Grand Lagoon: depth, boat ramps and water quality

Boat: 9 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Saint Andrews State Park - Boat Ramp, 2 lanes, concrete.

The estuary

Grand Lagoon covers 871 acres in Florida, across Bay County. It is an estuary: the deepest point measured is 36.1 feet (11 m). Our records hold 17 species for this water.

Depth: down to 36.1 ft at the deepest measured point

Deepest measured point: 36.1 ft (11 m). We hold 46 depth contours for this water, drawn from 13,461 soundings.

Water and conditions

Water clarity runs 2.5–10 feet on our readings, averaging 5.9 feet, from 1,066 readings. Water temperature averages 73°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 48°F and the warmest is 93°F; the warmest monthly average is 88°F. pH averages 7.9. These readings span 2016–2025.

Monthly average water temperature: Jan 58°F · Feb 62°F · Mar 67°F · Apr 71°F · May 78°F · Jun 84°F · Jul 87°F · Aug 88°F · Sep 84°F · Oct 78°F · Nov 69°F · Dec 62°F

9 ramps and launches on this water

On this water we hold 4 trailer ramps, 5 hand launches, 2 fishing piers and 1 shore access point.

  • Saint Andrews State Park - Boat Ramp — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 42 trailers (paved), paid, daylight hours, flush restrooms, dock, lit for night fishing, restrooms, wheelchair access. Panama City, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. 4607 State Park Lane (Thomas Drive / State Highway 39), Panama City 32408 · website floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/st-andrews-state-park
  • Dolphin Drive Public Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 4 trailers (paved), no fee, daylight hours, dock. Panama City, Bay County. north east end of Dolphin Drive, Panama City 32408 · website baycountyfl.gov/291/Boat-Ramp-Locations
  • Quail Street Public Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 2 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, daylight hours, dock. Panama City, Bay County. north east end of Quail Street, Panama City 32408 · website baycountyfl.gov/291/Boat-Ramp-Locations
  • Safari Street Public Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 2 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, daylight hours, dock. Panama City, Bay County. north east end of Safari Street, Panama City 32408 · website baycountyfl.gov/291/Boat-Ramp-Locations

Car-top and kayak launches — no trailer

  • Jan Cooley Drive Paddlecraft Access — hand launch. On Saint Andrew Bay, Panama City, Bay County. website baycountyfl.gov/289/Parks-Recreation
  • Laurie Avenue Paddlecraft Dock — hand launch, dock. Panama City, Bay County. website baycountyfl.gov/289/Parks-Recreation
  • Oriole Street Public Kayak Access — hand launch, sand, parking for 3 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, daylight hours. Panama City, Bay County. north east end of Oriole Street, Panama City 32408 · website baycountyfl.gov/291/Boat-Ramp-Locations
  • Tarpon Street Paddlecraft Access — hand launch, parking for 2 trailers. Panama City, Bay County. website baycountyfl.gov/289/Parks-Recreation
  • Saint Andrews State Park - Kayak Beach — hand launch, sand, parking for 42 trailers (paved), paid, daylight hours, flush restrooms, wheelchair access. Panama City, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. 4607 State Park Lane (Thomas Drive / State Highway 39), Panama City 32408 · website floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/st-andrews-state-park

Fishing piers

  • St. Andrews State Recreation Area - C. C. Tiller Memorial Pier — park entry fee, open 8am–sunset, lit for night fishing, restrooms, drinking water, monofilament recycling bin, wheelchair access. Panama City Beach, FL Department of Environmental Protection, State Parks. 5000 State Park Cr., Panama City Beach 32408
  • St. Andrews State Recreation Area - Grand Lagoon Pier — park entry fee, open 8am–sunset, fish-cleaning table, restrooms, drinking water, wheelchair access. Panama City Beach, FL Department of Environmental Protection, State Parks. 4500 State Park Ln, Panama City Beach 32408

Shore access for bank fishing

  • Oriole Street Public Access (Not for Tailer Boats) — daylight hours. Panama City Beach, Bay County. north east end of Oriole Street, Panama City Beach 32408

6 of the 12 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.

1 campground near the water

  • St. Andrews State Park — Lagoon Campground, 0 miles away, 101 sites. 4607 State Park Lane, Panama City, FL 32408 · phone 800-326-3521 · website reserve.floridastateparks.org/Web/#!park/64

What is hard here

Clarity swings from 2.5 to 10 feet between our readings — the water you meet is not the water someone photographed. Winter water drops to 58°F, and the warm-water species stop feeding well before you do. Summer water sits at 88°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 NOS Hydro — NOAA NOS hydrographic survey archive: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • USACE eHydro — USACE eHydro channel surveys: 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.
  • 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.