If his license expired- that’s it. Period. I don’t care about his name, “status”, or platform. Maybe Biden can pardon him otherwise breaking the law has consequences. End of story.
Steve you missed something with respect to “ money “ A Legacy submission includes a fiberglass replica of the fish and additional gifts. These considerations have value. It’s not only the drawings at the event. Additionally CT in his excellent reporting offered “ he was instructed to submit the catch through a TPW app.” This app likely required a license number and expiration date or other validation. Fraud can have expansive parameters to include bad faith in dealings. Texas has its own degree and standards. Often the mindset, consideration and failure to act drive the charges. Because he’s in the public eye as competitor, media and business, transparency is paramount. Showing his supporting documentation as evidence to the public will go far in protecting his brand. Thanks for creating one of my favorite fishing channels. Cheers Scott
Thank you. I looked into the submission process today and didn't see the license number stuff. CT did a great job and I'm sure he will have more stuff at some point. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
If this would have happened to any of us just average Joe’s then TPW would have called them and informed them that they caught and submitted the fish without a valid fishing license and that they would have to remove them from being eligible for the prizes, then fined them for fishing without a valid license and that would have been the end of it. It would have never went public, and I think the only reason he was charged and it went public is because of his Fame & influencer status. Just my opinion.
You could be correct and hopefully that isn't the situation because if it is then they will have more 'hate' than anything they have done. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
One thing that always has bothered me about fishing licenses is there is never a reminder that it is going to expire. I get notices for everything but my hunting/fishing license. Especially if it is my home state.
"IF" he went fishing, say, 15 different times on Texas public waters. That's 15 counts of fishing without a license. Period. "IF" he signed the form stating he had a license, and there was prize money on the line. It IS considered a tournament, and IS proof he committed fraud. Period. I don't care about how many RUclips followers he has, his brand, or his status in the fishing industry. Not sure why all these excuses are being made for him if this is all true. He should be treated the same as any other Texas angler that would have committed the same offenses. Now, if it is determined this is not what happened, that changes everything.
I agree, if they are true, it shouldn't matter his social media status and it should be handled properly. This is going to be a long story I think. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
From what I’ve read, he caught the fish, called it in, and while waiting for a state guy to come collect the fish he realized his license was expired and bought the license online before they got there.
I am the same place I was when it was known around East Texas for several weeks, and now blown up on social media, and that is there is more to the story than currently is known. As far as the license part goes there is no excuses for a Pro Angler not having the most basic of tools for his job. If a CDL holder did that for 5 months he would be fined and likely jobless. Ben is not just a weekend angler. 5 days maybe. 5 months. No.
Spot on you call yourself a "pro" and you don't have a license in the state you live in that's just ignorance or laziness. Or maybe he really does think he's just better than everyone that's how he comes off. Thinks he's God's gift to the fishing industry or something. I hope they ban his license for a year. Then he won't forget next time.
I literally come to this channel to find out the drama side of bass fishing.....this channel is very important to me .....thank you. I wish you would be more specific as to what happens .... some of us don't have time to watch 20 videos to find out what's going on
Would you accept if you discovered that your pilot's documentation had expired. It's not the same thing ??? It's respect for the process that prevents chaos. This tool doesn't even have respect for the fish he catches. His unjustified inflated ego is about to bite back, hard.
Not having your license in your home state is crazy. I live in Texas I get emails when my license are getting ready to expire and I can renew them on my phone in less than 5 minutes. The he may not have had time is a poor excuse. We all have busy lives.
I love Ben but not having a fishing license while making your living fishing, is like a driver not having their drivers license…. No excuse for not having one.
The fact he bought his expired license after the fact and didn't report it makes his catch invalid. Just because he's Ben doesn't make him any different then you or me. At 87 yrs old I can honestly say I have never fished a day in my life without a valid fishing license. And I have fished a lot of Tournaments.
The difference between a professional fisherman and the weekender is that the professional has to keep track of multiple licenses, vs. the weekender only tracks licenses for the lake they're fishing that weekend. So, forgetting to renew a license is understandable. BUT for Ben, at this time, Texas is his home state. So, at least have that one updated. To be honest, what happens in bass or mlf has no affect to my day to day. Im just here for the free food.....lol
His following doesn’t matter AT ALL. Small one or big creator… Let the process play out, assume that we all make mistakes, and please…I know it’s not your intention to invite clicks on this, but everyone deserves their day in court, their own side. One or two episodes is enough. Love your content, I’ll keep watching, and I’m not Ben M fan. But I believe in not precluding anyone’s intentions. Let them speak.
I agree. People using the "but I'm an INFLUENCER!!!!" as an excuse to get free stuff or get certain perks and forgiveness has run its course 5 years ago. Ben's posse better get with the times- not everyone are sack hangers the way they are. TPWD must have heard about his "sovereign fisherman movement" and not needing to buy a license due to other taxes they pay. Good luck with that! He set himself up to be a "Landmark Arrest"- a high profile example to others out there. Workplaces do it all the time- fire a worker who causes dissent, drama and unrest in the workplace- then the others will straighten up.
i'm just a recreational angler. chasing personal bests and inner peace. I typically hold licenses in 4 different states each year (one of which is Ben's home state of NE and that is a lifetime license purchased just before I moved away). Each state has a different 'timeframe' that I have to manage, stay on top of. that's MY responsibility. what I know? IF I get caught on the water fishing without a valid license, I do have the risk of having my equipment impounded. that tends to help me stay on top of the license management.
I can understand a few days or even weeks of forgetting to get your fishing license at the start of the year, I've done it BUT to fish in your home state for 5 or 6 months is just plain stupidity with no license at it's finest all the while making RUclips videos.
I don't know who this Ben guy is, but I would be willing to bet anything that he calls himself a Professional angler. He has not lived up to that standard. He figured that he is above everyone and doesn't need a license! He tried to cover everything after submitting a fish into a tournament for value prizes by purchasing a license after the fact because he knew he was in the wrong! He defrauded that tournament and should be banned from all tournaments. He in fact cheated then tried to cover it up.
Texas license only go August to August for non residents. They are 1 year from the date of purchase for residents according to the website. I see it when I buy my non resident Texas license every year. If it was a matter of a fishing license expiring and that’s it then it’s a non event and any consequences should have been handled by the warden that noticed he didn’t have a license when entering the fish into the share lunker program. He obviously told Milliken to renew his license and then proceeded to enter the fish into the registry. Then 6+ months later someone in Athens Texas at the share lunker fishery gets mad and files a complaint and he’s in handcuffs. That would be like me catching a fish into a manner that required the tournament director to decide if that fish was ok to keep… and then another tournament employee filing a complaint months later, right before the championship tournament and all of a sudden I’m in trouble for something that was handled when it happened. If this was an average fisherman it would have never gone this far. The people that like Milliken, love him. But the people that don’t like him, hate him. It’s an odd situation. Hopefully it all gets ironed out and we can move on with less drama in the fishing community. Great video, thanks
I’ve worked 60 hours a week in a distillery. Fishing is now and has been just a joy now. Ben is supposedly a professional bass fisherman. Trey McKinney made mistakes and this past year was his first year as a pro, compounding this Trey was 18… an 18 yo having phenomenal success and making mistakes that an 18 yo would make in just about any professional situation. Ben Milliken is a grown man who didn’t do the one thing a professional BASS fisherman has to do, never mind the fact he is a Texas resident and these difficulties resulted in his home state. His personality is brash, he’s too good of a fisherman to behave this way. If he was an 18 yo rookie I’d definitely understand and have empathy, but it’s just not possible for me to feel this way towards Ben. Ben is sorta like the Jake Paul of RUclips as it relates to fishing.. he’s arrogant and doesn’t need to be. He’s a very good fisherman not phenomenal on the Elites like Trey, but very good. At some point we will know, until then I’m not gonna comment anymore on it. Best wishes to you.
I've said this before. He is a guy too busy for his own good. I assume when he fishes tournaments in other states that you need a non-resident license for that state. So how do you lose track of your own state?
I do 2 years at a time with my states license. This past year I actually went 4 months on a technically expired license. Didn’t realize it was expired. And I fish at least 15 days a month year round. Kaka occurs
Ben had a a couple facts about the timeline that he posted on a RUclips Video, ( had his name on the post, over at Frostia Austin RUclips) it stated that a few hours after he checked the fish in, he went to the sharelunker app to enter his fish. While filling out the form he couldn’t find his fishing license, he said, to finish the entry he purchase a new fishing license ( I assume he needed a license number to fill out the form)
Yeah, I think they are making this a bigger deal than it is, but when he caught the bass he wasn't a valid angler, and it kinda stinks. thanks for the info. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@@kurtbecker9609 I can't say about Texas, but in Michigan and ii would expect any state with computerized tracking(all of them I'm sure), it will not allow you to purchase a license if you have already done so for that time period. So even if he though he had one and "couldn't fine it" than as soon as he went to purchase a new one he would have known that he did not have one if it allowed him to buy one. And on top of that, the new number wound not be valid for the fish he was submitting anyway, as it was not active when he caught that fish.
