Roberts Bay: depth, boat ramps and water quality

Boat: 2 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Legacy Park Paddlecraft Launch Ramp, gravel.

The estuary

Roberts Bay covers 744 acres in Florida, across Sarasota County. It is an estuary: the deepest point measured is 17.7 feet (5.4 m). Our records hold 18 species for this water.

Depth: down to 17.7 ft at the deepest measured point

Deepest measured point: 17.7 ft (5.4 m). We hold 5 depth contours for this water, drawn from 6,122 soundings.

Water and conditions

Water clarity runs 3.2–6.2 feet on our readings, averaging 4.9 feet, from 236 readings. Water temperature averages 79°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 60°F and the warmest is 93°F; the warmest monthly average is 90°F. pH averages 7.9. These readings span 2016–2025.

Monthly average water temperature: Jan 66°F · Feb 67°F · Mar 73°F · Apr 78°F · May 82°F · Jun 86°F · Jul 90°F · Aug 90°F · Sep 88°F · Oct 84°F · Nov 77°F · Dec 69°F

2 ramps and launches on this water

On this water we hold 2 hand launches, 1 fishing pier, 1 bridge you can fish and 2 jetties.

Car-top and kayak launches — no trailer

  • Legacy Park Paddlecraft Launch Ramp — hand launch, gravel, parking for 6 cars, no fee, daylight hours, flush restrooms. Venice, Sarasota County. 395 East Venice Avenue 34285 · website scgov.net/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/573/4319
  • Nokomis Community Park Canoe/Kayak Launch — hand launch, gravel, parking for 24 cars, no fee, flush restrooms. Nokomis, Sarasota County. 243 Nippino Trail, Nokomis 34275 · website scgov.net/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/552/4319

Fishing piers

  • Nokomis Community Park — no fee, open 7am–midnight. Nokomis, Sarasota County. 234 Nippino Trail E, Nokomis 34275

Bridges you can fish from

  • Legacy Trail Bridge - Roberts Bay — no fee, open 7am–6pm. Nokomis, FL Department of Transportation.

Jetties

  • Humphris Park — no fee, open 6am–midnight. Venice, Sarasota County. 1999 Tarpon Center Dr, Venice 34285
  • North Jetty Park — no fee, open 6am–midnight. Nokomis, Sarasota County. 100 S Casey Key Rd, Nokomis 34275

2 of the 6 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.

What is hard here

Only 2 public ramps are on file, so the launch decides where you fish. Summer water sits at 90°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 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.