A Bold Experiment That Paid Off
On April 2, 1966, a golden bucket full of coho salmon was ceremoniously poured into the Platte River in Benzie County, Michigan. It may have seemed like an ordinary wildlife release, but this moment marked the beginning of one of the most ambitious and successful fishery experiments in history. Howard Tanner, the Michigan Department of Conservation’s new fish chief, had a bold vision: introduce salmon to the Great Lakes to control invasive alewives and create a thriving sport fishery. What followed was nothing short of spectacular. Michigan Outdoors did an episode about the salmon being added you can watch it here.
A Dying Fishery in Need of a Miracle
When Tanner took office in 1964, the Great Lakes were in dire straits. Commercial fishing had decimated native species like lake trout, invasive sea lampreys had wreaked havoc, and alewives—tiny fish from the Atlantic—were washing up dead by the millions on shorelines. It wasn’t just an ecological disaster; it was a smelly one. Beaches were buried in rotting fish, and tourism was taking a hit.
Tanner had an idea. What if they introduced Pacific salmon? These fish were aggressive predators that could feast on the alewives while also attracting sport anglers. The plan was radical—introducing a non-native species into the world’s largest freshwater system wasn’t just unconventional, it was controversial. But when Tanner got word of a surplus of coho salmon eggs on the West Coast, he knew it was his chance.
Something Spectacular
By spring 1966, the first batch of coho salmon was released into the Platte River. The following year, the fish returned in numbers no one had expected. The fishing frenzy that followed was legendary—boats filled every inch of Platte Bay, and anglers pulled in salmon by the dozens. It was a fishing bonanza that turned Lake Michigan into a world-class destination.
Chinook salmon followed, further cementing the Great Lakes as a premier fishing spot. What started as an experiment became a $7 billion industry, boosting local economies and turning Michigan into a sport-fishing paradise. Today, nearly 10 million salmon swim in the Great Lakes, all thanks to Tanner’s audacious plan.
A Lasting Legacy
Howard Tanner’s gamble reshaped the Great Lakes, proving that humans could alter an entire ecosystem—for better or worse. His book, Something Spectacular: My Great Lakes Salmon Story, chronicles this incredible journey. Though introducing a new species to the Great Lakes would be nearly impossible today, Tanner’s legacy endures in the crystal-clear waters and the salmon that still draw anglers from around the world. There is also a Facebook page called Great Lakes Salmon Story
Pacific Salmon Historical Marker
Civil War and After (1860-1875) – Registered in 1974 and erected in 1974 – ID #S417
Located at 15210 US-31, Beulah, Inland Township – Lat: 44.66267000 / Long: -85.93540100
Since 1870 several unsuccessful attempts have been made to establish Pacific salmon in the Great Lakes. In 1966 at this site the Department of Conservation released coho fingerlings, hatcheryreared from eggs given by the state of Oregon. They migrated to Lake Michigan and fed on its enormous alewife population. Augmented by subsequent annual plantings, the coho became firmly established. By 1970 the sport fishery catch reached 10 million pounds. Other species of Pacific salmon—the chinook and kokanee—were also successfully introduced to the Great Lakes area in the late 1960s. To complete their life cycle the salmon return to their home stream to spawn and then die. Millions of salmon are now planted each year. In 1973 the world’s largest recorded coho, weighing over thirty nine pounds, was taken at a state weir.