Hey Steve. I do not believe this will goes to court. He will probably plead no contest and pay a fine. If a prosecutor wants to be heavy handed and drag him into court, it should and up the same maybe with some committee service added on. That's why when you fill out government forms make sure you are very accurate in your information. He probably was filling in the share lunker form and pulled the license number off his phone not even looking at the expiration date. I may be wrong, but in the end I think this will turn out to be a nothing burger. Pay your fine/fines make your apologizes and move on with your life. Remember people have a short memory. Making this a shorter one lol 😆 Tight lines. Regards, Steven.
I’m 99.9% percent certain that he had a year to date license that costs a whole $7 more than the standard license. The thought of a professional fisherman fishing in his home state for 5 months with an expired license is comical.
He fished the February 2024 Elite tourney at Lake Fork, took 8th and a$17,000 check. I think BASS checks everybody for the required license before the tourney.
@@geneelkins1707 I think he had things covered before his elite tournaments started. That would be a huge thing, but bass doesn't really check every angler. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
In the short term at least I think this is really going to increase Ben’s views and subscribers. How could it not. As they say, bad publicity is still publicity. The end game will probably depend on the outcome of the criminal charges.
Not all TX lic are purchase date to Aug 31, There is some option (I don't know what that is) to get exp 1yr from purchase date. Copy&past from TPWD Freq Asked Questions: "Most recreational hunting and fishing type license packages are valid from date of purchase in August (August 15 and later) through August 31 of the following year. "
This will be handled perfectly by BM. It'll be turned into a profit center. He's brilliant at this. I do not think this will be a ground breaking story when all of the information comes out.
I can see where Lunkershare could be considered a tournament. Legally, it may be. Exactly! Why didn't he call Sharelunker and let them know he didn't have a license at the time he mistakenly sent the form in? It doesn't matter whether or not he got any money.
These states that run their licensing from anything other than January first to December 31 are looking to get violations. August to August in Texas is just asinine! Here in Michigan it’s April 1st through March 31st and in my 63 years as a resident I have forgotten to renew on time on several incidences. I can’t imagine being a national professional fisherman and keeping all of the licenses I need from one year to another straight…especially with silly shit like “August to August”. I don’t know Milliken personally, don’t follow his channel, but I don’t dislike him. I can’t imagine this was anything but a silly mistake on his part and the way Texas is treating this issue is IMO ridiculous! Obviously he should have been disqualified from the Share A Lunker competition, and fined (which he was), and that should be the end of it.
What I think he shouldn't be scared his is fishing license what are the way that way nothing would have happened I'm not trying to put him down but you should have got his fishing license up-to-date
Spot on Steve. I think the chance that he purposely fished without a license is slim. The question is what did he do when he realized that he fished without a license and especially wrt the ljncker he submitted. When did he find out and what happened before and after he found out is the key here.
Glad one of his fans agree with me that this is indeed one of his "advocacy issues" in his videos. Many people who are his fans are not realizing this, or they just don't really listen to him during his videos.
I look at it that because of whatever happened with his license probably just forgot but if it’s been since August and it’s been five months, why aren’t these tournaments running? Everybody’s licenses to make sure everybody’s legit and they walk in the door. On another note. This is giving him way more steam, his channel his brand and making him way more money.
He's selling merch because of this. I'm not sure I'll do another video until everything is out, problem with that is, this is a story people want to know more about. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Considering Nebraska fishing licenses expire December 31st it’s very likely he had absolutely no idea his license was expired considering he hasn’t lived in Texas long. Definitely sucks he didn’t have a license because he should’ve but anyone who thinks he intentionally did something wrong is stupid. I assure he has enough money to purchase a fishing license lol
I honestly bet he forgot. A license cost little to nothing. I had the same shit happen to me fishing the Detroit River in April. Luckily I realized after the mistake I made shortly after. Also can we just have the ability to buy a life long license at this point.
In the last 50 years I too have fished with an expired license, 2, maybe 3 times. I was paranoid as hell because I knew it was expired. I believe he knew it was expired but for whatever reason didn't renew. I guess a 13 pound bass will make you do stupid decisions. He's guilty as hell.
It was a stupid mistake many people make. This won't hurt his brand, might help. Hell he's making merch from it!!! Figure that one out. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I’ve done it. If I had to make a judgement call… a decision, this is what I would want to know: -how much does a yearly freshwater license cost here? Dude looks like he might… have a medical card and uses it…A LOT. I’m knot😂knockin him! He and I would get along great!😮💨😁😮💨😄😮💨😵💫😮💨🥴and maybe it makes him a little forgetful… I went almost an entire year-just had a lot going on…and had been using my medical card a little too much…😂. Question that I want to know was it intentional-was he acting deceivingly…did he know he had committed a serious offense and was trying to get away with it? … or had he been using his medical card a little too much and just forgot-was he truly surprised he had done something that was punishable by the law? I wonder if they chose for the charge to involve fraud / be worded using fraud or could it have been something else if they wanted to be nice… fried seems a bit extreme, but maybe that’s what this is classified under or maybe the person pressing the charges knows that he intentionally intended to cheat/knowingly acted in a deceiving manner.
Until they release it all and we know what is going on I really don't think speculating is going to do anyone any good. Hopefully they will wrap this up soon.
@@GetUrFishOn hope you didn't think this was directed at you. I was just saying in general all the speculating going on isn't really doing any good. This is one of those extremely weird deals that causes lots of speculation. I'm going to stay absolutely neutral on this one until it all comes out.
@@leblueoutdoors5945 Just an FYI on another channel Ben admits and says his license expired before Sept 1st. So he was fishing all the time without one and making content.
Steve, always appreciate the content in the analysis, will you be using this studio backdrop for your live on Friday night? Remember accidents are accidents being stupid is being stupid, and he certainly didn’t intentionally commit fraud on the state of Texas. I think arresting him was a bit harsh, but a good lawyer is gonna make this all go away with a slap on the wrist. If he fished for that long with no license, he truly had no idea that he didn’t have a license. It actually shows that he didn’t commit fraud intentionally. It really does. Remind me of Trey Mckinney throwing away his AOY in the elite by being 15 minutes late for a tournament weigh in. Such a stupid mistake but shit happens. I think a much bigger deal is being made of this than needs to be. He was stupid so he doesn’t get to be in the share lunker program. He certainly didn’t sit out on some horrible mission to catch a fish over 13 pounds and save the 3040 or $50 on his license and try to get the 10 grand by saving the license fee. So we should let it go and it’ll end up being an honest mistake and he’ll end up paying a fine and that’s that .
I'm not about to cast any judgement on Ben...especially with so many unknowns. I'm somewhat of an outlaw, or constitutionalist if you will, so I'm not a big fan of having to pay a fee for something that should be an inalienable right to start with. After all, it is our tax dollars that are funding all of the fisheries in the first place. Calling the share lunker program a contest is a stretch. Heck, I guess he could just knock the sides off of it and have a fish fry next time. This is only being blown out of proportion because of who he is. I'm sure he is loving all of the publicity...negative or not.
@@duanemansel5704 do you know how soon after the catch was the paperwork submitted to the program? If he submitted the form prior to realizing his license was expired I would cut him some slack. If he knew prizes were possible...yes, he should have informed them he was not eligible and fessed up. Guess we need to wait until this is settled. Not sure he cares. The MFers' won't care. They will still watch. And I don't believe he makes bank on the tournaments anyway.
@@duanemansel5704 So if you catch a state record fish or shoot a deer you can then buy your license after and it's all good? That's how it works now? It's not having a license when you submit the catch it rather it's having one to permit you to catch it.
From an outsiders perspective, it’s all questionable. But my guess, he submitted the documents, knowing he didn’t have a license. Or, he realized he didn’t have a license after the fact and thought that they may just skip over it or miss it altogether. Of course this is just a guess, but once you submit paperwork and it asks for your license number because it does, he had to have known that his license was expired at that point, and was hoping that they would miss it.There’s no other way around that aspect of the situation. Originally, I didn’t think there was malicious intent. But as the story comes out the question in my mind, is he had to have known when he submitted his documentation that his license was expired. And if he did, then their lies the argument that there was in fact, intent. He was more concerned about pay dirt, than he was anything else. In the end, his followers will continue to act like he can do no wrong. And will excuse his actions with every narrative possible. As for Bassmasters?, They probably won’t touch this with a 20 foot pole. And if they do, like everything else it will be swept under the rug. Because again, bad publicity is always hidden from public view.
I don't think Bassmasters does anything at all!! They normally don't do things because they don't want to hurt an anglers reputation. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
The answer will comecwith the revelation of the time in which he purchased his license. If he did on 2/4 before the Sharelunker officials wrrived to pick up the bass than one can assume that the state was misled in his document. Meaning he knew he caught it without license before signing document.
