Lemon Bay: depth, boat ramps and water quality
Boat: 12 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Indian Mound Park - Boat Ramp, 4 lanes, concrete.
The estuary
Lemon Bay covers 5,090 acres in Florida, across 2 counties: Charlotte and Sarasota. It is an estuary: the deepest point measured is 19.6 feet (6 m). Our records hold 12 species for this water.
Depth: down to 19.6 ft at the deepest measured point
Deepest measured point: 19.6 ft (6 m). We hold 33 depth contours for this water, drawn from 47,851 soundings.
12 ramps and launches on this water
On this water we hold 5 trailer ramps, 7 hand launches, 3 fishing piers and 1 shore access point.
- Ainger Creek Park Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 24 trailers (paved), open around the clock, portable restrooms, dock. Englewood, Charlotte County. 2011 PLACIDA RD, Englewood 34224 · website charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-services/parks/all-parks/ainger-creek-park.stml
- Manasota Beach Park Boat Ramp — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 40 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, flush restrooms, dock. Englewood, Sarasota County. 8570 Manasota Key Road, Englewood 34223 · website scgov.net/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/564/4319
- Lemon Bay Sunrise Rotary Park Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, open around the clock, portable restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Englewood, Charlotte County. 1000 South McCall Road, Englewood 34223 · website charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-services/parks/all-parks/lemon-bay-sunrise-rotary-park.stml
- Indian Mound Park - Boat Ramp — 4 lanes, concrete, parking for 36 trailers (paved), flush restrooms, dock, lit for night fishing, restrooms. Englewood, Sarasota County. 210 Winson Avenue, Englewood 34223
- Stump Pass Marina Inc — 1 lane. Englewood. 260 Maryland Ave, Englewood 34224
Car-top and kayak launches — no trailer
- Blind Pass Beach Park Kayak Access North — hand launch, sand, parking for 6 cars, no fee, flush restrooms. Englewood, Sarasota County. 6725 Manasota Key Road, Englewood 34223 · website scgov.net/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/610/4319
- Cherokee Street County Park - Kayak Access — hand launch, natural bank, parking for 9 cars, no fee. Englewood, Sarasota County. 67 Cherokee Street, Englewood 34223 · website scgov.net/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/598/4319
- Dr. Willard ""Bill"" Coy Preserve Kayak Access — hand launch, gravel, parking for 4 trailers (soft unpaved), no fee. Englewood, Charlotte County. 5350 Placida Road, Englewood 34224 · website charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-services/parks/all-parks/bill-coy-preserve.stml
- Indian Mound Park - Paddlecraft Launch — hand launch, sand, parking for 60 cars, no fee, flush restrooms. Englewood, Sarasota County. 210 Winson Avenue, Englewood 34223 · website scgov.net/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/581/4319
- Lemon Bay Park Paddlecraft Launch — hand launch, sand, parking for 80 cars, no fee, daylight hours, flush restrooms. Englewood, Sarasota County. 570 Bay Park Boulevard, Englewood 34223 · website scgov.net/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/570/4283?selamenityid=9&cftype=FacilityDirectory
- Manasota Beach Park Kayak Access — hand launch, sand, parking for 200 cars, no fee, flush restrooms. Englewood, Sarasota County. 8570 Manasota Key Road, Englewood 34223 · website scgov.net/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/564/4319
- Oyster Creek Environmental Park Kayak Launch — hand launch, gravel, parking for 18 cars, no fee. Englewood, Charlotte County. 2333 Placida Road, Englewood 34224 · website charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-services/parks/all-parks/oyster-creek-environmental-park.stml
Fishing piers
- Anger Fishing Pier Park — no fee, open around the clock, restrooms, monofilament recycling bin. Englewood, Charlotte County. 1385 Beach Road, Englewood 34223
- Chadwick Park — no fee, open around the clock. Englewood, Charlotte County. 2100 North Beach Rd., Englewood 34223
- Cherokee Street Park — no fee, open 6am–midnight. Englewood, Sarasota County. 67 Cherokee St., Englewood 34223
Shore access for bank fishing
- Oyster Creek Kayak Launch — Englewood. off Placida Road south of Lemon Bay High School, Englewood
8 of the 16 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 2.3–6.6 feet on our readings, averaging 4.4 feet, from 1,323 readings. Water temperature averages 78°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 47°F and the warmest is 94°F; the warmest monthly average is 88°F. pH averages 8. These readings span 2016–2025.
Monthly average water temperature: Jan 65°F · Feb 67°F · Mar 72°F · Apr 77°F · May 81°F · Jun 85°F · Jul 88°F · Aug 88°F · Sep 86°F · Oct 80°F · Nov 75°F · Dec 71°F
What is hard here
Wind is the limit, not the fish: 5,090 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.
