Angler-of-the-Year #5
- kristopherbmartin
- Aug 5
- 3 min read
Nichols Takes Top Spot at Bomoseen
CASTLETON – Time is money for Jacob Nichols, balancing his day job with his side gig as the operator of his own guide service. His appearances at the boat launch for club tournaments may have been limited until this point of the season, but he reminded everyone Thursday evening that he wasn’t going to relinquish the AOY trophy without a fight.
Nichols and co-angler Zach McNaughton hoisted 17.24 pounds of Lake Bomoseen largemouth to the scale netting them victory in the process.
“Everyone else seemed to think the lake was fishing tough, but I found it to be pretty average tonight,” Nichols said. “It wasn’t great but it wasn’t bad either. Zach and I caught about 30 bass in the four hours we were out there so we ended up making small culls here and there. Our best fish came between 15 to 20 feet deep.”
Nichols’ 5.59-pound lunker helped to cement the victory. Longtime club member and co-angler John Laramie weighed in a 3.12-pound smallmouth to earn his extra lunker point.
The second place team of Casey Baroffio and Connor Jones brought 16.32 pounds (five largemouth) to the weigh table. For Baroffio, it was a bit of a moral victory and getting to share that with Jones was a blast.
“It’s the best day that I’ve ever had on this lake (Bomoseen),” Baroffio said. “Connor and I figured out a little pattern that proved fruitful, we just couldn’t get the big bite we needed. We didn’t win, but I’m glad that we were able to put forth a strong effort.”
Third place went to the team of boater Zach Patch and co-angler Jake Michaud, weighing in 14.12 pounds. Both anglers have an extensive knowledge of the lake with Patch living close by and citing it as one of his favorite lakes and Michaud having recently settled along its shore. It would not be uncommon to run in to either of them on the water or the boat launch this time of year.
“It’s amazing how many three-plus pounders this lake holds,” Michaud said. “It can be tricky at times because there’s bait literally everywhere – tons of minnows shallow, bluegills out a bit deeper and smelt even further out. It’s a buffet out there for them.”
Michaud credits the club with his growth as a bass fisherman. The learning curve can be steep – especially for someone just getting started out. The intuitive process and ability to adapt an angler’s strengths to suit the demands of the fish is something that takes a lot of time. Lake Bomoseen is often cited as a Vermonter’s best chance for a true trophy, but those who fish it regularly it also know that the bite windows can frustrate even the best anglers.
“I like to ‘power fish’, but in a finesse manner. I tend to pick areas and not specific targets,” Michaud added. “Zach (Patch) is more methodical than I am, but he has a way of getting the big fish to commit. I think we made a good team and had our shot. Tonight was a good way show someone how two different anglers chase the same goal but with different tools.”
The Champlain Valley B.A.S.S. Club’s next tournament will be held August 16, 2025 from 6:00AM-2:00PM. launching out of Chimney Point on Lake Champlain.
Totals for Champlain Valley B.A.S.S. Series AOY #5
Thursday, July 31, 2025 @Lake Bomoseen3:30PM-7:30PM
First – Jacob Nichols/Zachary McNaughton 17.24
Second – Casey Baroffio/Connor Jones 16.32
Third – Zachary Patch/Jake Michaud 14.12
4 – Mark Jones/John Laramie 11.62
5 – Olivia Baroffio/Jim White 11.59
6 – Jason Robers/Dennis Brownfield 8.66
Total Fish – 30
Dead Fish – 0
Lunkers
Smallmouth Lunker – John Laramie 3.12
Largemouth Lunker – Jacob Nichols 5.59
Total Smallmouth caught – 3
Total Largemouth caught – 27
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