The "pay dirt" you mentioned... was a chance at winning a $5000 BassProShop shopping spree... ...and you think a guy with at least a low 6 figure income is going to risk his career and livelihood by intentionally trying to defraud this contest for that prize?...
@ actually, from what i was told, the bigger the fish the increase of overall payout and grand prizes. But you are absolutely correct! Someone with his following and sponsorship who makes a healthy living on YT doesn’t really need the payout. Im thinking his ego may have been a factor.
I don't follow the guy myself but looking from tthe outside in, my opinion is that texas state game and fish is biting the hand that feeds it. Their chasing a higher charge count against a technical is classic government overreach. Do you really think the guy would even be making videos if he knew he didn't have a license ? I just dont think someone who is smart enough to build a brand of this caliber would be that dumb. A technical infraction is supposed to be a limited infraction that allows for both the individual and the state to make mistakes and in this case he very well could have purchased that license and the state tracking didn't register it or his bank could have put a hold on the card he used to pay for some reason. There's a hundred things that can mess up an electronic transaction. That's why we have technical charges. State of Texas is blowing this up over nothing period.
Huge over reach by TXPW but whats new?! Making themselves look very petty. Anyone ever watch Lone Star law and see how many times our GW let people go with a warning for no license under sized fish ect? On every damn show but they are gona go after him for fraud?! Wtite him a ticket for no license and move on.
It isn't a "stupid mistake"- he doesn't agree that people should have to buy fishing licenses, it is his ideology, and he states it in his videos. Most of the garbage I read are people who claim it is just about a lapsed fishing license. That is garbage minimization. He got cited for that. Fraud happened after that for the Share a Lunker TOURNAMENT, which he entered by signing the form after the fish was caught and submitted. Ben will mock and taunt the TPWD and DA, with his T-shirts and hoodies with his mug shot, and his mouth and ego will get him in trouble.....again. I'm surprised his lawyer didn't tell him to not go that route. Is Zark or Coleslaw his lawyer? Sounds like it.
Its a 275.00 fine in most case for fishing without a License. That bass submitted is a feb. 2024 fish i believe. Texas changed the expiration few yrs ago. So that excuse is no longer on the table. Again, if Feb 2024 Fish caught at Lake Nacogdoches is fish submitted. Same month as Toledo Bend Elite series kicked off. Like Ben, hes a stick and great for e sales. Like no one has ever had expired tags, registration, or bounced a check knowingly, driven while under the influence. I can't imagine a guy who traveled many states and miles to make mental snafu.
Its silly people are making a fishing license this big of a deal. For fks sake, its just our govt taking rights away from peasants and leasing them back to us for a fee.
This is what you were talking about, saying crap you know nothing about. In Texas, you can buy a year to date license that expires one year from date of purchase, like I buy every year. When you purchase it that way, it’s easily missed if you don’t remind yourself often. Not a fan of his, but you got to give the facts.
Dude, so a majority of anglers, per the Texas Parks and Wildlife said to me today, that most anglers purchase their fishing licenses from Aug to Aug. Like 95% of em. It costs more to do an exact date year to year. Im very sorry, but I know to many facts. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@ when you go to get your first license and it’s spring, it makes no sense to pay full price for a license that expires in 6 months. So you buy a year to date license for a few dollars more. One you do that, you just renew it every march. 🤔 Makes sense right? I’ll bet you $100 dollars he didn’t fish for 5 months without a license. Who would do that?
And I apologize if it sounded like I attacked you. Lol, not my intention I promise. I love your channel and I’m a subscriber. I’ve just watched all these videos about what happened and everyone puts out that he fished for 5 months without a license, and no one has mentioned that more than likely, he had a year to date and it could have expired a day, week, or a month before it happened. I still love listening to you! Cheers!
@@PGNFishing So I didn't say he fished, I said there's a GOOD possiblity that he license expired in August. I questioned this not to throw shade, but to say the facts that I was directly told. He could have either license, but he did not have one at the time, and that's really the biggest issue. We can only go on what we know. No offense taken, but truthfully you have been slightly harsh. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Here is what I think, follow me here, Ben catches this fish, he takes it to the rep for TFG Share Lunker, gives the fish to them, he signs the form showing posession of the fish, TFG finds out he does not have a valid license, The fish no longer belongs to Ben, TFG confiscates the fish, ben gets a ticket for fishing without a license,DONE! Everything passed the point that TFG has the fish is VOID, PERIOD. This is where it gets fishy, no pun intended, but why would they have him sign the form if they knew he had no license? Doesnt make sense, unless they were trying to bust his balls. The whole thing is SUS
I think and I could be wrong, but when he submitted the fish, they assumed things were good, but didn't recognize it until they had their banquet, which Ben was invited which started the whole thing. I think he's known about this for a bit, but again I could be wrong. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I asked questions, but everything I said about the situation has been released to the public, or the people I have talked to. Or in this case, Ben has commented about. His license expired on Aug 31st, he said that. So he didn't have one until Feb. 5th give or take a day or two. Thus, all those videos 12-14 of him fishing in Texas, he had no license. Cheers and thanks for the comment. Merry Christmas!!
Not having your licence is just a dumb mistake. No excuse imo. Other than that until all the dust settles I wont have any other opinion. Wasnt there an angler that won a major event and got dq'ed a while back for no license?
People make mistakes I can see past that. What I can't see past is him smiling like a jackass in his arrest photo and then making it his profile picture. Especially on the heels of representing anglers on a BASS committee. He should be setting a better example as a representative of the anglers.
Good point! That just goes along with his cocky fake bad boy bullshit he puts on for the camera. He's still trying to act like he's 20 its actually pretty cringe to be honest
Unfortunately, how it should be done is his personal life on win and when he didn’t have licenses or anything like that it’s none of anybody’s fucking business. It’s none of y’all’s business to get into his personal life about a license.
Ummm, no one is getting into his personal business here at all, and as I've said in this video and others, I don't think anything will happen. Having said that, Ben did this to himself and his online persona and brand are out there for everyone to know about. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
make a mountain out of a mole hill arrested for not having a up to date license... seems a bit steep.... wonder if it has anything to do with him being a big supporter of FFS
Ita sad to see that most of the people here want more government over reach,. You guys have no idea the length the DNR will go to destroy a person, a lake or a community. I have dealt with many of them Get Ur Fish on I WOULD love to share how the DNR entrapped me for guiding with out a license when I never did anything wrong at all it is absolutely insanity the lengths they will go.
@@GetUrFishOn Advice to Bens friends "do no harm"... That video was full of holes and raised more suspicions and asserted he was arrested for not having a license. We know that's not the case.
I neither like nor dislike the guy. I don’t like some of his antics and his foul mouth but other than that I’m neither here nor there with him. With that said, I think there is no excuse for not having a valid license, especially in his line of work or profession. It’s called being a responsible adult. I would bet he doesn’t forget to renew his insurance or pay his taxes or mortgage. To me it’s same thing. I just don’t believe he did not know he did not have a valid license and not excusing himself from the share lunker to me spells out a lot. Maybe he did forget, I don’t know, guess we’ll just have to see how it plays out. Right now he is innocent until proven guilty. Either way, It will sure be a learning experience, or it should be for him or anyone else.
Its been a learning experience and this afternoon it became a merch sales pitch also. I don't like his antics, or his clickbait titles. But this was a stupid mistake. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
It doesn’t matter how many months anyone fishes without a license! If you forget you forget! I’m sure many anglers who fish multiple states can and do forget to update a freaking fishing license. He’s such a “rebel” for not getting it updated! He was just being defiant?! Lol A true law breaker! 🤪 I’m not a Ben fan boy in ANY way, but this story is laughable!
He’s a great FFS fishermen, one of the best on big bass. He’s also an arrogant A hole. Roland Martin is arrogant at times, but he’s a nice arrogant guy, grateful for what he’s got. Ben is not that way. He’s had growing pains with his success, since livescope came along. A little more humility would be nice
150k for 2 new trucks 200k+ for new camper 100k for boat The guy has a half million dollars rolling down the road. So, the idea that he was trying to save 30 dollars on a license is a ridiculous theory. A reasonable person wouldn't assume that. He obviously didn't realize it had expired without being renewed. So if its unreasonably to think he would fish without a license, then it's unreasonabe to believe he knowingly committed fraud ? It was an obvious oversight by himself, his wife or employee that is being manufactured into a crisis by those who dislike Ben. Drop the nonsense fraud charges, fine him for fishing without a license and like the Ny Italians say.... forget about it.
@@jaredleicht1656 You think he bought his boat and camper? How is it other elites have boats provided along with trucks etc via sponsorship or collective deals but not him? If he had to buy his boat that's a story in itself 🙂
Well with all that money you would think he would just buy a lifetime license for $1k and then never have to worry about it. Luckily is all civil and not criminal law in Texas for fishing without a license.
His intent was to try and win that prize money! He culled a dead fish with clips on it in the elite series and in my opinion did both hoping nobody would notice and he wouldn't get caught. Thanks for the video today Steve and have a great day!!
