Don't miss the chance to see big Great Lakes fish up close during free fall tours at the Boardman River Weir in downtown Traverse City, the Little Manistee River Weir in Manistee County and the Upper Platte River Weir in Benzie County. The tours, running through the end of September and throughout October, are a great opportunity for the public and school groups to get a firsthand look at important fish management work.

Weirs are structures that block upstream fish passage on a river. DNR staff use a weir on the Boardman River each fall to collect surplus chinook and coho salmon. On the Little Manistee River, a weir is used to harvest chinook salmon in order to collect fertilized eggs, a key part of managing fish production for this species. It's a critical time for collection of fertilized coho salmon at the Platte River State Fish Hatchery, too, for the continued production of this species in the DNR hatchery system.

Staff from the Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery Visitor Center and Carl T. Johnson Hunt and Fish Center will conduct the tours, which will cover salmon biology, how weirs and fish ladders work, invasive species, state fish hatcheries, and the DNR’s annual egg collection efforts. The programs tie in components of history, ecology, biology and stewardship.

Boardman River Weir tours begin the week of Sept. 17 and will run through mid-October. Tours will be offered at various times Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with group tours available by appointment.

Platte River Weir tours run during the coho salmon egg-take season and are slated for Oct. 16-18 and 23-25 and Oct. 30-Nov. 1. Check weir activity by calling 231-325-4611, ext. 21. Group tours available by appointment.

Little Manistee River Weir guided tours are offered Oct. 2-3 and 9-10. Call the weir hotline at 231-775-9727, ext. 6072 to check activity status and fish readiness. Group tours available by appointment. Book a tour here or contact Edward Shaw, 231-779-1321 or Shana Ramsey, 269-668-2876 for more information.

All tour dates are subject to change based on the progress of this year’s salmon runs.