no license. They got the warrant on it. Now someone said Texas fish and wildlife are known to falsify documents. I do not know it that is true or not. They asked him to come in so they could talk about it. When he got there, they arrested him. Now if you are disqualified from the contest, agreed to it because you forgot to get your license and paid a fine for no license there is no crime. He also owns 6th sense fishing. He contributes a lot of his product to such events, including events run by Texas fish and wildlife. In his mug shot, his smile is saying he knows more as to why this happened. It has nothing to do with the entry or not having a fishing license. Thats my take on the mug shot.
I agree, forgetting to update a license is an honest mistake. Knowing that it is expired and lying to illegally compete and accept prize money and gain more sponsorship and clout, is greedy and shady! The arrest leaves me begging the question!
I got arrested in North Carolina for fishing without a license when I was in college. Took me down to the magistrate and said I was "released on my own recognizance." It really is a thing in some places, and they were neither nice nor understanding. Ended up as just a fine but they threatened me if I didn't pay it there would be serious consequences. I was just passing through the state and stopped by a lake to relax for a bit.
Knowingly claiming 10k in prize money on an illegal catch isn't nothing. It is fraud. That is why he was arrested. If he just didn't claim the prize money it would have been fine. Milliken wanted the prize money more than doing what is legal or right. He attempted to take 10k in winnings from his fellow anglers. What a boob.
IF all of this is over an expired fishing license, then arresting him is way over the top. I don't see somebody with enough cash purposely trying to sidestep paying for a cheap license they can purchase with a few clicks on their smart phone. Either there is more to the story or local law enforcement went overboard.
To be fair to Milliken he has to buy multiple licences every season so it's probably easier for him and other Pro fishermen to forget to renew one of them than someone that only has one or two to renew, easy mistake.
Isn’t the torment document considered an official document, since there is prize money involved? Wouldn’t that then be considered knowingly falsifying an official document? Kind of a stretch….
I know in Va , they send you an email reminding you to renew your license. I think a month or so in advance. So, you shouldn't forget. Some people just don't want to pay the fee.
Yeah, proud of you for your handling of this! It is, Wow news! You and Ben don't exactly agree on some things, but you are Fisherman after all and it's for the Love of the sport!
I’ve seen several people say that he caught a share a lunker and realized his Texas fishing license wasnt updated so he purchased a license and then called share a lunker. This is why they are calling it tournament cheating/ fraud. I don’t see how that is considered a tournament.
He caught the fish 8 months ago. Before he turned the fish in, he renewed his license, DNR was there when it happened and said everything was ok,until some crybaby said something,and it wasn't a fishing tournament
In ohio u can buy a liscense for a fay a weekend a season and even years so is it possible he didnt rralize it had expired? The only thing im not understanding is that if he figured out it was expired and then got a liscense after the fact of winning the tournament is it fraud because he cought the fish ilegaly and tried to accept the prize money?
Most fisherman have forgotten to renew their license. But, this is his job. Every other profession that calls for a license these people would have been fired or sued.
Does Texas run their liscence years Jan 1 to Jan 1 or something different? Here in WA it’s March 31st. Ben fished in Texas during the Elite series this calendar year so how could have he not had a liscence?
Nebraska (where he's from) is Jan. 1- Dec. 31 maybe he had that in his head..maybe was too caught up with thinkin about tactics and simply forgot..we are all only human, no one is perfect, we all make mistakes
@ronsaunders4491 I bet you've done something stupid in your life and someone looked at it the same way you are looking at this ,with havin common sense..everyone makes mistakes.
I think it was that it was the prize money that made it more serious. If he signed the form knowing that he didn't have a license that makes it fraud which is essentially stealing. I'm a little surprised that the tournaments don't make the competitors show them their license when they register.
Okay, so quick Google is 70 bucks for an out-of-state Texas fishing license. I don't know where he lives. He tried to save 70 bucks (don't really blame him) And I'm assuming checked the box on the form that said he did have a license. That's what all this is about? That seems like a lot of drama over paperwork.
But he was booked, not just given a citation. In the end, it's just a bump in the road and can be spun into more views and support and subscriptions and…money.
@@ryanleague9112 Detained would be free to leave. Shoplifting is an arrest without being booked, an appearance ticket is issued for booking upon arraignment. If he was actually taken into custody, brought to the police Dept, fingerprinted (if it's a misdemeanor), and then issued an appearance ticket; I'll be very surprised? Without having direct knowledge of Texas's laws, my guess would have been an appearance ticket issued wherever law enforcement located him to issue it.
