Charlotte Harbor: depth, boat ramps and water quality
Boat: 10 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Lavender's Landing / Bokeelia Public Boat Ramp, 2 lanes, concrete.
The estuary
Charlotte Harbor covers 77,762 acres in Florida, across 2 counties: Charlotte and Lee. It is an estuary: the deepest point measured is at least 55 feet (16.8 m). Our records hold 19 species for this water.
Depth and bottom
Deepest measured point: at least 55 ft (16.8 m). That is the deepest contour line: the bottom goes deeper. We hold 1 depth contour for this water, drawn from 13,097 soundings.
10 ramps and launches on this water
On this water we hold 7 trailer ramps, 2 boat ramps, 1 hand launch and 8 fishing piers.
- Lavender's Landing / Bokeelia Public Boat Ramp — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 22 trailers (paved), paid, flush restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Bokeelia, Lee County. 7290 Barrancas Avenue, Bokeelia 33922 · website leegov.com/parks/boat%20Ramps/lavenderslanding
- Ponce De Leon Park and Public Boat Ramp (Punta Gorda) — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 20 trailers (paved), flush restrooms, dock, restrooms. Punta Gorda, City of Punta Gorda. 3400 Ponce de Leon Parkway, Punta Gorda 33950
- South Gulf Cove Park Public Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 12 trailers (firm unpaved), open around the clock, flush restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Port Charlotte, Charlotte County. 10150 Amicola Street, Port Charlotte 33981 · website charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-services/parks/all-parks/placida-park.stml
- Bocilla Island Seaport and Fishing Pier — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 24 trailers (soft unpaved), paid, dock. Bokeelia. 8421 Main Street, Bokeelia 33922 · website bokeeliafishingpier.com
- Butterford Waterway Park Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 4 trailers (firm unpaved), open around the clock, dock, wheelchair access. Port Charlotte, Charlotte County. 13555 Marathon Boulevard, Port Charlotte 33981 · website charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-services/parks/all-parks/butterford-waterway-park.stml
- Punta Gorda Municipal Marina (aka. Laishley Park) — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 45 trailers (paved), open around the clock, dock. Punta Gorda, City of Punta Gorda. 120 Laishley Court, Punta Gorda 33950 · phone (941) 575-5050 · website ci.punta-gorda.fl.us/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/57/710
- Inlet Motel — 1 lane. Boca Grande. 1100 East Railroad Ave, Boca Grande 33921
- Inn Marine — Boca Grande. 891 8th Street East, Boca Grande 33921 · phone +19419644620 · website the-gasparilla-inn.com/activities/marina
- The Gasparilla Inn and Club phone 800 678 8946
Car-top and kayak launches — no trailer
- Stringfellow Road Right-of-Way Jug Creek Kayak Access — hand launch, sand, parking for 4 cars, no fee, daylight hours. Bokeelia, Florida Department of Transportation. Stringfellow Road - State Road 767, Bokeelia 33922
Fishing piers
- Centennial Fishing Pier — no fee, wheelchair access. Placida, Charlotte County. Placida Road and Pier Road 33946 · hours: 24 hours, 7 hours
- Gasparilla Public Pier — no fee, open around the clock. Boca Grande, City of Boca Grande. 1400 E Railroad Ave., Boca Grande 33921
- Gilchrist Park — no fee, daylight hours, restrooms, drinking water, wheelchair access. Punta Gorda, City of Punta Gorda. 400 W. Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda 33950
- Laishley Park — no fee, open 7am–10pm, lit for night fishing, fish-cleaning table, bait and tackle on site, restrooms, drinking water, wheelchair access. Punta Gorda, City of Punta Gorda. 100 Nesbit Street, Punta Gorda 33950
- Ponce de Leon Park — no fee, daylight hours, restrooms, drinking water, monofilament recycling bin, wheelchair access. Punta Gorda, City of Punta Gorda. 4000 W. Marion Avenue, Punta Gorda 33950
- Punta Gorda Harbor Walk — no fee, open around the clock. Punta Gorda, City of Punta Gorda. 33 Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda 33950
- Seaport Bocilla Island — paid, open 7am–7pm, lit for night fishing, fish-cleaning table, wheelchair access. Bokeelia, Private. 8421 Main St, Bokeelia 33922
- Unknown Name — no fee. On Peace River, Punta Gorda, City of Punta Gorda.
3 of the 18 places listed have both a fee and opening hours on file: a blank means we hold no such field, not that it is free or always open, and this list may not be complete.
Water and conditions
Water clarity runs 2.6–10.5 feet on our readings, averaging 6.2 feet, from 3,350 readings. Water temperature averages 78°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 57°F and the warmest is 94°F; the warmest monthly average is 87°F. pH averages 7.9. These readings span 2016–2026.
Monthly average water temperature: Jan 65°F · Feb 68°F · Mar 73°F · Apr 77°F · May 81°F · Jun 85°F · Jul 87°F · Aug 87°F · Sep 85°F · Oct 80°F · Nov 75°F · Dec 69°F
What is hard here
Wind is the limit, not the fish: 77,762 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle. Clarity swings from 2.6 to 10.5 feet between our readings — the water you meet is not the water someone photographed. Summer water sits at 87°F: heat and afternoon lightning are the real risks, not the fishing.
Where this data comes from
- NOAA Digital Coast — NOAA Digital Coast bathymetric lidar: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: soundings: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA National Bathymetric Source (S-102 ed3.0.0) — NOAA S-102 bathymetric surfaces: contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA BlueTopo: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
