I think it's a combination of it not being stocked since 97, Then they were overfishing for pike in the mid to late 90's, when everyone there was going for Pike, and some trout fisherman killing even the little stockies to protect "their trout". Another fact is ignorance by some modern fisherman that can't identify what they are catching. We were fishing right next to the people that caught the 5lb pickeral, and when they pulled it out of the hole, they were all screaming pike. they did not know the sepcies until they brought it in for weigh in.
On a positive note, last season i caught a 17 incher, and some otheres i know have caught a few smaller pike this season(less than 5lbs. So as long as everyone there practices C&R, in another 10 years it might resume as a pike fishery. keep in in there and give the pike a chance.