This was about share a lunker program not a tournament. If you enter a fish in the program you are eligible for a drawing for 5k at the end of the season
I dont think he knew it was expired. Doesnt make sense that he didnt just update it. Im sure he more than has the money to buy one. Now the question is. How long was it expired because they all expire the same time of year. Curious how many tournaments he has done
The share a Lunker has a $10,000 prize for the biggest fish weighed in for the year. Therefore, there was an attempt to defraud and win the cash. That was how it was explained on another board I was reading.
I laughed my ass off when I saw him using that line! LOL. Doesn't Texas have lifetime fishing licenses he could buy? It costs $1000. He lives in Texas, so that would be an easy decision to buy one and forget about having to renew every year.
You have to submit online and they just ask for your license number. no expiration date. Looks like the prize is a drawing entry to win a $5000 shopping spree. Not something I'd see him intentionally trying to cheat to have a chance at having his entry drawn to win.
Gotta hand it to you, Randy. In both of your videos concerning this, you took the high road. BM is a professional angler, he should know better than to hit the water, especially in an instance where large amounts of money is involved, without having a current valid license.
My guess is he got $$ for the Share Lunker fish while not having a legal permit. Even if he didn’t realize he wasn’t legal, they could still possibly charge him with fraud is my guess for taking the cash.
Question - I caught a 16 inch spotted bass recreational fishing. I released the fish but it was obviously not going to make it so I netted it and tossed it in my live well. Note that was the only black bass I have kept in my life and I am 60 plus years old. Anyway when I cleaned the fish I found a large lure in it stomach. Had I been in a tournament would that not potential be seen as cheating? FYI - the lure in its stomach is what killed the bass, I guess during the fight it tore up the fishes stomach.
Randy, I might be a critic of yours, but kudos to you for not jumping for joy about this just because the two of you have your disagreements. Credit where it’s due.
Ill be honest when I clicked on this video I thought to my self of boy what kind of bash session is this gonna be. Class act video not turning it into that. I like both of you as anglers for the information you share even though your styles and opinions are different. Its good to see even though you guys have had heated discussions on various platforms you can keep it classy.
I recently moved to Louisiana from California. I fish BFL and Toyota Series. I have non resident license for both states. Texas makes it very difficult for tackle stores to sell licenses due to the extreme cost of doing business. Tackle Addict doesn't even sell em but the gas station down the street does. I've been fishing Derbs all over this country for 25 years. If you compete at that level there is zero excuse for not having a valid license
Texas makes it very easy to buy a license. So easy infact I was fishing a tournament on September 1st a few years ago, bought my license while on the water doing 60mph heading to our starting spot.
@@cody_the_bum8946 easy online yes. However they charge brick and mortar places a ton and require some hefty fees from business to sell them. I went to 3 different tackle stores and none sell licenses
Hey Mr. Blanket I’m a winter fisherman like you and I’m interested in the gloves you use while fishing so if you’re inclined to tell me , what brand of gloves and type do you use. Much appreciated , thanks again for your awesome channel
Here is a novel idea. Make all anglers present their licenses upon entering the Tournament. Even if it is just logging in with your phone to TWRA or even a screenshot on your phone. Problem solved.
Agree with Milliken or not, this is quite the reach. Bass masters needs Ben more then he needs them. I find it interesting that he was arrested over a lack of license. If so, the game warden just making a name for himself. This is insane IMO.
It’s more like this! I’m with Randy! The everyday average person can’t afford this! Bass Pro better get their shit together because parking lots are empty all over! DEI from content creation is ending very soon! JM has no say in his bp for years! It’s time to come together and say one thing! GFU MilkeyWay and the rest of you narcissistic anglers who only care about you! Thank you Randy!
If any of the documents that he knowingly falsified or doctored were official government forms then it is an arrestable offense . I was not a police officer in texas but i was one in NY for a very long time so Im willing to bet Texas has laws regarding the altering of official govt docs. This is most likely what has happened in Ben’s situation if i were to take a guess.
So guy wins an event and cashes a 100k check only to find out he didn't have a license what would people's views be? Different? Prizes or $$ amounts matter ? Or principle ?
That recently happened. I don't remember who, but think it was a Bassmaster Open and he got DQ'd. Something about not doing the online application right.
I think this video shows that Randy does really care for the sport, because he could have very easily bashed. Ben Milliken and did not gave him the benefit of the doubt, and I think that for the sport. We all hope that this is a big misunderstanding and an overreach by Texas wildlife administration.
Fished recreational..caught lunker..turned in lunker to sharelunker..automatically enters you into "tourney"..GW looked into him not having a current license at that time, after he received prize money from fish in "tourney" for biggest lunker..apparently arrestable offense in Texas. Only speculation from what ive read and heard..as all of this is till we get the true story. We are all human and make mistakes, nobody's perfect, shit happens.
