Omer: one of Michigan's smallest cities, and its spring sucker run

Omer is famous for being one of the smallest cities in Michigan. It has a few hundred people, the old county courthouse, and the Rifle River running right through the middle of town. (It started life as “Rifle River Mills.” The name “Omer” came later. A founder had hoped to call it “Homer.”)

Once a year, tiny Omer fills up. Every spring, thousands of suckers swim up the Rifle River from Lake Huron to spawn. So the town throws Suckerfest. It’s a multi-day fishing tournament. Anglers line the river with long-handled nets and scoop fish near the US-23 bridge. Local businesses put up prize money for the biggest catch. The tradition goes back to the Great Depression. Back then, families relied on the easy-to-catch fish for cheap food. It’s still a beloved local tradition today.

The rest of the year, the Rifle River is for canoeing, kayaking, and tubing. Omer has canoe liveries right in town. For a buyer, Omer is about as small-town as Michigan gets. The river is the main attraction. Omer’s city website posts each year’s Suckerfest dates.