I completely disagree and you think he called a dead fish because it looked like it from a couple hundred feet away when he threw it back in the water? Or were you there with him on his boat?
@@horbie5039 when he filled out the paperwork on the fish he knew he didn't have his license and yes he wanted the prize money. He caught the fish because that's what he does. He wasn't fishing necessarily to try and catch a fish to register but he did register it knowing he was wrong!
It would be a much better world "IF", and I put emphasis on "IF" people would just worry about themselves and not be sceptics about other people's lives SMH
There would be a whole lot more of evil doing going on if good men and women stood idly by and watched other good people be taken advantage of. A family abusing their children next door? Mind your own business is your philosophy?
If he "forgot" to buy a license in his home state for five months, how many other states did he "forget" to buy one in? I fish in 12 states and never had this happen. Apparently to him , he is above the law
I have long advocated for a nationwide fishing license. One that covers fishing in all States, especially retired people. I'm guessing he did not risk a tournament prize for the cost of a fishing license. It expired and he wasn't aware of it. Its is that simple. But here come the conspiracy theorists.
@GetUrFishOn should have just come out and said he made a mistake and lesson learned and move past it. But he's just bashing the DNR and admitting no guilt
@@jnorth5689 He definately didn't have a license, but after that it's a mess IMO. His superfans can't be reasoned with so I don't comment back most of the time. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I could care less about this situation and what end up happening with it, but imo if it was an honest mistake of forgetting to renew his license, it shouldn’t be a big deal, nobody is perfect we’ve all made mistakes.
Steve I'm in Texas. The fishing license in Texas is on the computer. It tells when you last renewed and they do offer a year to date now. Most of us buy from August 31st-September 1st. This is the regular renewal period. And with technology they offer on line also. All i can say is that "YOU MUST HAVE A VALID FISHING LICENSE TO FISH IN TEXAS PUBLIC WATERS" on private property you don't. I'm thinking putting that fish in the " Share A Lunker"is what is in question ❓ knowing that you didn't have a license when you caught it🤔. AND YES I'M ASS-U-MING!!! 😬😜🤪 and yes i have met Ben 😎 before he really got famous 😜🤪
Ben is a genius. He is taking lemons & making lemonade. His videos are blowing up, so by keeping quiet about it (intentionally or gag order), he can financially milk this for a lot of money, $$$ in views & followers... Remember, Ben has the bait & has hooked us all... 🎣 🤣
Any good lawyer will tell his client not to talk about a pending case because what you say in the public sphere can be used against you in court. As for his RUclips channel I'm sure this will be great a great subject for his content. He will spin it so he is the innocent victim in a conspiracy to take him down. He should have known better. In the end he will spin it as a positive. He followers "drink the coolaid", so it will work out for Milliken.
@BlobRob787 who said he had a good lawyer... A bad lawyer could defend this case... 🤣 Nothing intentionally nefarious will be proven... Ben's not that kind of person.
@@BlobRob787 That lawyer would also tell him to stop with the stupid merch sales with his mug shot on it. That tells the people that he isn't taking this seriously. So they will be put in the position of MAKING him take it seriously. This is a power struggle he may not want to fight.
When he buys a license after he caught the fish. He’s guilty . If he does this for a living why not get a life time license. When ten thousand dollars is part of the game that’s fraud.
Bill Dance never did any of these kind of shenanigans. Why do people look up to this guy? I guess controversy is more exciting than watching other people fish. I would like to go watch my own bobber now please
I am NOT defending him, but this is also a much bigger story than it should be in some cases. I try to take the middle of the road and ask questions for ya'll to answer. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I don’t like this content no offense but nobody should be trying to explain or get views using his name without knowing the facts or letting it come all the way out your basing it off of assumptions let the investigation finish and then you can give your theory’s right now it’s speculation
Respect your view, but this is news in our industry. I think I took both sides of the story, but if you don't like it, you don't have to watch. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@ wasn’t trying to be negative I have just seen many people use this to get views he just launched merchandise with his mugshot and mocking the situation so I just think there’s a lot nobody knows and he’s got a lawyer for it respect your view but you asked if we like it so I answered and just feel everyone should wait to know the whole situation before blowing it up into more
@@justinmartin83 Made merch about it is hilarious!! And doesn't surprise me. We have heard one side, and it isn't good, but not life changing bad. He didn't have a license, and he knew this situation was happening some time ago and didn't say a word. He's got his ducks lined up and will be okay I believe. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
The original constitution of the United States; states we have a right to fish and hunt without being taxed. All states requiring you to purchase a license is going against our freedoms. I hope Ben Milliken challenges this under the constitutional rights given to us. With a good attorney he can make a big statement for all fisherman.
If his license expired- that’s it. Period. I don’t care about his name, “status”, or platform. Maybe Biden can pardon him otherwise breaking the law has consequences. End of story.
LOL thanks for the laugh. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Steve you missed something with respect to “ money “
A Legacy submission includes a fiberglass replica of the fish and additional gifts. These considerations have value. It’s not only the drawings at the event.
Additionally CT in his excellent reporting offered “ he was instructed to submit the catch through a TPW app.” This app likely required a license number and expiration date or other validation.
Fraud can have expansive parameters to include bad faith in dealings. Texas has its own degree and standards. Often the mindset, consideration and failure to act drive the charges.
Because he’s in the public eye as competitor, media and business, transparency is paramount.
Showing his supporting documentation as evidence to the public will go far in protecting his brand.
Thanks for creating one of my favorite fishing channels.
Cheers
Scott
Thank you. I looked into the submission process today and didn't see the license number stuff. CT did a great job and I'm sure he will have more stuff at some point. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
If this would have happened to any of us just average Joe’s then TPW would have called them and informed them that they caught and submitted the fish without a valid fishing license and that they would have to remove them from being eligible for the prizes, then fined them for fishing without a valid license and that would have been the end of it. It would have never went public, and I think the only reason he was charged and it went public is because of his Fame & influencer status. Just my opinion.
You could be correct and hopefully that isn't the situation because if it is then they will have more 'hate' than anything they have done. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
One thing that always has bothered me about fishing licenses is there is never a reminder that it is going to expire. I get notices for everything but my hunting/fishing license. Especially if it is my home state.
I get one in Florida but a lot of people change email addresses. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@@GetUrFishOn mine autonrenews every 3 years.
I get my fishing license on my birthday every year. Im not a pro. If it was my job I'd pay even more attention.
in wi its march 31
"IF" he went fishing, say, 15 different times on Texas public waters. That's 15 counts of fishing without a license. Period. "IF" he signed the form stating he had a license, and there was prize money on the line. It IS considered a tournament, and IS proof he committed fraud. Period. I don't care about how many RUclips followers he has, his brand, or his status in the fishing industry. Not sure why all these excuses are being made for him if this is all true. He should be treated the same as any other Texas angler that would have committed the same offenses. Now, if it is determined this is not what happened, that changes everything.
I agree, if they are true, it shouldn't matter his social media status and it should be handled properly. This is going to be a long story I think. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Naw, the only time the law is broken is when you get caught.
From what I’ve read, he caught the fish, called it in, and while waiting for a state guy to come collect the fish he realized his license was expired and bought the license online before they got there.
@@bfg1836 That's worse yet!
@@wciii3591 yeah, I’m just responding to the comments where they assumed he fished without a license long after turning that fish in.
I am the same place I was when it was known around East Texas for several weeks, and now blown up on social media, and that is there is more to the story than currently is known. As far as the license part goes there is no excuses for a Pro Angler not having the most basic of tools for his job. If a CDL holder did that for 5 months he would be fined and likely jobless. Ben is not just a weekend angler. 5 days maybe. 5 months. No.
There's a lot more to come out. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Spot on you call yourself a "pro" and you don't have a license in the state you live in that's just ignorance or laziness. Or maybe he really does think he's just better than everyone that's how he comes off. Thinks he's God's gift to the fishing industry or something. I hope they ban his license for a year. Then he won't forget next time.
I literally come to this channel to find out the drama side of bass fishing.....this channel is very important to me .....thank you. I wish you would be more specific as to what happens .... some of us don't have time to watch 20 videos to find out what's going on
LOL. I think I must get used to that comment, and I appreciate it. Cheers and tight lines!!
Would you accept if you discovered that your pilot's documentation had expired. It's not the same thing ??? It's respect for the process that prevents chaos. This tool doesn't even have respect for the fish he catches. His unjustified inflated ego is about to bite back, hard.
Respect the take. Cheers and thanks for the comment. Merry Christmas!!
Not having your license in your home state is crazy. I live in Texas I get emails when my license are getting ready to expire and I can renew them on my phone in less than 5 minutes. The he may not have had time is a poor excuse. We all have busy lives.
I didn't know they sent emails when expiring, nice to know that. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Maybe it got lost among all his fan boi e-mails? LOL!
I love Ben but not having a fishing license while making your living fishing, is like a driver not having their drivers license…. No excuse for not having one.
Couldn't agree more. Cheers and thanks for the comment. Merry Christmas!!