I got caught by a warden License out I had the Texas outdoor app on my phone he let me purchase a new one on the spot and gave me a warning no jail lol
Why would he intentionally not renew his license? Do you hear how stupid that sounds. He has the money to buy a license so if he didn’t have it any one will assume it’s because he forgot or didn’t know it had expired. Only other reason someone fish’s without it isn’t they didn’t have the money to buy it & thought they could skate by without it. The fact you put out shorts saying he was arrested for fishing tournament fraud says more about you than it does about him. 🤡
It is more than that. He knowingly tried to claim 10k in winnings on an illegal catch. He should have not filled out the paperwork and told them he forgot to renew his license. He wanted the big payday.
I used to live in California now I live in Texas. They’re real serious about fishing licenses here you have to give your Social Security number if you owe back child support or anything you cannot have a license here there was a guy on the elite series three or four years ago. That did make an honest mistake. Forgot to get his license for Texas when they were having a tournament here and it pretty much ruined his season he couldn’t fish the tournament and from what I understand if you do get caught the following year, they won’t even issue you a license so they take it very seriously license here are due in August same every year
I've been fishing for years without a license. 🤷♂️ So it must have been something else, " or because of what he said earlier this year, they went after him for it.
I’ll give it to you, Randy you did not try and bash Ben at all. It actually seem like you’re trying to stick up for him a little bit saying it could’ve been an honest mistake. That’s a class act.
I agree! Randy showed true class.
Agree great job Randy taking the high road and being a good example to others
Except the part where he insinuated that BM is a spot lighting cheater. You deaf?
@@RoundawgYeah but, that’s always gonna be Randy, he hates FFS Miliken likes it. I’m not even a Randy fan and disagree a lot but, for him to show a little bit of compassion and looking at Ben like a human being and how we all make mistakes. Randy could have taken this a totally different direction but, he didn’t. I like Ben a lot more than Randy but, this was a class act from Randy.
Thousand of dollars spent on fishing equipment and dude doesn’t renew his license! 🤡🎣 Not an honest mistake when you fish for a living. That’s like failing to renew your drivers license when you drive a truck for a living.
If the tables were turned Milliken would not have the class you have that’s for sure
Lol really?!
He wouldn't of even mentioned him in anything
lol this guy must be 60+ years old and doesn’t like livepoke
Milliken wouldn't have made a video about the situation the first 0.4 seconds after the news came out.
Its not the license. Its the $10,000 that makes it more serious.
It makes it fraud.
@@BlobRob787only if the State can prove an intent to receive. That a high bar proving intent. Dude likely forgot his license expired.
Milliken is a douche bag, but I do not wish to see him prosecuted by law for something so stupid.
He committed fraud (allegedly) by claiming a catch for 10k when he knew the catch was not legal.
Randy's attempt to offer Ben some grace is commendable, but ultimately, it is undeserved. As a “professional angler,” claiming ignorance regarding licensing is not a valid excuse, especially when you can quickly check or purchase a license using your phone at the boat ramp. Additionally, Ben criticizes "old-timers" for not knowing how to use Live Scope technology; therefore, he should certainly be capable of figuring out how to buy a license on his phone.
In today’s technological age, there is no excuse for any angler, especially professional tournament anglers, to be unaware of their licensing status or to have an expired license while on the water.
Every angler has an obligation to respect public resources, adhere to the laws that protect them, consider the locals who also use these resources, and cooperate with law enforcement officers who uphold these regulations. Always ensure that you have all the required documents on your boat before heading out. This principle applies equally to operating a personal vehicle or traveling with a firearm.
😂
It's called fraud. He caught the fish without a proper license then bought a new license and turned the fish in.So he wasn't legal when he actually caught the fish
What makes it fraud, was money involved
@@andybales7318 yes
The question is when was it? What day
@@andybales7318 Yes, $10k.
@@andybales7318 When he entered for the Toyota drawing, it undoubtably has an affirmation/signature that states he caught the fish legally. He likely signed it knowing that it was a lie due to not having a valid license at the time he caught the fish. Just a guess.
Having it be an honest mistake is one thing, but attesting to having a current license on a tournament form is fraudulent. By signing that form, he should have realized that his license wasn't current.
