Bass has a decision to make, really? Come on….

The story sounds like [censored]. I am a big proponent of tpwd game wardens but witch hunts like this def look bad on TPWD. I’m impressed the DA took such an already stretch and decided to prosecute it- If it were you or me if probably wouldn’t even been looked into. He forgot to renew a fishing license and did it immediately it sounds like. Then 10 months later we arrest one of the larger names In fishing for no fishing license on a fish that he was trying to donate to a tpwd organization that relies on skilled anglers to donate their fish in order to even exist. I mean they give away a 10k raffle to encourage participation because so many dislike THEIR PROGRAM. So then they wanna try to call it a tournament because of the raffle- big legal stretch that will Not hold. Common sense tells me someone like Ben doesn’t give two chits about 10,000 dollars. It’s really not that much money these days.

To arrest someone for something like this over something this petty is crazy. Just shows SOME Gw’s stretch the statutes. Bottom line it will never stick, it will just cost money and time and then Ben will make even more money because of it and it’s gonna make Texas game wardens look like a bunch of idiots. He should have been ticketed for sure- he’s not above the law. Arrested10 months later really shows Texas game wardens egos and lack of maturity and common sense in a situation.

I’ve seen some of them do the same with high scoring deer when civil restitution use to be based on the score of the deer and not a flat fee like it currently is now. .

I agree it’s a witch hunt. Should have ticketed him and disqualified his fish. The sensationalized headline they used makes it sound like he cheated in a regular tournament. He likely thought he had a valid license when he entered the fish so there was no intent of fraud. Just a simple mistake likely on a year to date license. He may have even self reported it.

I think any future sharelunker with DNA from the one he caught, should be disqualified as well!

Dilly dilly!

Sounds like he may be guilty of fishing without a license. It’s not reasonable to think he was trying to avoid paying the license fee. He must not be very good keeping up with things like that. I always hold a Texas and Louisiana all water license. I couple of times I had to buy one on my phone on the way to the lake or bay when I checked mine. Other times I thought it was expired and wasn’t.

Seems like a lot about pretty much nothing.

If he knew he didn’t have a license when he caught the fish and entered it regardless then that would be intent.

Arrested for no fishing license after donating a fish to the Sharelunker program? Arrested??

On the surface this is ridiculous.

Or it’s choreographed click bait.

^^^that was my first thought….but no GW would agree to such shenanigans.

You gotta think it would be a great way to bring attention to the SAL program. I always forget to enter any of my catches on their website.

Doubt he even knew about the prize drawings. I submitted a fish and didn't. Hope they don't go back and find I had a trailer tag out and arrest me. Guarantee I won't even consider entering a fish again.

After reading about this, that could be a good thing.

I had two fish this year >8 pounds that would have qualified and didn't enter either of them just because I didn't even think about it. If this charge turns out to be a bunch of trumped up BS I would think twice about entering a fish.

Shirley Surely he had a license for those two Elite tournaments he fished in Feb at Toledo and Fork ?

He donated the fish in February and was ticketed for no fishing license and they DQ his fish. Then the higher ups decided they wanted to make a "statement" and the only thing they could charge him with was the fraud in fishing tournament. It's 100% a B.S. witch hunt. With how many fish he has donated and how much 6th Sense has donated to TPWD and the Share Lunker program they effed up. I'd be surprised if 6th Sense ever donated another penny.

He got a license within 48 hours of donating the fish and being told it was DQ. That's what I've heard at least.