8 or 10 inch auger

[traveler]

So like many guys I kind of hate to admit when I've made a poor choice, but this is one of those times. Sigh.

Bought the Jiffy propane last year and went with the 10". LOVE the auger, but having hooked/caught/LOST more walleyes over the last month than I usually do in a couple seasons (great bite/laid off) one thing is clear...a nice keeper walleye can, and will, come off and be able to turn around in a 10" hole with startling regularity!! I've NEVER had that happen consistently, but we're catching them jigging and many aren't hooked all that well, it's amazing how easily they can flip around in that big hole:(

I'm not going to go out and take a beating trying to resell the 10", I still like the big holes for visability, but if I were to do it again, I'd go 8 inch for sure.

[laportian]

We call that otterskinning it. When we get a fish up the hole and it pops off the hook and we go down the hole after it. Easier to do with an 8 inch hole.

[dan z]

8" here also, wish SM still made a smaller 224.

[nwhunter]

Both... I use my 8" auger early and late in the year, but once the thicker ice sets in, I've found the 10" auger is better, IMHO.

[FirstIce]

I had a 10" sm lazer and loved it for the permanent as it took a lot longer for the hole to reach a smaller diameter. (Although it was a pain in the butt for reopening holes) I then got rid of it and got the best of both worlds a Jiffy stx pro 9"! (Awesome for reopening holes) It's still a little bigger than an 8", yet the vex wont fall in. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

[opsirc]

first auger I own was a 10 with a 3hp, the beast was heavy and would not run at all, took that back and bought the SM lazer mag in a 9 inch. should I ever have to replace it would go with an 8, but simple because SM does not make the 9 any more.

[CrappieAttitude]

Another vote for the 8. However I can tell you that fishing with a bigger hole is nice, too many other things to worry about with a hole that big. I haven't ever encountered a fish that wouldn't fit through an 8 inch hole. However a size 12 boot fits really snug in a 10" hole. I accidently stepped into one that had a skim ice and a dusting of snow from the night before. Dropped me like a rock. If I didn't have a chisel along to chop the ice away from my toe, I don't know what I would have done. My fear with a 10 inch hole is having your boot go all the way through and then having your foot completely stuck under the ice. Not sure how you would get out of that one.

CA

[Purpledescent]

8" is plenty big in my opinion!

[LightningBG]

8 all the way

[TruthWalleyes]

8

[Jarrid Houston]

takes a little bit more motor to efficiently run a 10, further meaning heavier. You can use a 10 on a smaller motor, but hard on the motor. I go with a 8 and a motor that was built for an 8......

8

[KrabbyPatties]

I accidently stepped into one that had a skim ice and a dusting of snow from the night before. Dropped me like a rock.

CA

Same exact thing happened to me on Trout Lake in Coleraine a few years ago. Hurt like he77 and I got soaked in ice water all the way up my thigh, so I had to pull the plug and go home.

I'd feel awful if I did that to someone else.

[MMarah]

I have had a used and 10 inch auger for the last 8 years. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I like it during times of thick ice, in my permanent house, and for larger pike and lakers. As far as having fish turn on me in the hole I don't feel that has been that big of an issue for me to want to go with a smaller hole. I had fish turn on me in both sized holes on LOTW a few weeks ago. Maybe it's true when they say size doesn't matter?

[Gekhang]

went from 10 chipper to 8 lazer and size wise, it doesnt bother me as much as i thought it would.

[FISHINGURU]

10" all the way but I also watch where I'm walking.

[Brad B]

takes a little bit more motor to efficiently run a 10, further meaning heavier. You can use a 10 on a smaller motor, but hard on the motor. I go with a 8 and a motor that was built for an 8......

8

if running a 10 inch is harder on a smaller motor then why does Strike master offer the 2HP Magnum with a 10 inch drill unit. I have a 20 year old 2HP tecumseh powered MagIII Plus strikemaster and it runs a 10 inch just fine and has not been hard on the motor.

[joneshat11]

Plain and simple, all 10" auger should be outlawed. If you need a bigger hole then you should have no problem drilling two hole next to each other and then have the time to mark the hole for everyone's safety.

[Gordie]

I have both a10" laser , 10" chipper and a 8 inch chipper They are on a mag 3 SM I like the laser 10 but really wish I had a laser 8?

I think the 10 inch augers get dull faster and put more drag on the motor and I guess if I only were to use for a ice house I would want the 10 chipper easier to reopen holes but for a all around auger I like the 8 inch it's lighter in the long run.

[Brad B]

Plain and simple, all 10" auger should be outlawed. If you need a bigger hole then you should have no problem drilling two hole next to each other and then have the time to mark the hole for everyone's safety.

what ever happened to being responsible for your own safety. if a person chooses to go on a frozen lake then they need to know there will be holes(and possible ice blocks) around and to watch out for them. 10 inch augers will never get out lawed. even in the event they would the ones that are out there now would be grandfathered into where you could use them but you could not buy a new 10" drill unit.

[Dave S]

Plain and simple, all 10" auger should be outlawed. If you need a bigger hole then you should have no problem drilling two hole next to each other and then have the time to mark the hole for everyone's safety.

your comment doesn't hold water: pun intended! If I'm cutting 2 8" holes, I've now got more continuous open surface area which would be more dangerous and easier for someone's foot/leg to go through, marked or not. If people would be required to mark their holes, how would this be any different than marking a 10" hole? Spearing holes?

Please explain?

[Eric Wettschreck]

They both have the upsides and downsides. You should take a peek at the type of fishing you mostly do prior to dropping big coin on an auger.

I can see where a 10 incher would be nice in a perm shack. Especially if the perm shack stays in the same spot for longer than a weekend. It would take longer to freeze the bigger holes shut. Also, as stated, sight fishing through a bigger hole is easier. No worries aboot someone stepping in the big hole while a house is sitting on top of it. When you take the house off it's a different story, tho.

The bigger augers can get pretty heavy lugging them around all day hole hopping. I've never had a 10 incher but I'm guessing (just a guess) they'd take a bit longer to punch out a billion holes over the 8 or 6 incher.

My SM Mag 2000 8 inch works for me real well. If and when it ever gives up the ghost I'd buy another.

[hookncook]

8 inch.. there isn't anything around these parts that require anything larger than that.

If I can pull a 42 inch northern pike through a 6 inch hole, you can get anything through a 8 inch.

[mallardnwalleye]

8 inch all the way-28" +walleyes through it as well as a 46 1/2" Muskie so size is not a problem with an 8 in..Small footed people twisting an ankle and kids feet going into a 10 inch hole are big drawbacks to the 10. The wear and tear on an auger and the extra time it takes to cut as the 10 inch has to cut 36% more ice make the 8 a no brainer.