Some states arrest for minor offenses to keep those offenses from being ignored, especially by non residents. The State likely wouldn't want to expend money on extraditing on an FTA warrant for no fishing license. The SCOTUS in Atwater v. City of Lago Vista made arrests for minor offenses permissable so long as probable cause exists. The intent here is clearly to ensure he shows up for court and pays their fine because it was an "arrest". It's ridiculous considering what society associates the word arrest with. This just as easily could have happened had he been pulled over for having a tag light out and charged. Same process. It's just an administrative way for the State to be heavy handed and flex. Allows the game warden to stick their chest out at the office too because their "arrest"s numbers were X this month and they got a famous scalp. Ben was likely never in handcuffs. He did what was right and showed up, filled out some paperwork and was out the door with a court date 30 mins later. He will show up at court later, pay a small fine and never spend a second in jail. He has money, so alternatively he can get his lawyer to talk to the head of Fish and Game and do some free public stuff to boost their resource protection efforts and probably get the charge dropped. The use of the phrase tournament fraud seems like complete hyperbole as any mistake anyone made with the rules could be considered fraud legally.
It's absolutely over reach and another example of government being about the process and not the People. Break their minor petty offense rules and it's an arrest for fraud.
Ultimately the State would have a high bar to prove intent to deceive beyond a reasonable doubt. What is more probable is that he forgot his license expired and will be able to show that and a pattern of having a license in the past, mitigating their intent argument.
Before everyone piles on keep in mind that if you've competed in a tournament and even unintentionally broken ANY rule at all it could be labeled "fraud" if you didn't report it. Intent is key and a high bar the State won't likely meet.
He spent so much money on his livescope he couldn’t afford a license 😂
😂😂😂😂😂
He forgets to renew his license, but I bet he updates his FFS tech right on time. LOL!
😂
At 1st I thought I was going to hear you bashing Milken due to his stance and heavy reliance on FFS. I'm glad to hear you are taking the high road and trying to empathize with him. Your are what I always believed you were, a good man, Randy.
It's not tough...he wasn't arrested for an expired license...likely arrested for catching a large bass with an expired license, then purchasing a license to qualify the fish...Money is involved, so it's considered fraud...probably a misdemeanor, but nevertheless unacceptable for an angler
The line between misdemeanor and a felony is much lower than $5000, but it will likely be pleaded down.
It shouldn’t be a crime unless he tried to collect that $10,000. He should of gotten a fine for no license.
He did try. He knew it was not a legal catch.
@ im not sure He’s hurting for money. He likes the publicity more than anything.
@@PaulFerber Bro..........
@@PaulFerber Publicity pays….lots, probably, in his case.
@@thomasmartin8202how does blatantly cheating to win help get him paid?
He should have had a license no excuse.
I've known folks who didn't pay child support and they weren't allowed to get a license, even if they wanted to-just because they weren't paying for their children. The law knows how to make it hurt.
I just had a incident a month ago where I didnt know my license expired and it got me big time. I had it on auto renew and it didnt renew this year... People make mistakes
Sure, perfect guy.
3 idiots that blame everyone but themselves typical Americans today. Don’t want to take responsibility for their own stupidity.
Milliken is a flat-out outlaw !!! Period.
No integrity.
No Morals
No Sportsmanship .
Not anybody that we want our young bass anglers to look up to.
An absolute disgrace to the sport of professional bass fishing..
If BASS does not disqualify him for the 2025 season and also remove him from their advisory board, then they might as well dissolve their organization because they will lose all of what little they have left of their credibility.
This is a disgusting act!!!
Don't clutch your pearls too herd, Nancy
Interesting that they did call it a "tournament". Ben said it was not a tournament in his post. If he immediately bought the license after the fact, he knew he was fraudulently signing the form which undoubtably has a signature stating the entrant was fishing legally. Once he signed that and knew he had renewed his license after the fact, he painted himself into a corner he couldn't talk his way out of.
The shared lunker program isn’t a tournament. It’s turning in bass to help further the species. They also enter you into a drawing for 5k. I sure wouldn’t call that a “tournament”. Also, there is no way he bought a license and turned in that fish for a chance to win 5k.
Potatoes, patatoes. Tournament, event, whatever. It offered prize money. He wanted the money knowing his entry wasn't a legal catch.
@@horbie5039 The folks who are speaking for the law he broke sure as hell called it a "tournament". What some rando on the internet considers it is irrelevant. It is literally stated as "tournament fraud" on his booking sheet.
@@cuivre2004 Exactly. Oh, it isn't a tournament. It is an event. Who cares. He tried to claim 10k in winnings on an illegal catch. What kind of event it is doesn't matter. LOL!
It’s not a tournament. I live in Texas and am familiar with it. It is a “government ran program.”
Which is what makes it likely a more serious ordeal. Assuming he “intentionally” falsified it. I’m curious to know how they know it’s an intentional falsification.
I guess it doesn’t matter though because ignorance to the law doesn’t make you above it regardless.
It was one day out... It's because of the money that was on the line. It's a fishing infraction but tournament money is what probably caused the arrest. If you fish professional level there's no room for mistakes. I understand it probably was an honest mistake. That doesn't make him a Mike Long...
