What I don't get is why people talk about years with 12,000 to 14,000 trapped as great fishing years, and the last few years with 16,000 to 25,000 trapped as not-so-good. Are we culling the biters? Just too many fisherman? Just nostalgia for the "good ol days?"

I've only fished it the last three years, and it was always hit or miss for me (although this last year was our best year yet, despite the falling numbers).