Despite the “anything can happen” banter around Cypress Bend Park, everyone knew Ben Milliken had the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Toledo Bend well in hand heading into Championship Saturday.
In fact, “Will he win?” was less a question than “How big will his margin of victory be?”
The 33-year-old New Caney, Texas, resident answered those questions and more on Saturday after a history-making romp across this fabled fishery.
Milliken won with 77 pounds, 14 ounces, the third-largest total in a three-day Open in B.A.S.S. history, trailing only Gerald Swindle (who caught 80-13 over three days on Lake Toho in 2011) and Cory Johnston (who had an even 78 pounds at 1000 Islands in 2021.) Milliken’s win was decisive, with a 10-9 cushion between him and Trey McKinney, who finished second with 67-5.
Milliken collected a first-place cash prize of more than…