I'm not so sure it was an honest mistake.
He’s been in Texas long enough to know
Texas fishing license all expire at the same time August 31 so there’s no having to remember your expiration dates
100 %
Not necessarily. You don't have to do Sept. - Aug. you can do a year from date of purchase.
Year from Purchase All-Water Package: For fishermen who don't want to follow the traditional September-August license dates
Not defending the guy by any means. I buy mine every year on September 1 combination hunting fishing for the last years.
You can pay for a year to date and it expires 1 year from purchase.
The only problem is that you have been fishing all summer, maybe even the day before, so thinking about buying your license isn't on your mind. Our date is Dec 31st and the COs always go out on Jan 1st to bust people who forget.
Falsifying information to the tournament isn't a crime against the state - it does not violate a state statute, so I can't see him being arrested for that. Fishing without a license requires a fine, not much more. I suspect there is more to the story somewhere.
Maybe he just acted like a jerk and got arrested lol
Fishing is his profession. That said if its a man's income and life revolves around, it you make it PRIORITY to ensure all your licenses are current and valid. No sympathy from this guy for what is happening. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy 😊
VALID QUESTION: Did Ben Milliken recently speak out publicly on a hot political topic? Getting arrested for something that everyone else gets FINED for smells. Reminds me of the Ted Nugent "poaching" case and himand being strong arm persecuted by a politically driven prosecutor on a law that was never enforced in the history of Alaska and even the judge was unaware of.
Reminds me of Hunter right? F maga
@guyfoscone3193 😂😂 you're a clown if you didn't catch how real all of his cases were.
What political hot topic did he speak about?
Signing a statement to a lie (stating all laws were adhered to) to try to obtain the $10,000 under Texas law is Fraud, same someone would be charged with if they cheated in any tournament. Nothing political about it, he lied, he broke the law by not having a valid fishing license and commited fraud by lying to win money. If he was not trying to get money he might only have gotten a ticket for fishing without a valid license.
Some fish and game agencies consider a citation an arrest. 28 years game warden retired. I always gave the perp the phone number to buy one unless it was a repeat offender. That way I knew the money was going back to the resource. Fines in some states go to the general fund.
"The perp"...can tell you were a GW goober..
@@jmitch1115 GW goober?
@@jmitch1115also referred to as “Dirty Violater” by the fish police.
@@jmitch1115 i was thinking the same thing when i heard perp
I have to say. This is like the gift that just keeps giving. Merry Christmas everyone!
Anyone on here that says they’ve never accidentally went fishing without a valid fishing license is lying.
That isn’t the point here
arrested for an expired fishing license is crazy
No, it is more than that. Did you watch the video? He entered a fish in this event that was caught without a license in order to get 10K in prize money. If that is actually the case it is fraud.
liberal texas
I had an issue once where the local DNR site was down and I couldn’t get a license. I drove way out of my way to the DNR office and they were closed. The next day I actually did not fish but I was arrested because they thought I would fish that day. It’s a true story and the worst government over reach you have ever heard of. These government agencies are not our friends.
Nobody in Texas likes this guy …
I appreciate your reporting on this being unbiased and actually a bit defensive of Miliken. I 100% expected the opposite. After reading everything available, it’s 100% a minor snafu of forgetting to update your annual license which should be obvious for a guy that fishes every day but is also more easily forgotten by a guy that fishes everyday
Very objective report about a guy who once said you have not caught a fish since 1980. I’m not sure he would not have been as kind to you if the shoe was on the other foot.
It doesn't seem like any of us know all the facts of what is going on. If he filled the form out in the mindset that he had a valid fishing liscense not realizing it was expired could it be an honest mistake.
Did he fill out the form knowing his liscense was expired? Maybe but it has to be proven in the court of law.
Until this happens isn't he innocent until proven guilty? I mean come on man I'm sure a lot of the people in here have fished without a liscense knowing and unknowingly before. It could have been an honest mistake.
He should've withdrew himself from the tournament once he realized his license was expired. That would be an honest mistake.
Buying a license after the fact is trying to cover your tracks.
He caught a 13lbs bass and did not think anything about the catch until a friend told him he should enter it into the contest. So, he did. When they were doing their due diligence, he was found not to have a fishing license, when he caught the bass. He was fined, paid it, got his license and was removed from the contest. He agreed to it all. So, there was no crime, right? No monetary loose. To commit a crime, you have to have intent. There was no intent. Like I said he was told he should enter. The Texas fish and wildlife took it a step further and falsified an affidavit saying he did commit fraud for falsifying an entry form and no license. They got the warrant on it. Now someone said Texas fish and wildlife are known to falsify documents. I do not know it that is true or not. They asked him to come in so they could talk about it. When he got there, they arrested him. Now if you are disqualified from the contest, agreed to it because you forgot to get your license and paid a fine for no license there is no crime. He also owns 6th sense fishing. He contributes a lot of his product to such events, including events run by Texas fish and wildlife. In his mug shot, his smile is saying he knows more as to why this happened. It has nothing to do with the entry or not having a fishing license. Thats my take on the mug shot.
