I don't have the numbers, as I wasn't regularly in rec planning, but what is important is the actual catch per angler. At least in the 80s, the actual catch per angler on any given day, across the fleet, was fairly low. Raising the limit only marginally increased actual dead fish in the boat as few anglers caught additional fish.

In my own experience, I know that if I wanted to retain chum, the limit mattered as there were lots that I could land. But my experience with riverine coho and chinook are that if I got one, it was a good day.

Maybe now there are fewer total anglers but those out there are better so that changing bag limits does significantly alter harvest.