Hand Auger

[fishtank]

I'm in the process of buying a new hand auger this year (not ready to jump to the power) and need some help. I've had the Mora auger in years past, but that just doesn't seem to cut thru the ice well. A friend of mine has the Lazer which cuts great. I'm just wondering which diameter to buy. They make 5, 6, and 8" models which I've seen. I mostly fish for Crappie and Walleye, with the occasional tip up for northern. Are the larger diameters harder to cut thru the ice with? I'm not afraid to build up a sweat cutting holes, but anything that would save time and energy is worth looking into.

[Northlander]

The Lazers come in 4 - 8" cuts. I run a 7" cut on mine because it cuts much faster than the 8" and I can get most fish threw a 7" hole. I usually only run my hand auger the 1st few weeks of the season. Once I get about 8-10" of good ice I go to the power auger. I fish mostly walleye and Crappie like you.

Im going to mess around with the new Strikemaster adapter for Battery Operated Drills to use on my hand auger and see how well it works and how many holes I can drill on 1 battery. If I cant get a dozen holes I wont use it often. Keep sharp blades on a 7" and you can really buzz through. If your going to ever go after bigger pike or lakers or even real big eyes go with the 8" but as I said earlier there is a big difference in the cutting on a 7 to 8.

[fishtank]

Northlander -

Thanks for the imput - Let me know how the adapter works. I am assuming you would need at least an 18 volt drill to cut thru the ice a few times.

[Matt Johnson]

I use a 6 inch hand auger. Cuts very quick and for panfish and wallyes you won't have to worry about a fish being too big for the hole (unless that behemoth walleye decides to join the party ). Most of the modern hand augers will cut through the ice pretty quick. The Nils Master hand auger is a good choice, same with the Eskimo and Lazer. Can't really go wrong.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[MNice]

I have a 6" lazer and sometimes I wish it was 7". I usally end up drilling 2 holes when I find the fish, 1 to fish, 1 for vexilar. It's a pain in the rear getting the fish around the floating ducer in a 6" hole, and I don't care for pulling the ducer out everytime you get a fish.

just my 2 cents

[Dan Thiem]

Good point Nice. I don't know how many times I have either bumped fish off or got tangled up in my transducer because of my haste to get the fish up the hole.

[Bob_D]

I've pulled 36" pike through a 6" hole before, so I'd say go with the 6" Nils Master. If you want to step up to an 8" power auger later, you can use the powerhead on both of them. The Nils cuts like butter and you will ba amazed with how easy the 6" will be to use. My 8" Nils cuts as easy as my 6" Normark Fin-bore.

[stoneeyes317]

My personal opinion would be that if you are not going after pike regularly, you should be considering a 6" or 7" auger. The 6" will cut easier, as Bob D has mentioned, especially if you get a Nils Master. On the other hand, both Northlander and MN Nice make good points about 7" augers. That 1" from 6 to 7 doesn't sound like much, but I use both, and the 7" will allow you to leave an ice-ducer in it while you fight a fish, where as with a 6" hole you set the hook, and immediately have to remove your transducer before you continue the fight to get your fish up the hole. I like my 6" Nils Master, it's faster than the 7" Lazer, but if I feel good about my spot, and I don't think I will be moving, I am inclined to use the 7", because I don't like the hassle of removing the transducer each time.

I don't think you can go wrong with either one. I do think you may want to consider how many holes you will be cutting, especially in midwinter, with the possibility of 18"+ of ice. Just my 2cents...

eyes317

[Bob_D]

Just skip going to the gym and get the 8"....lol.

[fishtank]

Mabey if I stop going to the gym, my wife will let me go fish more - Sounds like a win win situation to me. I agree with going with the 7" because last year I did have a rough time getting my ducer line out of the water every time I hooked into a fish.

How would you campare the Nils Master to the Lazer? Is one better than the other? I know I see the Lazer at Gander Mtn. although I haven't seen any 7" models, only 5, 6, and 8".

I would like to hear anybody's thoughts if they have used one or the other. The thing is, is that I have credit at Gander, and would prefer to shop there.

[Bob_D]

Nils makes a 4.5", 6" and 8"...no 7". I've used both augers(actually the Normark Fin-Bore, Mora, etc. as well) and the Nils is hands down the winner. Better built, faster (offset handle), and the blades last MUCH longer. I only got a year out of my Laser/Fin-Bore blades, and I've had the Nils for several seasons without changing them.

The Nils are more money, but you get what you pay for....pay me now or pay me later. I'm not by any means saying the lasers are junk. They are good augers too, but not in the same league as the Nils.

