Hugh C. Becker Grant Awards 2024-2016

Hugh C. Becker was one of the Twin Cities Chapter’s first members. Before his death in 2007 at 89, Hugh established the Hugh C. Becker Foundation for the purpose of promoting muskie-related programs. As per Hugh’s wishes, each year the foundation gifts funds generated by its investments to the Twin Cities Chapter of Muskies, Inc. Provisions stipulate that 25% of funds be returned to investments each year, so that this gift should, hopefully, last in perpetuity.

Chapter members serving on the Hugh C. Becker Grant Committee meet each year to evaluate applications and disburse the funds in the form of grants. Since its inception, nearly $2,100,000 has been granted to Muskies, Inc. chapters and conservation agencies throughout North America for muskie-related projects such as muskie propagation, stocking, habitat improvement, water quality, professional research, and youth and veteran-related activities.

ABOUT HUGH C. BECKER

Hugh grew up in south Minneapolis attending Washburn High School and the University of Minnesota. He served in the US Marine Corps during World War II. After the war Hugh worked as a physical therapist at the Veterans Administration hospital in Minneapolis and retired in 1972.

Hugh began fishing for muskies in the 1940s. In 1953 he began his own tagging program, gathering considerable data on recaptured tagged muskies which demonstrated early on that the practice of “catch and release” would be a valid concept for conserving muskellunge. He shared the information showing the catch and release concept to both biologists and the DNR.

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. In his 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.