Loving your insight and opinion Steve👍 and thanks for keeping up with the latest😎
Thank you!! Cheers and thanks for the comment.
It’s like you forgot to take the BAR before practicing law. 😂😂
LOL Cheers and thanks for the comment. Merry Christmas!!
The fact he bought his expired license after the fact and didn't report it makes his catch invalid. Just because he's Ben doesn't make him any different then you or me. At 87 yrs old I can honestly say I have never fished a day in my life without a valid fishing license. And I have fished a lot of Tournaments.
I am the same way. I know exactly when my license will expire. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Love the new intro! I completely agree. Keep up the good work🎉
Cheers and thanks for the comment.
The difference between a professional fisherman and the weekender is that the professional has to keep track of multiple licenses, vs. the weekender only tracks licenses for the lake they're fishing that weekend. So, forgetting to renew a license is understandable. BUT for Ben, at this time, Texas is his home state. So, at least have that one updated. To be honest, what happens in bass or mlf has no affect to my day to day. Im just here for the free food.....lol
LOL love the comment. It's a simple stupid mistake. He will be fine I hope. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
His following doesn’t matter AT ALL. Small one or big creator… Let the process play out, assume that we all make mistakes, and please…I know it’s not your intention to invite clicks on this, but everyone deserves their day in court, their own side. One or two episodes is enough. Love your content, I’ll keep watching, and I’m not Ben M fan. But I believe in not precluding anyone’s intentions. Let them speak.
I'd like to hear him speak but he shouldn't. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I agree. People using the "but I'm an INFLUENCER!!!!" as an excuse to get free stuff or get certain perks and forgiveness has run its course 5 years ago. Ben's posse better get with the times- not everyone are sack hangers the way they are. TPWD must have heard about his "sovereign fisherman movement" and not needing to buy a license due to other taxes they pay. Good luck with that! He set himself up to be a "Landmark Arrest"- a high profile example to others out there. Workplaces do it all the time- fire a worker who causes dissent, drama and unrest in the workplace- then the others will straighten up.
i'm just a recreational angler. chasing personal bests and inner peace. I typically hold licenses in 4 different states each year (one of which is Ben's home state of NE and that is a lifetime license purchased just before I moved away). Each state has a different 'timeframe' that I have to manage, stay on top of. that's MY responsibility. what I know? IF I get caught on the water fishing without a valid license, I do have the risk of having my equipment impounded. that tends to help me stay on top of the license management.
Yeah, Ben just forgot I assume, but doesn't mean that he wasn't wrong. Gotta keep up with your licenses. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
At this point, all we have is speculative. I just hope the outcome is fair and unbiased for everyone.
We know one side and that he's selling merch for lawyer fees. So he will probably come out ahead of this. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I can understand a few days or even weeks of forgetting to get your fishing license at the start of the year, I've done it BUT to fish in your home state for 5 or 6 months is just plain stupidity with no license at it's finest all the while making RUclips videos.
We will hopefully at some point find out when things were valid, but maybe not. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I don't know who this Ben guy is, but I would be willing to bet anything that he calls himself a Professional angler. He has not lived up to that standard. He figured that he is above everyone and doesn't need a license! He tried to cover everything after submitting a fish into a tournament for value prizes by purchasing a license after the fact because he knew he was in the wrong! He defrauded that tournament and should be banned from all tournaments. He in fact cheated then tried to cover it up.
He is a pro angler without question, and respect your take. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Texas license only go August to August for non residents. They are 1 year from the date of purchase for residents according to the website. I see it when I buy my non resident Texas license every year.
If it was a matter of a fishing license expiring and that’s it then it’s a non event and any consequences should have been handled by the warden that noticed he didn’t have a license when entering the fish into the share lunker program. He obviously told Milliken to renew his license and then proceeded to enter the fish into the registry. Then 6+ months later someone in Athens Texas at the share lunker fishery gets mad and files a complaint and he’s in handcuffs. That would be like me catching a fish into a manner that required the tournament director to decide if that fish was ok to keep… and then another tournament employee filing a complaint months later, right before the championship tournament and all of a sudden I’m in trouble for something that was handled when it happened. If this was an average fisherman it would have never gone this far. The people that like Milliken, love him. But the people that don’t like him, hate him. It’s an odd situation. Hopefully it all gets ironed out and we can move on with less drama in the fishing community.
Great video, thanks
Thank you. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I’ve worked 60 hours a week in a distillery. Fishing is now and has been just a joy now. Ben is supposedly a professional bass fisherman. Trey McKinney made mistakes and this past year was his first year as a pro, compounding this Trey was 18… an 18 yo having phenomenal success and making mistakes that an 18 yo would make in just about any professional situation. Ben Milliken is a grown man who didn’t do the one thing a professional BASS fisherman has to do, never mind the fact he is a Texas resident and these difficulties resulted in his home state. His personality is brash, he’s too good of a fisherman to behave this way. If he was an 18 yo rookie I’d definitely understand and have empathy, but it’s just not possible for me to feel this way towards Ben. Ben is sorta like the Jake Paul of RUclips as it relates to fishing.. he’s arrogant and doesn’t need to be. He’s a very good fisherman not phenomenal on the Elites like Trey, but very good. At some point we will know, until then I’m not gonna comment anymore on it. Best wishes to you.
Great analogy, he is kinda the Jake/Logan Paul of fishing. But those guys are HUGE!!! Cheers and thanks for the comment.
The law would tell us ignorance is no excuse. Period. They would fine us mere morals for each count for each day we broke the law.
Lets hope they just tell us the final result and we all can move forward. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Why "hopefully this won't hurt his reputation"? And what reputation is this?
He's got a huge social media following. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I've said this before. He is a guy too busy for his own good. I assume when he fishes tournaments in other states that you need a non-resident license for that state. So how do you lose track of your own state?
And he has admitted that his license expired months ago. It's a weird situation. Cheers and tight lines!!
He told me yesterday on his fishing channel forgot to get his fishing license redone
Yeah, I think I saw it, video was tough for me to watch all the way through. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I do 2 years at a time with my states license. This past year I actually went 4 months on a technically expired license. Didn’t realize it was expired. And I fish at least 15 days a month year round. Kaka occurs
I do five years and know the exact date it expires. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
But did you commit fraud as well by swearing you had a license during that time in order to win $10K with of prizes?
Ben had a a couple facts about the timeline that he posted on a RUclips Video, ( had his name on the post, over at Frostia Austin RUclips) it stated that a few hours after he checked the fish in, he went to the sharelunker app to enter his fish. While filling out the form he couldn’t find his fishing license, he said, to finish the entry he purchase a new fishing license ( I assume he needed a license number to fill out the form)
Yeah, I think they are making this a bigger deal than it is, but when he caught the bass he wasn't a valid angler, and it kinda stinks. thanks for the info. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@@GetUrFishOnif he didn’t have up to date fishing licenses at the time of the catch. It’s a really big deal.
the state will have records of whether or not he was current. if that's the case, this gets cleared up in a hurry. if not: uh oh.
@@kurtbecker9609 I agree. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@@kurtbecker9609 I can't say about Texas, but in Michigan and ii would expect any state with computerized tracking(all of them I'm sure), it will not allow you to purchase a license if you have already done so for that time period. So even if he though he had one and "couldn't fine it" than as soon as he went to purchase a new one he would have known that he did not have one if it allowed him to buy one. And on top of that, the new number wound not be valid for the fish he was submitting anyway, as it was not active when he caught that fish.
I just had this question: did he fish any tournament in TX while his license was expired?
I don't think he did, but I could be wrong. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
And did he film himself making content on video when it was lapsed? Money from those videos would be "fruit of the poisonous tree".
A License is required for an activity that would otherwise be illegal…think about that.
Cheers and thanks for the comment.
My Missouri license renews automatically. Texas not have this option?
I don't think so, it's a screwed up situation. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Hey Steve. I do not believe this will goes to court. He will probably plead no contest and pay a fine. If a prosecutor wants to be heavy handed and drag him into court, it should and up the same maybe with some committee service added on.
That's why when you fill out government forms make sure you are very accurate in your information. He probably was filling in the share lunker form and pulled the license number off his phone not even looking at the expiration date.
I may be wrong, but in the end I think this will turn out to be a nothing burger.
Pay your fine/fines make your apologizes and move on with your life. Remember people have a short memory.
Making this a shorter one lol 😆
Tight lines.
Regards, Steven.
I agree with you, I don't think anything happens here excluding maybe a small fine and some expensive lawyers. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I’m 99.9% percent certain that he had a year to date license that costs a whole $7 more than the standard license. The thought of a professional fisherman fishing in his home state for 5 months with an expired license is comical.
I respect your take. He might have but since few people are talking, I am going with things said to me directly. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
He fished the February 2024 Elite tourney at Lake Fork, took 8th and a$17,000 check. I think BASS checks everybody for the required license before the tourney.
