Gasparilla Sound: depth, boat ramps and water quality

Boat: 3 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Placida Park Boat Ramp, 5 lanes, concrete.

The estuary

Gasparilla Sound covers 5,282 acres in Florida, across 2 counties: Charlotte and Lee. It is an estuary: the deepest point measured is at least 22 feet (6.7 m). Our records hold 12 species for this water.

Depth and bottom

Deepest measured point: at least 22 ft (6.7 m). That is the deepest contour line: the bottom goes deeper. We hold 16 depth contours for this water, drawn from 23,287 soundings.

Water and conditions

Water clarity runs 3–6.2 feet on our readings, averaging 4.7 feet, from 457 readings. Water temperature averages 80°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 57°F and the warmest is 95°F; the warmest monthly average is 88°F. pH averages 8.1. These readings span 2016–2025.

Gasparilla Sound.jpg
Sanibel sun · CC BY-SA 3.0

Monthly average water temperature: Jan 65°F · Feb 69°F · Mar 73°F · Apr 77°F · May 82°F · Jun 87°F · Jul 88°F · Aug 88°F · Sep 86°F · Oct 81°F · Nov 76°F · Dec 69°F

3 ramps and launches on this water

On this water we hold 2 trailer ramps, 1 boat ramp and 5 fishing piers.

  • Placida Park Boat Ramp — 5 lanes, concrete, parking for 50 trailers (paved), open around the clock, portable restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Placida, Charlotte County. 6499 Gasparilla Road, Placida 33946 · website charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-services/parks/all-parks/placida-park.stml
  • Eldred's Marina Boat Ramp — 2 lanes, marina, concrete, parking for 40 trailers (firm unpaved), paid, open around the clock, dock, lit for night fishing. Placida. Gasparilla Road, Placida 33946
  • Uncle Henry's Marina phone +1-941-964-0154 · website unclehenrysmarina.com

Fishing piers

Flooding in Florida (MODIS 2022-10-03).jpg
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC · Public domain
  • Anger Fishing Pier Park — no fee, open around the clock, restrooms, monofilament recycling bin. Englewood, Charlotte County. 1385 Beach Road, Englewood 34223
  • Boca Grande Fishing Pier Park — no fee, open around the clock, restrooms. Englewood, Charlotte County. 5810 Gasparilla Road, Englewood 33946
  • 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
  • Placida Rotary Centennial Park — no fee, open around the clock, wheelchair access. Placida, Charlotte County. Placida Road and Pier Road 33946

Only one of the 8 places listed has 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.

What is hard here

Wind is the limit, not the fish: 5,282 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle. Summer water sits at 88°F: heat and afternoon lightning are the real risks, not the fishing.

Where this data comes from

  • USACE eHydro — USACE eHydro channel surveys: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA Digital Coast — NOAA Digital Coast bathymetric lidar: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA BlueTopo: 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 ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: soundings: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.