What made you purchase your auger size?

[dan z]

8" here but I'm a panfish guru.

[minnbowhunter]

I use a 10, 'cause they don't make a 12......yet

[rustysetter]

I bought a 10" for all of the same reason listed here, but the other reason was if and when I wanted to down size I could just buy one. It's much easier to go smaller than bigger

[fish_eat_sleep]

I was at fleet farm once, I looked at the price, felt the weight of the box and I said I think I'm gonna go with my instinct on this one! Ended up with an 8" magnum because my instinct told me to save my cash and save my back. Then one day I was looking over my ice fishing pictures and I realized I could fit 5 of each fish I caught through the hole at the same time so I took my left over money and bought a sweet little bait casting thing for the bass.

[FISHINGURU]

I'll never fish with anything smaller then a 10" if I have a choice, Nils lost themselves a customer because they don't make one.

When I'm out hole hopping and it's cold out the holes shrink, now add your transducer. No thanks, I've watched my 8" Nils holes turn into 4-6" holes in no time. I've lost big fish in the hole trying to turn their heads certain ways because the hole has shrunk.

[IamZombie]

I use an 8", like most people said about 10" holes, your boot won't go down an 8".

I can understand a 10" for a perm though. Anyone ever drill an extra hole just for their flasher, like right next to the hole they are fishing?

Or even drill a hole between two holes so you can see what's going on in both?

[20lbSloughShark]

I got an 8" because that is what my auger had. 8" or 10" was at the bottom of my list of priorities when buying my auger. I simply wanted it to run absolutely perfect. If I was going to buy a new one (brand new, not new used) I would get a 10" simply because there really are no disadvantages of it. My boot does not fit down a 10" hole BTW but I'm huge. If I ever went back to hand augers, I would get a 6" for pike, or 4.5" for panfish. Long story short, IMO both 8" and 10" are overkill, but nice; The actual advantages between the two are almost zero.

[tunrevir]

I go with the 10" because I didn't want to suffer from auger envy

Tunrevir~

[Steve Foss]

I chose the 10 inch initially. I was a young man, and quite muscular. Now I'm an older man, so I have an 8 inch because, while I still have muscles, they ache more easily now.

[ANYFISH2]

I use an 8", like most people said about 10" holes, your boot won't go down an 8".

Simply not true! Be carefull around any hole. I have dropped my foot into 8" holes twice(suprisingly never in my 10"). I also had a buddy in college drop his size 14 into a 8" and tear his ACL.

I love fishing out of my 10" hole, period. My next auger will be a 8" though. I want a light auger now, because I now fish mostly walk-in lakes.

The 10" Auger it self is not heavy, it is the 3 hp powerhead that weights a ton.

[bk_MN_iceman]

I have a 10" bit for my strikemaster. It was on when I got it, but also got a 8" with it and put the 8 on. Have not put the 10" on again since. If I had a permy I'd use 10".

[FISHINGURU]

Anyone ever drill an extra hole just for their flasher, like right next to the hole they are fishing?

Or even drill a hole between two holes so you can see what's going on in both?

All the time, it's ideal to have your flasher in a separate hole. When a guy is hole hopping though he doesn't want to drill a 2nd hole everytime that would be redonkulous.

[frazwood]

I purchased my auger when I was 15 years old and I didn't have a lot of money. I also lived in a different state, then, where I never (not once!) was on ice more than 8 inches thick. So, I bought a cheap, manual-powered, 6-inch auger.

I haven't really thought to replace it, even though I can afford a new one. I catch plenty of fish and I have only once had trouble landing a fish through the hole (but I got him anyway!). Furthermore, any fish big enough to not fit through my hole... I plan on releasing anyway (I only keep smaller fish).

It's kind of a bummer when the ice gets very thick to drill by hand. It definitely keeps me from hole-hopping... but it is what it is.

[jbach]

I prefer the 10, much easier for my phone and keys to find the hole....

[grey ghost]

I couldn't decide between an 8" and a 10"...so I went with a 9". Really like it but could would have no problem with an 8".

[OnAFly]

It was a strikemaster lazermag for 275 at the ice fishing show. I didn't care what size it was at that point. That said I have never needed anything bigher than an 8".

[Rymann]

I went with a 8". I guess I don't really have any reasons not to own a 10" other then the fact of weight and hole hopping. I will be buying a 10" when my perm is done though.