@@geneelkins1707 I think he had things covered before his elite tournaments started. That would be a huge thing, but bass doesn't really check every angler. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
In the short term at least I think this is really going to increase Ben’s views and subscribers. How could it not. As they say, bad publicity is still publicity. The end game will probably depend on the outcome of the criminal charges.
I don't think anything will happen but a fine. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Not all TX lic are purchase date to Aug 31, There is some option (I don't know what that is) to get exp 1yr from purchase date. Copy&past from TPWD Freq Asked Questions: "Most recreational hunting and fishing type license packages are valid from date of purchase in August (August 15 and later) through August 31 of the following year. "
That's correct, but most is the keyword. We don't know officially and that's the key. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
This will be handled perfectly by BM. It'll be turned into a profit center. He's brilliant at this. I do not think this will be a ground breaking story when all of the information comes out.
I think your probably right and it's a learning situation, he will have his license from here on out I imagine. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I can see where Lunkershare could be considered a tournament. Legally, it may be.
Exactly! Why didn't he call Sharelunker and let them know he didn't have a license at the time he mistakenly sent the form in?
It doesn't matter whether or not he got any money.
Another great question. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
They auto renew my damn razor blades, all this technology and A.I. can't fix this?
They should have auto renew. But in this case he didn't. Cheers and thanks for the comment. Merry Christmas!!
These states that run their licensing from anything other than January first to December 31 are looking to get violations. August to August in Texas is just asinine! Here in Michigan it’s April 1st through March 31st and in my 63 years as a resident I have forgotten to renew on time on several incidences. I can’t imagine being a national professional fisherman and keeping all of the licenses I need from one year to another straight…especially with silly shit like “August to August”. I don’t know Milliken personally, don’t follow his channel, but I don’t dislike him. I can’t imagine this was anything but a silly mistake on his part and the way Texas is treating this issue is IMO ridiculous! Obviously he should have been disqualified from the Share A Lunker competition, and fined (which he was), and that should be the end of it.
That might be the end of it. I don't think anything bad will happen or let me say I hope. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Totally agree
What I think he shouldn't be scared his is fishing license what are the way that way nothing would have happened I'm not trying to put him down but you should have got his fishing license up-to-date
Agreed!! Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Spot on Steve. I think the chance that he purposely fished without a license is slim. The question is what did he do when he realized that he fished without a license and especially wrt the ljncker he submitted. When did he find out and what happened before and after he found out is the key here.
Yeah lots of questions that need to be answered, but don't know if we will get em. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
He will get more fans and stans...especially how much people hate Fish amd Wildlife and the whole fishing license system in general
Yeah he's going to capitalize on this for sure. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Glad one of his fans agree with me that this is indeed one of his "advocacy issues" in his videos. Many people who are his fans are not realizing this, or they just don't really listen to him during his videos.
Hey, Steve. My goodness. Things are falling apart
LOL things have been for some time. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Well it don’t matter what the excuse is the state will decide what happens . More than likely not much but a slap on the hand.
Probably, cuz there isn't a lot of meat on the bone IMO. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I look at it that because of whatever happened with his license probably just forgot but if it’s been since August and it’s been five months, why aren’t these tournaments running? Everybody’s licenses to make sure everybody’s legit and they walk in the door. On another note. This is giving him way more steam, his channel his brand and making him way more money.
He's selling merch because of this. I'm not sure I'll do another video until everything is out, problem with that is, this is a story people want to know more about. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Thanks Steve and fishing industry is in a negative light right now hopefully misunderstanding but time will tell.
I hope so. Truthfully, the industry has been this way for years but we know more about it. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@GetUrFishOn hope get see sum zman shadtron and mulletron in the pool alone with new shine glide line thru
Makes me happy to have a lifetime license in my home state
Yeah, that's priceless!! Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Considering Nebraska fishing licenses expire December 31st it’s very likely he had absolutely no idea his license was expired considering he hasn’t lived in Texas long. Definitely sucks he didn’t have a license because he should’ve but anyone who thinks he intentionally did something wrong is stupid. I assure he has enough money to purchase a fishing license lol
He won't have issues from here on out. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I honestly bet he forgot. A license cost little to nothing. I had the same shit happen to me fishing the Detroit River in April. Luckily I realized after the mistake I made shortly after. Also can we just have the ability to buy a life long license at this point.
He did forget, which is a stupid mistake, but not the end of the world. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
In the last 50 years I too have fished with an expired license, 2, maybe 3 times. I was paranoid as hell because I knew it was expired. I believe he knew it was expired but for whatever reason didn't renew. I guess a 13 pound bass will make you do stupid decisions. He's guilty as hell.
It was a stupid mistake many people make. This won't hurt his brand, might help. Hell he's making merch from it!!! Figure that one out. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@GetUrFishOn yeah, fine him $100 and move on.
I’ve done it. If I had to make a judgement call… a decision, this is what I would want to know:
-how much does a yearly freshwater license cost here?
Dude looks like he might… have a medical card and uses it…A LOT. I’m knot😂knockin him! He and I would get along great!😮💨😁😮💨😄😮💨😵💫😮💨🥴and maybe it makes him a little forgetful… I went almost an entire year-just had a lot going on…and had been using my medical card a little too much…😂. Question that I want to know was it intentional-was he acting deceivingly…did he know he had committed a serious offense and was trying to get away with it? … or had he been using his medical card a little too much and just forgot-was he truly surprised he had done something that was punishable by the law? I wonder if they chose for the charge to involve fraud / be worded using fraud or could it have been something else if they wanted to be nice… fried seems a bit extreme, but maybe that’s what this is classified under or maybe the person pressing the charges knows that he intentionally intended to cheat/knowingly acted in a deceiving manner.
Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I need to catch up. Geez
#takeakidfishing
Take a kids fishing!!! Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Until they release it all and we know what is going on I really don't think speculating is going to do anyone any good. Hopefully they will wrap this up soon.
I don't think it will wrap up soon. I tried to be unbiased in this video though. Talk about both sides. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@@GetUrFishOn hope you didn't think this was directed at you. I was just saying in general all the speculating going on isn't really doing any good. This is one of those extremely weird deals that causes lots of speculation. I'm going to stay absolutely neutral on this one until it all comes out.
@@leblueoutdoors5945 I understood your take. I agree, but it's hot news right now. I try to be unbiased. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@@leblueoutdoors5945 Just an FYI on another channel Ben admits and says his license expired before Sept 1st. So he was fishing all the time without one and making content.
Steve, always appreciate the content in the analysis, will you be using this studio backdrop for your live on Friday night? Remember accidents are accidents being stupid is being stupid, and he certainly didn’t intentionally commit fraud on the state of Texas. I think arresting him was a bit harsh, but a good lawyer is gonna make this all go away with a slap on the wrist. If he fished for that long with no license, he truly had no idea that he didn’t have a license. It actually shows that he didn’t commit fraud intentionally. It really does. Remind me of Trey Mckinney throwing away his AOY in the elite by being 15 minutes late for a tournament weigh in. Such a stupid mistake but shit happens. I think a much bigger deal is being made of this than needs to be. He was stupid so he doesn’t get to be in the share lunker program.
He certainly didn’t sit out on some horrible mission to catch a fish over 13 pounds and save the 3040 or $50 on his license and try to get the 10 grand by saving the license fee. So we should let it go and it’ll end up being an honest mistake and he’ll end up paying a fine and that’s that .
I don't know about the backdrop yet. I think it was an honest simple mistake, but stupid. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I'm not about to cast any judgement on Ben...especially with so many unknowns. I'm somewhat of an outlaw, or constitutionalist if you will, so I'm not a big fan of having to pay a fee for something that should be an inalienable right to start with. After all, it is our tax dollars that are funding all of the fisheries in the first place. Calling the share lunker program a contest is a stretch. Heck, I guess he could just knock the sides off of it and have a fish fry next time. This is only being blown out of proportion because of who he is. I'm sure he is loving all of the publicity...negative or not.
Maybe but I think he is going to be fine. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
if he obtained a license between catching the fish and signing the form I believe it is fraud
If he didn't have the license when he fraudulently filled out the form, that was fraud.
@@duanemansel5704 do you know how soon after the catch was the paperwork submitted to the program?
If he submitted the form prior to realizing his license was expired I would cut him some slack. If he knew prizes were possible...yes, he should have informed them he was not eligible and fessed up.
Guess we need to wait until this is settled.
Not sure he cares. The MFers' won't care. They will still watch. And I don't believe he makes bank on the tournaments anyway.
@@duanemansel5704 So if you catch a state record fish or shoot a deer you can then buy your license after and it's all good? That's how it works now? It's not having a license when you submit the catch it rather it's having one to permit you to catch it.
@@J.L.ScottFishing I agree with you. My point is filling out the form triggers the tournament fraud law.
Cheers and thanks for the comment.
From an outsiders perspective, it’s all questionable. But my guess, he submitted the documents, knowing he didn’t have a license. Or, he realized he didn’t have a license after the fact and thought that they may just skip over it or miss it altogether. Of course this is just a guess, but once you submit paperwork and it asks for your license number because it does, he had to have known that his license was expired at that point, and was hoping that they would miss it.There’s no other way around that aspect of the situation.
