![The Good Old Days]()
Versatility characterizes the 35-mile stretch of fishing abundance that includes Sanibel and Captiva Island, Ft. Myers, and the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River. (Cash Lambert photo)
By Cash Lambert, OutdoorChannel.com
SANIBEL, Fla. -- Ah, the good old days. Jim Burnsed remembers them well.
Fish were everywhere around Sanibel Island in southwest Florida three decades ago, and the local guide recalls one spectacular day in particular.
"I caught so many redfish that day that you could have filled up the bed of a pickup truck with them," he said.
Comparing that day to the current fishing around Sanibel and Captiva Island, Burnsed believes overfishing has severely thinned the fishery. But as late spring and early summer fishing season kicks into gear, the area still boasts great quality bites and quantities. Although not in its heyday, the fishery doesn't seem depleted.
"It's just...