Who is Hugh C. Becker?
Hugh C. Becker was one of the Twin Cities Chapters first members.
He was 89 years old when he passed away January 15, 2007.
Hugh was born July 1, 1917, and grew up in south Minneapolis where he was an excellent student athlete at Washburn High School and the University of Minnesota, lettering in Big Ten baseball in the 1938 to 1940 seasons, and he was the Minnesota weight-lifting champion in his class.
Hugh earned two degrees from the University of Minnesota, one before and one after World War II. After graduation in 1940, Hugh served in the US Marine Corps as an artillery officer and participated in both the Guadalcanal and Okinawa campaigns. After the war Hugh worked as a Physical Therapist at the Veterans Administration hospital in Minneapolis, and retired from this position in 1972.
Hugh began fishing for muskies in the 1940s. In 1953, many years prior to Muskies, Inc. “catch and release” program, he began his own tagging program.
During the next several years Hugh gathered considerable data on recaptured tagged muskies and shared this information with Dr. Crossman of the Ontario Royal Museum and Art Oemcke of the Wisconsin DNR. This early data demonstrated the catch and release concept to both biologists and anglers.
Hugh joined Muskies, Inc., in the developmental stages of the organization and contributed to the club in many areas. He served on the Board of Directors for more than twenty years and ran the Members Only contest for seven years.
At Hugh’s suggestion to Gil Hamm, membership and participation in Muskies, Inc., was open to women and In 1976 Hugh initiated and funded a three-year tagging program directed by the Minnesota DNR. This study satisfied the Minnesota DNR to approve the “catch and release” as a viable muskie conservation effort.
Because of poor health, Hugh stopped fishing in 2002. But in the 55 years of muskie-fishing in the U.S. and Canada, Hugh enjoyed the success that goes with hard work and dedication to the sport. This includes catching muskies over 40 pounds as recently as October, 2000.
2008 Hugh C. Becker Fund Grants Announced
Cleitheum Research project by Dr. Casselman at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
This ongoing project involves the collection of muskellunge cleithrum bones in order to determine the age of muskellunge from various bodies of water; thus being beneficial for muskellunge management.
March, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 5,000.00
Paddlewheel Aerator equipment for the St. Mary’s State Fish Hatchery in Ohio.
This project is to provide support to the Ohio Division of Wildlife in their efforts to raise minnows for feed for the Ohio muskie program.Paid March, 2008. . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 2,300.00
Minnesota Genetic Research project by the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota.
With the cooperation of the Minnesota DNR, this project is to analyze the ancestry of Minnesota’s stocked muskellunge throughout Minnesota, in populations stocked with fish from one or more sources (Shoepack, Leech, Wisconsin, and crosses therein), using the latest technological methods.Paid March, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 7,600.00
Michigan Know the Difference lakeside educational program by the Michigan Muskie Alliance in cooperation with the Michigan DNR.
This grant entails the procurement of materials, construction, and installation of signs at numerous access sites at muskellunge waters throughout Michigan.
Paid April, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 5,000.00
Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation
Partial funding for equipment needed to successfully accomplish land conservation projects and distribution of educational materials on land conservation options to the property owners on Leech, Woman, Wabedo, Inguadano, Baby, Kid, Kerr, Mann, and Cass Lakes.Paid April, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 3,000.00
Brainerd Lakes Chapter endowment fund.
The Foundation is partially granting to the endowment/scholarship fund at Central Lakes College in Brainerd , MN. This is a scholarship program for two (2) scholarships awarded one each to a second year student in the Natural Resource and Natural Resource Law Enforcement programs.Paid May, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,000.00
First Wisconsin Chapter of Muskies, Inc., Lake Wissota stocking program.
This grant is to assist the Chapter in their efforts to stock the Leech Lake strain of muskellunge in Lake Wissota.Paid September, 2008 . . . . . . . . $ 5,500.00
Southern Crossroads Chapter of Muskies, Inc., French Lake stocking program.
This grant is to assist the Chapter, with the cooperation and approval of the Minnesota DNR, in purchasing and stocking adult muskellunge in French Lake.Paid September, 2008 . . . . . . . . $ 2,300.00
Twin Cities Chapter of Muskies, Inc., equipment for stocking purposes.
This grant to the Chapter is for procuring, upgrading , and repairing equipment related to the raising of fish for stocking purposes.Paid September, 2008 . . . . . . . . $ 2,000.00
Hayward Lakes Chapter of Muskies, Inc., Sawyer County stocking program.
This grant is to assist the Chapter, with the cooperation and approval of the Wisconsin DNR, in purchasing and stocking yearling muskellunge in both Round and Whitefish Lakes.
Paid October, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . $ 2,500.00Twin Cities Chapter of Muskies, Inc., Lake Minnetonka stocking program.
This grant is to assist the Chapter, with the cooperation and approval of the Minnesota DNR, in purchasing and stocking two-year old muskies in Lake Minnetonka.Paid October, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . $ 4,000.00
Twin Cities Chapter of Muskies, Inc., White Bear Lake stocking program.
This grant is to assist the Chapter, with the cooperation and approval of the innesota DNR, in purchasing and stocking two-year old muskies in White Bear Lake.Paid October, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . $ 4,000.00
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