Originally, I didn’t think there was malicious intent. But as the story comes out the question in my mind, is he had to have known when he submitted his documentation that his license was expired. And if he did, then their lies the argument that there was in fact, intent. He was more concerned about pay dirt, than he was anything else.
In the end, his followers will continue to act like he can do no wrong. And will excuse his actions with every narrative possible. As for Bassmasters?, They probably won’t touch this with a 20 foot pole. And if they do, like everything else it will be swept under the rug. Because again, bad publicity is always hidden from public view.
I don't think Bassmasters does anything at all!! They normally don't do things because they don't want to hurt an anglers reputation. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
The answer will comecwith the revelation of the time in which he purchased his license. If he did on 2/4 before the Sharelunker officials wrrived to pick up the bass than one can assume that the state was misled in his document. Meaning he knew he caught it without license before signing document.
The "pay dirt" you mentioned... was a chance at winning a $5000 BassProShop shopping spree... ...and you think a guy with at least a low 6 figure income is going to risk his career and livelihood by intentionally trying to defraud this contest for that prize?...
@ actually, from what i was told, the bigger the fish the increase of overall payout and grand prizes.
But you are absolutely correct! Someone with his following and sponsorship who makes a healthy living on YT doesn’t really need the payout. Im thinking his ego may have been a factor.
@brutalbrutusTV Why do pros cheat tfat are fully sponsored and winning pros in the top series in the country? It's not about money. It's about vanity.
I don't follow the guy myself but looking from tthe outside in, my opinion is that texas state game and fish is biting the hand that feeds it. Their chasing a higher charge count against a technical is classic government overreach. Do you really think the guy would even be making videos if he knew he didn't have a license ? I just dont think someone who is smart enough to build a brand of this caliber would be that dumb. A technical infraction is supposed to be a limited infraction that allows for both the individual and the state to make mistakes and in this case he very well could have purchased that license and the state tracking didn't register it or his bank could have put a hold on the card he used to pay for some reason. There's a hundred things that can mess up an electronic transaction. That's why we have technical charges. State of Texas is blowing this up over nothing period.
I think they are making a bigger deal because of who it is, but we don't know. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Huge over reach by TXPW but whats new?! Making themselves look very petty. Anyone ever watch Lone Star law and see how many times our GW let people go with a warning for no license under sized fish ect? On every damn show but they are gona go after him for fraud?! Wtite him a ticket for no license and move on.
They might have bitten off more than they can chew, and I don't think there's much to this. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
It isn't a "stupid mistake"- he doesn't agree that people should have to buy fishing licenses, it is his ideology, and he states it in his videos. Most of the garbage I read are people who claim it is just about a lapsed fishing license. That is garbage minimization. He got cited for that. Fraud happened after that for the Share a Lunker TOURNAMENT, which he entered by signing the form after the fish was caught and submitted. Ben will mock and taunt the TPWD and DA, with his T-shirts and hoodies with his mug shot, and his mouth and ego will get him in trouble.....again. I'm surprised his lawyer didn't tell him to not go that route. Is Zark or Coleslaw his lawyer? Sounds like it.
LOL awesome comment. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Its a 275.00 fine in most case for fishing without a License.
That bass submitted is a feb. 2024 fish i believe. Texas changed the expiration few yrs ago. So that excuse is no longer on the table.
Again, if Feb 2024 Fish caught at Lake Nacogdoches is fish submitted.
Same month as Toledo Bend Elite series kicked off.
Like Ben, hes a stick and great for e sales.
Like no one has ever had expired tags, registration, or bounced a check knowingly, driven while under the influence.
I can't imagine a guy who traveled many states and miles to make mental snafu.
It does happen. Aaron Martens had an issue years ago too. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Its silly people are making a fishing license this big of a deal. For fks sake, its just our govt taking rights away from peasants and leasing them back to us for a fee.
I agree, but we all have to have one. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Yeah and walters is amazing. I agree, but we all have to have one. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
This is what you were talking about, saying crap you know nothing about. In Texas, you can buy a year to date license that expires one year from date of purchase, like I buy every year. When you purchase it that way, it’s easily missed if you don’t remind yourself often. Not a fan of his, but you got to give the facts.
Dude, so a majority of anglers, per the Texas Parks and Wildlife said to me today, that most anglers purchase their fishing licenses from Aug to Aug. Like 95% of em. It costs more to do an exact date year to year. Im very sorry, but I know to many facts. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@ when you go to get your first license and it’s spring, it makes no sense to pay full price for a license that expires in 6 months. So you buy a year to date license for a few dollars more. One you do that, you just renew it every march. 🤔 Makes sense right? I’ll bet you $100 dollars he didn’t fish for 5 months without a license. Who would do that?
And I apologize if it sounded like I attacked you. Lol, not my intention I promise. I love your channel and I’m a subscriber. I’ve just watched all these videos about what happened and everyone puts out that he fished for 5 months without a license, and no one has mentioned that more than likely, he had a year to date and it could have expired a day, week, or a month before it happened. I still love listening to you! Cheers!
@@PGNFishing So I didn't say he fished, I said there's a GOOD possiblity that he license expired in August. I questioned this not to throw shade, but to say the facts that I was directly told. He could have either license, but he did not have one at the time, and that's really the biggest issue. We can only go on what we know. No offense taken, but truthfully you have been slightly harsh. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@@GetUrFishOn my apologies.
Here is what I think, follow me here, Ben catches this fish, he takes it to the rep for TFG Share Lunker, gives the fish to them, he signs the form showing posession of the fish, TFG finds out he does not have a valid license, The fish no longer belongs to Ben, TFG confiscates the fish, ben gets a ticket for fishing without a license,DONE! Everything passed the point that TFG has the fish is VOID, PERIOD. This is where it gets fishy, no pun intended, but why would they have him sign the form if they knew he had no license? Doesnt make sense, unless they were trying to bust his balls. The whole thing is SUS
I think and I could be wrong, but when he submitted the fish, they assumed things were good, but didn't recognize it until they had their banquet, which Ben was invited which started the whole thing. I think he's known about this for a bit, but again I could be wrong. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
With all due respect, you too are stating your opinion.
I asked questions, but everything I said about the situation has been released to the public, or the people I have talked to. Or in this case, Ben has commented about. His license expired on Aug 31st, he said that. So he didn't have one until Feb. 5th give or take a day or two. Thus, all those videos 12-14 of him fishing in Texas, he had no license. Cheers and thanks for the comment. Merry Christmas!!
Not having your licence is just a dumb mistake. No excuse imo. Other than that until all the dust settles I wont have any other opinion. Wasnt there an angler that won a major event and got dq'ed a while back for no license?
There's been a few, and it stinks. He will be just fine I believe. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Its scummy he didnt have his license but for real this is insane HE DIDNT PUT WEIGHTS IN A FISH LOL
LOL Cheers and thanks for the comment.
People make mistakes I can see past that. What I can't see past is him smiling like a jackass in his arrest photo and then making it his profile picture. Especially on the heels of representing anglers on a BASS committee. He should be setting a better example as a representative of the anglers.
Good point! That just goes along with his cocky fake bad boy bullshit he puts on for the camera. He's still trying to act like he's 20 its actually pretty cringe to be honest
I do agree. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Ben should be exempt because he has cool hair!😅
LOL thank you for this. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Unfortunately, how it should be done is his personal life on win and when he didn’t have licenses or anything like that it’s none of anybody’s fucking business. It’s none of y’all’s business to get into his personal life about a license.
Ummm, no one is getting into his personal business here at all, and as I've said in this video and others, I don't think anything will happen. Having said that, Ben did this to himself and his online persona and brand are out there for everyone to know about. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
It's all public record smart one
make a mountain out of a mole hill arrested for not having a up to date license... seems a bit steep.... wonder if it has anything to do with him being a big supporter of FFS
I don't know if we will ever know the real reason. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Ita sad to see that most of the people here want more government over reach,. You guys have no idea the length the DNR will go to destroy a person, a lake or a community. I have dealt with many of them Get Ur Fish on I WOULD love to share how the DNR entrapped me for guiding with out a license when I never did anything wrong at all it is absolutely insanity the lengths they will go.
Oh that stinks and sorry to hear about this. Cheers, tight lines, thanks and Merry Christmas!!
@@GetUrFishOn Have a super amazing Christmas :)
Frostin Austin made a video about it 😂
That video was disturbing to me with his reasoning of the deer and how it was okay to poach. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@@GetUrFishOn Advice to Bens friends "do no harm"... That video was full of holes and raised more suspicions and asserted he was arrested for not having a license. We know that's not the case.
@@J.L.ScottFishing Agreed. I honestly disliked that video, I thought it was horrible.