I agree, forgetting to update a license is an honest mistake. Knowing that it is expired and lying to illegally compete and accept prize money and gain more sponsorship and clout, is greedy and shady! The arrest leaves me begging the question!
That would make sense lying about having a license versus just not having one
Usually people overlook buying their new license at the beginning of the season, not the end of it.
I got arrested in North Carolina for fishing without a license when I was in college. Took me down to the magistrate and said I was "released on my own recognizance." It really is a thing in some places, and they were neither nice nor understanding. Ended up as just a fine but they threatened me if I didn't pay it there would be serious consequences. I was just passing through the state and stopped by a lake to relax for a bit.
This is a huge nothing burger. I am glad Randy updated his original video.
Knowingly claiming 10k in prize money on an illegal catch isn't nothing. It is fraud. That is why he was arrested. If he just didn't claim the prize money it would have been fine. Milliken wanted the prize money more than doing what is legal or right. He attempted to take 10k in winnings from his fellow anglers. What a boob.
Thanks for getting back with us. 😎👍
He thinks his shit doesn’t stink but this smells fishy to me. Something else has to be going on.
Fun fact. Everyone's shit stinks. Even the arrogant one has stinky crap.
Not sure what the money amount would have to be in Texas for fraud to be considered a Felony, but he was charged with either one or two misdemeanor
I buy my hunting and fishing license every year in August- when it expires!
Done it for 30 years
IF all of this is over an expired fishing license, then arresting him is way over the top. I don't see somebody with enough cash purposely trying to sidestep paying for a cheap license they can purchase with a few clicks on their smart phone.
Either there is more to the story or local law enforcement went overboard.
To be fair to Milliken he has to buy multiple licences every season so it's probably easier for him and other Pro fishermen to forget to renew one of them than someone that only has one or two to renew, easy mistake.
IT WAS HIS HOME STATE!!!!
Isn’t the torment document considered an official document, since there is prize money involved? Wouldn’t that then be considered knowingly falsifying an official document? Kind of a stretch….
I know in Va , they send you an email reminding you to renew your license. I think a month or so in advance. So, you shouldn't forget. Some people just don't want to pay the fee.
Yeah, proud of you for your handling of this! It is, Wow news! You and Ben don't exactly agree on some things, but you are Fisherman after all and it's for the Love of the sport!
I’ve seen several people say that he caught a share a lunker and realized his Texas fishing license wasnt updated so he purchased a license and then called share a lunker. This is why they are calling it tournament cheating/ fraud. I don’t see how that is considered a tournament.
He will be a convicted fish burglar, very serious crime. Just look what happened to the Hambuglar, McDonalds sent him to prison. Scary 😬
He caught the fish 8 months ago. Before he turned the fish in, he renewed his license, DNR was there when it happened and said everything was ok,until some crybaby said something,and it wasn't a fishing tournament
In ohio u can buy a liscense for a fay a weekend a season and even years so is it possible he didnt rralize it had expired?
The only thing im not understanding is that if he figured out it was expired and then got a liscense after the fact of winning the tournament is it fraud because he cought the fish ilegaly and tried to accept the prize money?
Most fisherman have forgotten to renew their license. But, this is his job. Every other profession that calls for a license these people would have been fired or sued.
Does Texas run their liscence years Jan 1 to Jan 1 or something different? Here in WA it’s March 31st. Ben fished in Texas during the Elite series this calendar year so how could have he not had a liscence?
September 1 to September 1 is the standard. For a up charge you can buy it date to date, so May12th to May 12th ect..
Nebraska (where he's from) is Jan. 1- Dec. 31 maybe he had that in his head..maybe was too caught up with thinkin about tactics and simply forgot..we are all only human, no one is perfect, we all make mistakes
No September 1st every year is fiscal year in TEXAS they expire last day of August
In Ohio when I was there it was from time you bought them.A year later they expire.Common SENSE TO me
@ronsaunders4491 I bet you've done something stupid in your life and someone looked at it the same way you are looking at this ,with havin common sense..everyone makes mistakes.
I think it was that it was the prize money that made it more serious. If he signed the form knowing that he didn't have a license that makes it fraud which is essentially stealing. I'm a little surprised that the tournaments don't make the competitors show them their license when they register.
Ben’s not too concerned about it, judging by the big grin in his mug shot!
That is what happens when you are arrogant. You think you are above it all.
