A few questions

[MEM1971]

When did the daily limit go from 25 to 15. Did the 2 only over 25" happen at same time? I've always released 25" and over. I went on my first guided trip in 1996 with the Poe's and was hooked instantly. Started fishing with a buddy in his whaler regularly right after that. 1998 bought a new bay boat and fished 3-4 times a week from then til 2006-2007. Then just a few times a year up until 2012. Back from 98-2005 it was common to release 25" or larger trout on every trip and sometimes as many as 10 in a single trip. Also common to bring home all 18"-24" trout. 3 persons would of been 75 of em! My largest trout is only 7 3/4 but it is 29" long and at the time 8.3 was leader in star so I took it to weigh and it died so I had it mounted. I really thought I'd caught a bigger one by now. Anyway I was looking at pics back from 2012 and my dad and son caught several 5 pound and 6 pound fish and that was just a few trips we made that year. I have fished alot this year and have only caught 2-3 fish 25". I did start late at end of April. All year have caught small trout! Pickles, Dink's! Back in may I would never thought I'd still be catching small trout in October. Has it been an off year? Is this the result of limit change? I know some will say its cause I live bait fish but that's wat my 7 3\4 came on and more 5 & 6 pounders than I know to count. Are there so many small fish they bite before the bigger ones? I don't know exactly how many fish I've caught this year but I will just guess and say 500. I would say less than 30 of them were 20" or larger. Maybe less than that. We use to catch limits upon limits of 20-24" fish. I know there is more boats on the water now but there were times back then where there was alot. Did hurricane Rita and Ike hurt play a part? Like today I probably landed 35-40 trout. Now today only a few were under 12" but didn't have any over 15". That's Pickle's for October. Idk. Caught lots of fish this year but all small fish except for a few trips back in June. Red fishing has been better than I remember. Just curious on everyone's opinion. I keep waiting for the day that 3-4 pound fish are being caught one after another like it was back then and I'm not sure it will.