I neither like nor dislike the guy. I don’t like some of his antics and his foul mouth but other than that I’m neither here nor there with him. With that said, I think there is no excuse for not having a valid license, especially in his line of work or profession. It’s called being a responsible adult. I would bet he doesn’t forget to renew his insurance or pay his taxes or mortgage. To me it’s same thing. I just don’t believe he did not know he did not have a valid license and not excusing himself from the share lunker to me spells out a lot. Maybe he did forget, I don’t know, guess we’ll just have to see how it plays out. Right now he is innocent until proven guilty. Either way, It will sure be a learning experience, or it should be for him or anyone else.
Its been a learning experience and this afternoon it became a merch sales pitch also. I don't like his antics, or his clickbait titles. But this was a stupid mistake. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Gotta play by the Rules like everyone else
Very true. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
It doesn’t matter how many months anyone fishes without a license! If you forget you forget! I’m sure many anglers who fish multiple states can and do forget to update a freaking fishing license. He’s such a “rebel” for not getting it updated! He was just being defiant?! Lol A true law breaker! 🤪 I’m not a Ben fan boy in ANY way, but this story is laughable!
Cheers and thanks for the comment.
He’s a great FFS fishermen, one of the best on big bass. He’s also an arrogant A hole. Roland Martin is arrogant at times, but he’s a nice arrogant guy, grateful for what he’s got. Ben is not that way. He’s had growing pains with his success, since livescope came along. A little more humility would be nice
Agreed!! Cheers and tight lines!!
150k for 2 new trucks
200k+ for new camper
100k for boat
The guy has a half million dollars rolling down the road. So, the idea that he was trying to save 30 dollars on a license is a ridiculous theory. A reasonable person wouldn't assume that. He obviously didn't realize it had expired without being renewed.
So if its unreasonably to think he would fish without a license, then it's unreasonabe to believe he knowingly committed fraud ?
It was an obvious oversight by himself, his wife or employee that is being manufactured into a crisis by those who dislike Ben.
Drop the nonsense fraud charges, fine him for fishing without a license and like the Ny Italians say.... forget about it.
The fraud charge won't stick IMO. I think it's stupid also. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@@jaredleicht1656 You think he bought his boat and camper? How is it other elites have boats provided along with trucks etc via sponsorship or collective deals but not him? If he had to buy his boat that's a story in itself 🙂
Well with all that money you would think he would just buy a lifetime license for $1k and then never have to worry about it. Luckily is all civil and not criminal law in Texas for fishing without a license.
Dude forgot to renew. Pay the fine and move on. Ive forgotten before too.
Cheers and thanks for the comment.
GO GINA!!!!!
Who is Gina? Cheers!!
His intent was to try and win that prize money! He culled a dead fish with clips on it in the elite series and in my opinion did both hoping nobody would notice and he wouldn't get caught. Thanks for the video today Steve and have a great day!!
I completely disagree and you think he called a dead fish because it looked like it from a couple hundred feet away when he threw it back in the water? Or were you there with him on his boat?
You really think he did it to be entered in a drawing for 5k? This was for content. I don’t think he gives a crap about a drawing.
Thank you!! Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@@horbie5039 when he filled out the paperwork on the fish he knew he didn't have his license and yes he wanted the prize money. He caught the fish because that's what he does. He wasn't fishing necessarily to try and catch a fish to register but he did register it knowing he was wrong!
@@frankgilroy3189 I watched a close up video of it before it was mysteriously removed from RUclips!
So now your supporting Ben bc of backlash of his cronies huh
Nope, I am being unbiased and give me opinion on it. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
It would be a much better world "IF", and I put emphasis on "IF" people would just worry about themselves and not be sceptics about other people's lives SMH
Cheers and thanks for the comment.
There would be a whole lot more of evil doing going on if good men and women stood idly by and watched other good people be taken advantage of. A family abusing their children next door? Mind your own business is your philosophy?
If he "forgot" to buy a license in his home state for five months, how many other states did he "forget" to buy one in? I fish in 12 states and never had this happen. Apparently to him , he is above the law
I don't know if he is above the law, but I do agree with you. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I have long advocated for a nationwide fishing license. One that covers fishing in all States, especially retired people. I'm guessing he did not risk a tournament prize for the cost of a fishing license. It expired and he wasn't aware of it. Its is that simple. But here come the conspiracy theorists.
I agree with you. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Yeah,if Steve's facts are right about yearly license,5 months come on.No Excuse on his part can justify that.
All his super fan boys dont care. Hes got a army of excuse makers.
Lots of fan boys out there, and I respect it but some are so blind. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@GetUrFishOn should have just come out and said he made a mistake and lesson learned and move past it. But he's just bashing the DNR and admitting no guilt
@@jnorth5689 He definately didn't have a license, but after that it's a mess IMO. His superfans can't be reasoned with so I don't comment back most of the time. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I could care less about this situation and what end up happening with it, but imo if it was an honest mistake of forgetting to renew his license, it shouldn’t be a big deal, nobody is perfect we’ve all made mistakes.
Very true, and I think this will probably be nothing at the end but maybe a fine. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Ben should sue them for charging him with tournament fraud like they claim. He did not commit tournament fraud.
He is probably doing something. We don't know. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
This is all BS! So sad!
Could have been resolved without any issues, just takes a few minutes to purchase his license. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I really don't care where he goes to be honest with you. This is nothing more than publicity for him which is the last thing we need.
I respect that. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Steve I'm in Texas. The fishing license in Texas is on the computer. It tells when you last renewed and they do offer a year to date now. Most of us buy from August 31st-September 1st. This is the regular renewal period. And with technology they offer on line also. All i can say is that "YOU MUST HAVE A VALID FISHING LICENSE TO FISH IN TEXAS PUBLIC WATERS" on private property you don't. I'm thinking putting that fish in the " Share A Lunker"is what is in question ❓ knowing that you didn't have a license when you caught it🤔. AND YES I'M ASS-U-MING!!! 😬😜🤪 and yes i have met Ben 😎 before he really got famous 😜🤪
It was a stupid mistake but I don't think anything will come out of this but maybe a fine. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I hope jail for about two years but we couldn’t get that lucky
That's a little rough but respect your take. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Ben is a genius. He is taking lemons & making lemonade. His videos are blowing up, so by keeping quiet about it (intentionally or gag order), he can financially milk this for a lot of money, $$$ in views & followers...
Remember, Ben has the bait & has hooked us all... 🎣 🤣
Any good lawyer will tell his client not to talk about a pending case because what you say in the public sphere can be used against you in court. As for his RUclips channel I'm sure this will be great a great subject for his content. He will spin it so he is the innocent victim in a conspiracy to take him down. He should have known better. In the end he will spin it as a positive. He followers "drink the coolaid", so it will work out for Milliken.
He has MERCH already to pay for his lawyer. LOL Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@BlobRob787 who said he had a good lawyer... A bad lawyer could defend this case... 🤣
Nothing intentionally nefarious will be proven... Ben's not that kind of person.
@@BlobRob787 That lawyer would also tell him to stop with the stupid merch sales with his mug shot on it. That tells the people that he isn't taking this seriously. So they will be put in the position of MAKING him take it seriously. This is a power struggle he may not want to fight.
When he buys a license after he caught the fish. He’s guilty . If he does this for a living why not get a life time license. When ten thousand dollars is part of the game that’s fraud.
Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Bill Dance never did any of these kind of shenanigans. Why do people look up to this guy? I guess controversy is more exciting than watching other people fish. I would like to go watch my own bobber now please
Good luck!! Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Why did he submit it? Greed. Arrogance. Thinking no one would notice or care.
It was a giant fish and the recognition alone is amazing. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
What come on steve..the guy filled out paperwork requiring your license #..you cant possibly defend that
I am NOT defending him, but this is also a much bigger story than it should be in some cases. I try to take the middle of the road and ask questions for ya'll to answer. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
Don't care
Cheers and thanks for the comment.
I don’t like this content no offense but nobody should be trying to explain or get views using his name without knowing the facts or letting it come all the way out your basing it off of assumptions let the investigation finish and then you can give your theory’s right now it’s speculation
Respect your view, but this is news in our industry. I think I took both sides of the story, but if you don't like it, you don't have to watch. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
@ wasn’t trying to be negative I have just seen many people use this to get views he just launched merchandise with his mugshot and mocking the situation so I just think there’s a lot nobody knows and he’s got a lawyer for it respect your view but you asked if we like it so I answered and just feel everyone should wait to know the whole situation before blowing it up into more
@@justinmartin83 Made merch about it is hilarious!! And doesn't surprise me. We have heard one side, and it isn't good, but not life changing bad. He didn't have a license, and he knew this situation was happening some time ago and didn't say a word. He's got his ducks lined up and will be okay I believe. Cheers and thanks for the comment.
The original constitution of the United States; states we have a right to fish and hunt without being taxed. All states requiring you to purchase a license is going against our freedoms. I hope Ben Milliken challenges this under the constitutional rights given to us. With a good attorney he can make a big statement for all fisherman.
If only that could happen, from your mouth to Gods ears. Cheers and thanks for the comment.