Do you think Benny would treat Randy the way Randy has treated him
Okay, so quick Google is 70 bucks for an out-of-state Texas fishing license. I don't know where he lives. He tried to save 70 bucks (don't really blame him) And I'm assuming checked the box on the form that said he did have a license. That's what all this is about? That seems like a lot of drama over paperwork.
An "arrest" doesn't need to be considered a major deal. Technically; being stopped for running a STOP sign is an "arrest".
that's being detained. with an arrest, the suspect is taken into custody and booked
But he was booked, not just given a citation. In the end, it's just a bump in the road and can be spun into more views and support and subscriptions and…money.
@@ryanleague9112 Detained would be free to leave. Shoplifting is an arrest without being booked, an appearance ticket is issued for booking upon arraignment. If he was actually taken into custody, brought to the police Dept, fingerprinted (if it's a misdemeanor), and then issued an appearance ticket; I'll be very surprised? Without having direct knowledge of Texas's laws, my guess would have been an appearance ticket issued wherever law enforcement located him to issue it.
This was about share a lunker program not a tournament. If you enter a fish in the program you are eligible for a drawing for 5k at the end of the season
Good job Randy. You make me proud of how you conduct yourself.
I dont think he knew it was expired. Doesnt make sense that he didnt just update it. Im sure he more than has the money to buy one. Now the question is. How long was it expired because they all expire the same time of year. Curious how many tournaments he has done
Attorney general suspended my privledge to obtain a TFL.
The share a Lunker has a $10,000 prize for the biggest fish weighed in for the year. Therefore, there was an attempt to defraud and win the cash. That was how it was explained on another board I was reading.
Ben said that it was a misunderstanding
I laughed my ass off when I saw him using that line! LOL. Doesn't Texas have lifetime fishing licenses he could buy? It costs $1000. He lives in Texas, so that would be an easy decision to buy one and forget about having to renew every year.
Like a fraudster never has said that before. LOL!
@@BlobRob787 Correct. Just like people that have made up their mind about someone automatically dismiss their statements whether they're true or not.
It’s an easy mistake, especially if you have auto renew on and your billing information changes
You have to submit online and they just ask for your license number. no expiration date. Looks like the prize is a drawing entry to win a $5000 shopping spree. Not something I'd see him intentionally trying to cheat to have a chance at having his entry drawn to win.
Gotta hand it to you, Randy. In both of your videos concerning this, you took the high road. BM is a professional angler, he should know better than to hit the water, especially in an instance where large amounts of money is involved, without having a current valid license.
My guess is he got $$ for the Share Lunker fish while not having a legal permit. Even if he didn’t realize he wasn’t legal, they could still possibly charge him with fraud is my guess for taking the cash.
Yup.
There's only a prize if your name gets pulled in a drawing. You don't get money when you turn the fish in.
Good on you for not bashing the guy even tho you guys don't see eye to eye 🍻
Randy was probably juicing his pants under the table when he heard this. LOL! Germans love a good feeling of schadenfreude. LOL!
How do not calling hourly updates not bashing................Laffin'
@@stevethedude8740 Payback is a MFer....
It was probably an honest mistake, anyone with a debit card or credit card can get a license over their cell phone in less than 10 min.
Question - I caught a 16 inch spotted bass recreational fishing. I released the fish but it was obviously not going to make it so I netted it and tossed it in my live well. Note that was the only black bass I have kept in my life and I am 60 plus years old. Anyway when I cleaned the fish I found a large lure in it stomach. Had I been in a tournament would that not potential be seen as cheating? FYI - the lure in its stomach is what killed the bass, I guess during the fight it tore up the fishes stomach.
Randy, I might be a critic of yours, but kudos to you for not jumping for joy about this just because the two of you have your disagreements. Credit where it’s due.
Our licenses run August to August he knew
There’s also a year to date license that costs a bit more, POSSIBLY thought he had that one then checked and saw he was mistaken.
Ill be honest when I clicked on this video I thought to my self of boy what kind of bash session is this gonna be. Class act video not turning it into that. I like both of you as anglers for the information you share even though your styles and opinions are different. Its good to see even though you guys have had heated discussions on various platforms you can keep it classy.
I would have figured there would have been fraud/theft of prize money involved to deserve an arrest.
I recently moved to Louisiana from California. I fish BFL and Toyota Series. I have non resident license for both states. Texas makes it very difficult for tackle stores to sell licenses due to the extreme cost of doing business. Tackle Addict doesn't even sell em but the gas station down the street does. I've been fishing Derbs all over this country for 25 years. If you compete at that level there is zero excuse for not having a valid license
Are there states you can’t buy a license online? It’s so easy these days so to not have a current license seems silly.
