Unalaska, AK – The Wislow area, near Reese Bay, is now re-opened to subsistence salmon fishing, except for the area 500 yards or fewer from the outlet stream into McLee's Lake. On July 2 escapement into the lake jumped from 808 sockeye salmon to 5,560. By July 5, the number was up to 7,489. Alaska Department of Fish & Game area biologist Aaron Poetter explained that the sudden jump could have been caused by the heavy rain fall and weather change.

"There was a bit more of a southerly wind which potentially pushed a little more water towards the north side of McLee's Lake and the outlet there. Perhaps that increase in water flow cued fish to really start making the push. It could have just been a timing thing for the fish that were stacked up there getting ready to go. It could be a number of factors. It's one of those mysteries. When fish want to run, they go. Hopefully we're just there to count them," he said.

Poetter said large, sudden pulses of fish are common in some systems where the fresh water lake is close to the marine ecosystem. The decision to re-open the area was also based on a large number of fish that were observed waiting to go up the weir.

"Some fish aren't ready to move with a high water event. Perhaps there's enough fish that they couldn't all make it through. Water levels came down. They weren't quite ready to move into the fresh water system. It takes a little bit of time for their bodies to change to be able to handle that difference," he said. "So, perhaps they're just sitting there getting ready to go, perhaps waiting for another high water event, or just waiting for the time to be right."

The area will remain open until further notice, but openings could be adjusted depending on fluctuating run strength. On July 5, 2008 5,498 fish had gone through the weir. In 2003, 79,804 had.