Lake Michigan’s storm of ’67: What have we learned from tragedy?

Fall is here and once again outdoor enthusiasts are overwhelmed with hunting and fishing opportunities. The arrival of coho salmon in the Great Lakes added yet another option in the autumn of 1967 – an option that has repeatedly been one of the most popular. The return of coho salmon to Michigan's Platte Bay in the fall of ’67 was the culmination of Howard Tanner’s dream. The director of fisheries for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources at the time, Tanner had been working for years to prove the viability of a Pacific salmon fishery in the Great Lakes. But such sudden popularity had a dark side, and includes a tragedy worth recounting as anglers again head out on the Great Lakes for fall salmon runs.