Texas makes it very easy to buy a license. So easy infact I was fishing a tournament on September 1st a few years ago, bought my license while on the water doing 60mph heading to our starting spot.
On
@@cody_the_bum8946 easy online yes. However they charge brick and mortar places a ton and require some hefty fees from business to sell them. I went to 3 different tackle stores and none sell licenses
Everyone has forgot to re new their license from time to time
Hey Mr. Blanket I’m a winter fisherman like you and I’m interested in the gloves you use while fishing so if you’re inclined to tell me , what brand of gloves and type do you use. Much appreciated , thanks again for your awesome channel
Here you go I prefer a wool for sure…www.tacklewarehouse.com/Fish_Monkey_Wooly_Long_Fishing_Gloves/descpage-FMWL.html?from=INTAG
Here is a novel idea. Make all anglers present their licenses upon entering the Tournament. Even if it is just logging in with your phone to TWRA or even a screenshot on your phone. Problem solved.
Thats crazy. I dont know how much a liscense costs down there but it cant be more than the gas he put in his boat and car.
Thanks Randy
Agree with Milliken or not, this is quite the reach. Bass masters needs Ben more then he needs them. I find it interesting that he was arrested over a lack of license. If so, the game warden just making a name for himself. This is insane IMO.
It’s more like this! I’m with Randy! The everyday average person can’t afford this! Bass Pro better get their shit together because parking lots are empty all over! DEI from content creation is ending very soon! JM has no say in his bp for years! It’s time to come together and say one thing! GFU MilkeyWay and the rest of you narcissistic anglers who only care about you! Thank you Randy!
Washington they will absolutely arrest you for fishing without a license. I know in skamania and I think cowlitz Counties it holds jail time.
Great. Now they know what Lakes he’s fishing. The lakes already get wrecked with pressure now it’s gonna be even worse
Nobody willingly lies about not having a fishing license which he dod
He said he wasn’t even in a tournament He was just fun fishing
That wood be a huge mistake on his part. He should know better than that's.
If any of the documents that he knowingly falsified or doctored were official government forms then it is an arrestable offense . I was not a police officer in texas but i was one in NY for a very long time so Im willing to bet Texas has laws regarding the altering of official govt docs. This is most likely what has happened in Ben’s situation if i were to take a guess.
A giant nothingburger blown out of proportion by haters.
So guy wins an event and cashes a 100k check only to find out he didn't have a license what would people's views be? Different? Prizes or $$ amounts matter ? Or principle ?
That recently happened. I don't remember who, but think it was a Bassmaster Open and he got DQ'd. Something about not doing the online application right.
Hope they put him in a cell with Diddy! Lmao
You’re dumb
I think this video shows that Randy does really care for the sport, because he could have very easily bashed. Ben Milliken and did not gave him the benefit of the doubt, and I think that for the sport. We all hope that this is a big misunderstanding and an overreach by Texas wildlife administration.
Fished recreational..caught lunker..turned in lunker to sharelunker..automatically enters you into "tourney"..GW looked into him not having a current license at that time, after he received prize money from fish in "tourney" for biggest lunker..apparently arrestable offense in Texas. Only speculation from what ive read and heard..as all of this is till we get the true story. We are all human and make mistakes, nobody's perfect, shit happens.
I got caught by a warden
License out I had the Texas outdoor app on my phone he let me purchase a new one on the spot and gave me a warning no jail
lol
Why would he intentionally not renew his license? Do you hear how stupid that sounds. He has the money to buy a license so if he didn’t have it any one will assume it’s because he forgot or didn’t know it had expired. Only other reason someone fish’s without it isn’t they didn’t have the money to buy it & thought they could skate by without it. The fact you put out shorts saying he was arrested for fishing tournament fraud says more about you than it does about him. 🤡
It is more than that. He knowingly tried to claim 10k in winnings on an illegal catch. He should have not filled out the paperwork and told them he forgot to renew his license. He wanted the big payday.
I used to live in California now I live in Texas. They’re real serious about fishing licenses here you have to give your Social Security number if you owe back child support or anything you cannot have a license here there was a guy on the elite series three or four years ago. That did make an honest mistake. Forgot to get his license for Texas when they were having a tournament here and it pretty much ruined his season he couldn’t fish the tournament and from what I understand if you do get caught the following year, they won’t even issue you a license so they take it very seriously license here are due in August same every year
Thought I have a lifetime Texas fishing license. Is that still a thing, it was decades ago? Maybe Ben did same.
The truth will come out!!
Yes. He is a fraud.
I've been fishing for years without a license. 🤷♂️ So it must have been something else, " or because of what he said earlier this year, they went after him for it.
Nothing to see here folks. Move on.