JMO.

[loebs93]

I have a Lazer 7" and it’s nice in the beginning of the season when there is little ice. As winter goes on drilling with that sized auger is not fun assuming there is more than 8 inches of ice.

At the end of last year I had enough of it, although I was much stronger I would just get ticked off after I spending 20 minutes drilling holes where there are no fish.

That's why I'm buying a new power-auger in January when I get my loan check for the second semester of college. I'll just tell my parents that it’s better to spend $400 on an auger than to spend $400 on booze...maybe that will work.

[fishdog]

I use a 6" its alot faster and is alot easyier than larger augers. I use my spud bar to make my holes larger. I also use the spud for checking the ice thickness for safety, or when opening up old holes. When the Ice gets too thick, a power auger is best. I'm planing on buying a new Jiffy this year (my first power auger). I often fish alone (with dog) and I get too tired lugging everything around then having to drill those holes by hand.

I still havent found a hand auger that I realy like (maybe Im lazy ) I would suggest keeping an extra set of blades with you. They seem to go dull at the worst times. I keep my auger blades oiled with WD-40 at all times, it seems to help keep ice from forming on the cutting edges, as well as a rust preventer.

Fishdog

[Pantherburn]

I am getting a tad concerned here. I picked up an 8" Lazer yesterday and plan on using it for the first few weeks. I have a gas auger for later in the season. In the past I used a 8" Mora and never thought they were all that tough. I am assuming the 8" Lazer is much easier than the Mora...or am hoping I guess. Is the difference between the 7" and the 8" enough to warrant an exchange? Some of the posts made mention to this but I wanted to clarify when I would be using the hand auger (early ice).

[Bob Horn]

You may want to go with a 6 inch for early ice. It will be easier and you will cut more holes because of it. Most fish will fit in a 6 inch hole.

[Matt Johnson]

Pantherburn,

You will be alright with an 8 inch for the first couple weeks of ice. Just think of it this way, you're just getting in-shape for the ice fishing season It's sort of like preseason for us when we drill holes by hand

Once you get 5 or so inches than its time to bring out the gas auger...

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[jimh874]

i have had no problems with cutting through up to 10-12" of ice with a 8" lazer hand auger, 10-12 holes at a time. gas auger stats comeing with at a certain point, but i guess for me i look forward to a work out cutting holes. i also dont mind useing the chisel up to about 6" of ice either.

jim

[huskiesplayer15]

I would like to meet the fish that cant fit up a 6 inch hole.

Best Fishes

Chris

[icehousebob]

Husky, I've heard of two. One was a Walleye on Big Stone about 20 years ago caught by my brother-in-law. Big Stone was turning out some very large and very fat fish back then. And about ten years ago my #2 son stuck a Northern in a 6 in. hole on Shady Oak Lake in Minnetonka. He knows you can get a 17 pound Northern through that size hole. How big the one was that stuck, we have no idea. Until the line broke, all you could see was teeth.

[psegriz]

icehouse

I'd like to see that pike as I've personally seen a 28# 5 oz come up a 6" hole. The guy did use a gaff though once his head was in the hole and it wasn't much extra room either.

[icehousebob]

Griz, My son didn't have a gaff. Shady Oak usually turns out lots of 2 and 3 pounders. He thought he might have been able to pull it through if he could have grabbed it, but he said with its mouth open there was no safe place to put his hand. So he just pulled until the line broke and after a while the fish was able to wiggle loose and swim away. The Northerns in that lake have never been the long, slender ones. They're built more like overfed Salmon.

[road kill]

There is no reason to go bigger then a 6" hole for most situations. If you do get a bigger walleye or northern, most of the time you will loose more in a larger hole then a smaller one. The larger fish can move around easier in the larger hole making it more difficult for you to get a grip on them. We have landed alot of eyes in the 8-10# range and a few northerns in the 15# range in 6" holes.

[Northlander]

I have only lost 1 fish in my life due to a 7" hole being too small. But ya know what that day still haunts me! Power auger is nothing less than a 9' cut. Hand auger 7" is usually enough but I wish I would have had 8" on Lake Superior last March when I lost a 34-35" eye because I couyldnt get her turned into the hole enough to grab her. No gaffing the eyes for me but after that if I get her again and I have a gaff she will be stuck fer sure!

[Redlantern]

Griz, did you get my e-mail? Is the weekend of December 11th and 12th going to work for you?

[psegriz]

Erik

Ya got mail