I've seen the same thing with the salmon. I got skunked this year at Million Dollar beach for the first time in many years, and I fished it quite a bit. Usually I pick up a slamon or two, some largemouth, lakers and pike. This year nothing, except for a couple of suckers. I think the salmon fishing on the lake is definitely in decline. But later in the spring I seem to catch more and bigger lakers and smallmouth. Seems like some species have been better able to adapt to the changing conditions. The lake is becoming more of a cool to warmwater fishery with the runoff from development and the relatively short periods of hardwater that we've seen over the last few years. The weed growth has exploded which is good for the species like lakers, pike and bass that thrive on perch.
The largemouth also seem to be gaining ground on the lake. This has by far been the best year I've had for them in terms of size and numbers. They stay in the shallows for primarily the whole summer, long after the smallmouth head for deeper, cooler water.
The smelt seem to be doing okay since the dip net ban, but I think other species have gained the upper ground and the best days of salmon fishing are unfortunately behind us.
So as one fishery declines another gets stronger and affords more opportunity for the fly angler. Sometimes I don't know whether to pine for the past or look forward to the future.