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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
168-acre lake in Washington County, Vermont. The lake tops out around 109 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, Nichols Pond draws 169 acres inside 2.7 miles of shoreline, broken up by an island. Index 1.5 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. About 31% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 0.8 mi long by 0.6 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Washington County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: East Long Pond, 1 mi southwest of here.
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 25 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (93 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: brown bullhead sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 25 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for brown bullhead in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (93 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake trout in 10 to 40 ft. As the season builds they drop to 33 to 109 ft, wintering in 20 to 80 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 93 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (27 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 33 to 109 ft | dawn | Deep basin (93 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (27 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (49 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 45 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 27 ft, rated prime for fall smallmouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (27 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (27 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (49 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 27 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (27 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (27 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (49 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (93 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (93 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Nichols Pond carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 93 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Vermont waters are set by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Nichols Pond specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Vermont fishing regulations →
Nichols Pond is about 109 ft (33 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target bluegill, brown bullhead, lake trout, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, yellow perch on Nichols Pond.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For bluegill, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Nichols Pond is regulated by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife. Check the official Vermont regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
East Long Pond 1 mi · Greenwood Lake 4 mi · Forest Lake 6 mi · Joe's Pond 7 mi · Coles Pond 7 mi · Wolcott Pond 8 mi · Caspian Lake 9 mi · Turtlehead Pond 9 mi · Curtis Pond 9 mi · Peacham Pond 10 mi · Lake Elligo 10 mi · Lake Elmore 10 mi
See how Nichols Pond stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Vermont · best bluegill lakes in Vermont · best rainbow trout lakes in Vermont · best yellow perch lakes in Vermont
More water nearby: Washington County fishing maps (9 charts). Browse all Vermont fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.