Benzie County is famous for the Platte River Hatchery birth place of the coho salmon in the great lakes.With the Platte and Bestie river this county rocks with Salmon in the fall and Steelhead in the spring. With Lake Michigan suppling the action May though September. Crystal Lake is the mecca for ice fisherman in the winter if the lake freezes (late Jan). It is full of perch, smelt, and lake trout and they catch lots! Manistee County has a great salmon and trout fishery also. Portage Lake is the favorite place for the locals to fish in the winter it is a great place to get walleye, northen pike, and perch. The Big Manistee and Little Manistee rivers are one of the worlds fishing “hotspots” for trout and salmon.