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.
2009 Hugh C. Becker Fund Grants Announced
Identification and Protection of Critical Muskellunge Spawning and Nursery Habitat.
This project is to be conducted on six (6) Northern Wisconsin lakes by the Wisconsin DNR, Bureau ofFisheries Management headed by Paul Cunningham in Madison,WI.
Paid March, 2009… $ 7,000.00
Fishing for Life Youth Fishing Program.
In conjunction with the Twin Cities Chapter #1 of Muskies, Inc., this organization will be conducting four (4) main events targeted at promoting fishing among Minnesota youth. The events include the Fish Fair (February); Northwest Sports Show (March); Muskie Expo (April); and the Lake Minnetonka Marathon Man (August).
Paid March, 2009… $ 3,500.00
Lake Mille Lacs, Minnesota, Muskellunge Tagging Program.
2006 for the purposes of identifying the genetic make-up and natural reproduction of Muskellunge in this lake. The project will be conducted by the Aitkin Area Fisheries of the MN DNR, and incorporates the findings of the Loren Miller Research project of 2008. This is supported by the Brainerd Lakes Chapter of MI.
Paid April, 2009… $ 3,500.00
Leech Lake, Minnesota, Muskie Population Assessment.
This project is to be conducted by the Walker Area Fisheries of the Minnesota DNR for purposes of quantifying the adult Muskellunge population using a mark/recapture experimental approach. This is supported by the Brainerd Lakes Chapter of MI.
Paid April, 2009… $ 1,300.00
North Metro Chapter of Muskies, Inc.
This project is to provide equipment, specifically updated microscopes, to half the Minnesota Area Fisheries offices in need of this equipment.
Paid April, 2009… $ 2,200.00
Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation. Partial funding for the acquisition of the Lantern Bay shoreline/land area of Woman Lake. This undertaking is to purchase critical habitat, as identified by the Minnesota DNR, from shoreline development that would negatively impact the Woman Lake fisheries that inhabit this sensitive shoreline.
May, 2009… $ 5,000.00
Brainerd Lakes Chapter of Muskies, Inc. Endowment Fund. The Foundation is partially granting to the endowment/scholarship fund at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, MN. The program is for two (2) scholarships awarded one each to a second year student in the Natural Resource and Natural resource Law Enforcement programs.
Paid May, 2009… $1,000.00
Collaborative Field Research Project on Catch and Release of Muskellunge.
This is a joint project by Carlton University in Ottawa, Ontario (Canada), the University of Illinois, and Muskies Canada to determine the effects of stress and mortality associated with catch-and-release angling for muskies.
Paid May, 2009… $10,000.00
Twin Cities Chapter of Muskies, Inc. equipment and materials for stocking purposes. This grant is for procuring, upgrading, and maintaining equipment elated to the raising and stocking of Muskellunge in Minnesota.
Paid June, 2009… $ 2,000.00
Fargo-Moorhead Chapter of Muskies, Inc.
Many Point, Minnesota Stocking Program. This grant is to assist the Chapter’s committed funding to the Minnesota DNR for the continuation of stocking this new water with Muskellunge. This program began in 2005 for a five-year stocking commitment.
Paid September, 2009… $ 5,000.00
First Wisconsin Chapter of Muskies, Inc., Lake Wissota Stocking Program.
This grant is to assist the Chapter in their continued efforts to stock the Leech Lake strain of Muskellunge in Lake Wissota.
Paid October, 2009… $ 4,000.00
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 October, 2009… $ 3,400.00
Twin 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, stocking, and tagging fingerlings and yearling muskies in Lake Minnetonka to determine angler recapture rates in highly pressured waters.
Paid November, 2009… $ 5,000.00
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 Minnesota DNR, in purchasing, stocking and tagging fingerlings and yearling muskies in White Bear Lake to determine angler recapture rates in highly pressured waters. This tagging program will be in honor of, and for future reference, be named the George Wahl Memorial Program.
Paid November, 2009… $ 7,200.00
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