Bassmaster Elite Series Fisherman Ben Milliken was accused of cheating in the ShareLunker bass program, following which he was arrested on December 12, 2024. He now faces charges of committing fraud in the freshwater fishing tournament.
Milliken is a professional bass fisherman with a YouTube channel, ‘Milliken Fishing,’ having over 550K subscribers. After being arrested in Nacogdoches County, he surrendered on the misdemeanor charge, after which he was released from the Nacogdoches County jail within 29 minutes of his arrest.
Milliken caught a Legacy Class ShareLunker largemouth bass at Lake Naconiche in February 2024. However, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife, he submitted a falsified contest entry form.
Officials later discovered he lacked a valid fishing license and alleged that he knowingly provided false information on the form. On December 14, 2024, Ben Milliken released a statement on Instagram saying:
“By now some of you have heard of recent legal issue I'm facing for an incident last February. This issue is due to a complete misunderstanding and unrelated to any Elite Series or local fishing tournament I've participated in.”
He continued:
“In fact, the incident arose while I was recreationally fishing, and not in a tournament at all. I very much look forward to creating a video(s) explaining this entire situation, but due to ongoing investigation, it's best I wait.”
Ben Milliken also said he would stay committed to his work and dedicate the entire week to creating high-quality fishing content. His content is aimed at sharing his passion for the outdoors and promoting the sport of fishing to a wider audience. Milliken concluded his statement by thanking everyone.
Ben Milliken was disqualified from the program
After he falsified the contest entry form, he was disqualified from the competition. He was recently appointed to the Bassmaster Elite Angler Advisory Board. Ben Milliken has competed in 19 Bassmaster tournaments and one Bassmaster Classic, which won him $181,000 with five top-20 finishes and one win.
In light of his recent arrest, it remains unclear whether his position on the board will be impacted or not. The Legacy Class ShareLunkers program requires a bass to weigh over 13 pounds.
The fish must be caught between January and March during the spawning season. Anglers can loan their catch to Texas Parks and Wildlife for use in breeding programs and may qualify for prizes valued at over $10,000.
He has roots in Omaha, Nebraska, but relocated to Texas in 2022. Ben Milliken was introduced to fishing by his father and grandfather and began competing in tournaments during his university years.
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In an old Bassmaster interview, he reflected on how he joined a bass fishing team. Milliken acknowledged that his early attempts at competitive fishing were challenging, which made him realize that the sport required his complete attention.
Eventually, Ben Milliken started creating fishing content on YouTube, which helped support his family and made him a part-owner of 6th Sense Fishing. Speaking about his start on the platform, he shared that his initial fishing tip videos, filmed with a GoPro, unexpectedly gained tens of thousands of views.
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