A Texas angler has landed in scorching water after state officers accused him of illegally submitting a fish for prize cash.
Ben Milliken, a fishing influencer with over 500,000 YouTube followers, turned himself into authorities final week after Nacogdoches County issued a warrant for his arrest. Millikan had submitted a big bass to the state’s Toyota ShareLunker Program, which awards $10,000 prizes for contest-winning anglers.
Nevertheless, a overview course of from Texas Parks & Wildlife decided that Milliken didn’t have a sound fishing license when he caught the 13.15-pound bass at Lake Naconiche in February. Because of this, he “knowingly falsified the competition/match entry type,” state officers stated.
“Along with the cost for fraud in a fishing match, Milliken was disqualified from the Toyota ShareLunker Program and cited for fishing with no legitimate license,” a spokesperson for Texas Parks & Wildlife stated.
Milliken, a 35-year-old Nebraska native now dwelling in Texas, was rapidly launched after surrendering to authorities, he stated. In statements posted to social media this week, Milliken known as the incident a “large misunderstanding.”
“In reality, the incident arose whereas I used to be recreationally fishing, and never in a match in any respect,” Milliken wrote in a Fb put up. “I very a lot sit up for making a video(s) explaining this complete scenario. However as a result of ongoing investigation, it’s finest I wait.”
A Fishy Submission
Anglers trying to qualify for the Legacy Class ShareLunkers program should catch a bass weighing greater than 13 kilos. The fish should even be caught in the course of the spawning interval of January by March.
Fishermen can then give the bass to Texas Parks & Wildlife to be used within the state’s breeding applications. These anglers are then eligible to obtain quite a few prizes, together with a “catch package” stuffed with merchandise, free taxidermy for the fish, and different advantages. The profitable anglers are additionally entered into two lotteries for a $5,000 Bass Professional Retailers buying spree.
In a February information launch, state officers praised Milliken and two different anglers for reeling in Legacy Class ShareLunkers. On the time, Milliken had simply toured the ShareLunker facility on the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Middle. He praised the Texas program for enhancing fish populations all through the state.
“I bought to see the ShareLunker we caught at O.H. Ivie three years in the past,” Millikin stated within the launch. “They saved the fish within the space and have bred a ton of different fish with it. It’s superior and nice that Texas places a whole lot of worth in stocking one of the best genetics all through the state. We’re seeing the outcomes of that work.”
In a YouTube video, Milliken spoke on to his followers, asking them for persistence as he waits for the conclusion to an ongoing investigation.
“I used to be arrested for fishing this final week,” Milliken stated within the video. “All I can say at this level is that I can’t make any statements or feedback about it … Ultimately, I’ll gonna be capable to share a video explaining what, precisely, has occurred.”