West Bay: depth, boat ramps and water quality
Boat: 5 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Crooked Creek Boat Ramp, 2 lanes, sand.
The estuary
West Bay covers 17,843 acres in Florida, across Bay County. It is an estuary: the deepest point measured is 28.5 feet (8.7 m). Our records hold 17 species for this water.
Depth: down to 28.5 ft at the deepest measured point
Deepest measured point: 28.5 ft (8.7 m). We hold 343 depth contours for this water, drawn from 31,523 soundings.
Water and conditions
Water clarity runs 3–9 feet on our readings, averaging 5.7 feet, from 1,280 readings. Water temperature averages 74°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 44°F and the warmest is 91°F; the warmest monthly average is 87°F. pH averages 7.9. These readings span 2016–2025.
Monthly average water temperature: Jan 56°F · Feb 62°F · Mar 69°F · Apr 72°F · May 80°F · Jun 85°F · Jul 87°F · Aug 87°F · Sep 82°F · Oct 76°F · Nov 69°F · Dec 58°F
5 ramps and launches on this water
On this water we hold 4 trailer ramps, 1 hand launch and 1 fishing pier.
- Bayside Marina of Panama City Beach — 1 lane, marina, concrete, parking for 6 trailers (firm unpaved), paid, flush restrooms, dock, restrooms. Panama City Beach. 6327 Big Daddy Drive, Panama City Beach 32407
- Crooked Creek Boat Ramp — 2 lanes, sand, parking for 5 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, open around the clock, dock. Panama City Beach, Bay County. County Road 388, Panama City Beach 32413 · website baycountyfl.gov/291/Boat-Ramp-Locations
- B.V. Buchanan Park and Public Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 25 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, open around the clock, portable restrooms, dock. Panama City Beach, Bay County. Laird Park Road, Panama City Beach 32413 · website baycountyfl.gov/291/Boat-Ramp-Locations
- Crooked Creek at State Road 388 Bridge Primitive Boat Launch (small boats only) — 1 lane, open around the clock. Panama City Beach. State Highway 388, Panama City Beach 32413
Car-top and kayak launches — no trailer
- Bay County - 25th Street Paddlecraft Access — hand launch, parking for 1 trailer. Panama City, Bay County. 4499 West 25th Street, Panama City 32405 · website baycountyfl.gov/289/Parks-Recreation
Fishing piers
- B. V. Buchanan Bridge — no fee, open around the clock, restrooms. Panama City, Bay County. Laird Park Rd., Panama City 32413
3 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
Wind is the limit, not the fish: 17,843 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle. Clarity swings from 3 to 9 feet between our readings — the water you meet is not the water someone photographed. Winter water drops to 56°F, and the warm-water species stop feeding well before you do. Summer water sits at 87°F: heat and afternoon lightning are the real risks, not the fishing.
Where this data comes from
- 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 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: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
