The sockeye season on Lake Wenatchee will be closing early this year, but not for the reasons seasons are usually curtailed. According to sources at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, there has been an exceptionally high mortality of sockeye in the Wenatchee River and through Tumwater Canyon this year, apparently due to higher than normal water temperatures. There have even been reports that sockeye have moved up into the Icicle River to find lower water temperatures, but sightings of dead fish throughout the Wenatchee system are at an all-time high. To assure that enough fish reach Lake Wenatchee and ultimately the White River to spawn the department will be issuing an announcement, in the form of an e-regulation (emergency regulation), and anglers should keep an eye on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife web site for this notice. It has been estimated that just over 2,000 sockeye have been harvested by sport anglers, which is well within the allowable take for the anticipated run of sockeye to Lake Wenatchee. This was the first time that we have had two seasons in a row on sockeye, and anglers got to take advantage, even if it was for a short time.