Lake Surprise: depth, boat ramps and water quality

Boat: 1 ramp or launch on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at PonTunes Key Largo Boat Rentals, Marina and Tiki Bar (Small Boats - Parking Off-Site), 1 lane, concrete.

The lake

Lake Surprise covers 454 acres in Florida, across Monroe County. It is a lake: the deepest point measured is at least 9 feet (2.7 m). Our records hold 16 species for this water.

Depth and bottom

Deepest measured point: at least 9 ft (2.7 m). That is the deepest contour line: the bottom goes deeper. We hold 20 depth contours for this water, drawn from 1,106 soundings.

Water and conditions

Our water temperature readings average 81°F; they do not cover the whole year, so this is not a yearly average. The coldest single reading we hold is 67°F and the warmest is 92°F; the warmest monthly average is 91°F. pH averages 8. These readings span 2019–2021. The latest reading is from 2021, more than three years ago: read these numbers as history, not as the water today.

Lake surprise.jpg
ShakyIsles · CC BY-SA 4.0

1 ramp or launch on this water

On this water we hold 1 trailer ramp.

  • PonTunes Key Largo Boat Rentals, Marina and Tiki Bar (Small Boats - Parking Off-Site) — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 10 trailers (firm unpaved), paid, needs repair. Key Largo. 107690 Overseas Highway, Key Largo 33037

The place listed has no fee or 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

Only 1 public ramp is on file, so the launch decides where you fish. Alligators live in Florida fresh water. Keep clear of the bank edge at dawn and dusk, and keep pets away from it. Summer water sits at 91°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, 2018.
  • 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: soundings: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.