Why a 8" hole and not a 10" any thoughts?

[Dry_Fly]

Remindes me of last winter on Red Lake when the guys asked why I didn't have a 10" auger. Informed them for some reason someone always ends up to there groin in water with the 10 inch hole. Needless to say by the end of the trip they all agreed. And I also have a real bad habit of dropping something and it always seems to make it to the hole for some unknown reason. Of course my Vex won't fit in a 8" hole. Now my buddies are changing over to a 8" also. Nothing worse than a skim of ice and a little snow over a 10" hole to make a good fishing trip into a bad one.

[eyehunter]

My 7 year old boy won't fit through an 8" hole either, but might fit through a 10". That's the main reason I have an 8" auger.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

An 8" hole is also a lot easier to drill!

If you fish for panfish exclusively a 6" auger makes it even easier to drill a lot of holes!

The only advantage of the bigger hole is that you get a little more room for your flasher transducer in the hole and a large fish is easier to start up a larger hole.

Cliff

[Steve Foss]

I've been drilling 10 inch holes for eight years. Big heavy honking Strikemaster XL3000 with the lazer blades and center tip. Goes through ice like butter.

And kills my back. You heft that thing around when drilling a lot of holes (I hop around for lakers quite a bit) and you're ready to quit and go home. I like the roominess of a 10-inch hole for the 'ducer, and, as Cliff said, it IS easy to get a fish started up the hole, but I'll be looking to sell the XL3000, great as it is, and go to a 2hp 8-incher. Half the weight, and you can still get a 30 lb laker and 20 lb pike up an 8-inch hole. Also, to counter the decrease in room for the 'ducer, you can drill a second, overlapping hole next to your main hole. I have the circular FL8-SLT setup with the soft cover, and you drop the 'ducer down in the second hole so it barely sticks out below the ice and put the Vex right over the hole.

[LEECH21]

I switched from a Jiffy Model 30 10" to a Jiffy Stealth 8" last year. I do a lot of my fishing now in a one person Fish Trap. With the 8" holes I have more room on the ice by my feet for the heater and what not.

[Corey Bechtold]

If you fish tip-ups a lot they come awfully close to sliding in a 10" hole. I prefer the 8" for a lot of the same reasons everyone else does. It's easier to drill holes, lots of holes!

Good luck,

Corey Bechtold

[augernaut]

because we like to laugh at guys who think they need a 10" hole :-) You can fit HUGE fish through an 8"....

[hoggs222]

I like the 10" because I have one! I fish primarily in a permanent house. I like the 10" because when you're going through 2'+ of ice (plus the clearance from the house floor to the ice) it seems easier to get fish started up the hole & also room for the vex.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I make 8" holes cuz an 8" auger is cheaper and I'm tight in the rear.

If I ever catch a fish I can't bring through an 8" hole I'll have a heart attack and won't be able to enjoy it anyway.

[fiskyknut]

My prefered style of tip-up's straddle 10 inch holes no problem. 40+ inch LOTW Pike are much easier to lead up into a 10 vs. 8 inch hole. This I know for sure. Just as them BIG Walleye also are.

Saw mention of 'toddlers' fitting thru a 10 on another thread. Should 'toddlers' even be on the ice?

Parents should be keeping an eye on their young children for sure on the ice at all times I would hope? Epecially if they let a 'toddler' wander 'round.

I laugh when people lose a BIG Pike or 'Eye at the 8 inch hole after repeted attempt's to guide it up and in.

fiskyknut

[3pronghook]

bought a 2hp lazer mag 8" after I had to noodle my 5 year old from a 10" hole. i liked fishing from the bigger hole, but just too dangerous, especially now that my main fishing buddy is my kid.

[captkev]

In the past I allways liked to chisle open a 20" hole and sight fish (early Ice), or use a auger and drill 3-4 holes overlaping one another, I lost alot of fish when they came unhooked and did a reverse on me, so I started makeing the hole smaller, and looseing less fish. Someone made the comment about looseing big fish in a 8" hole, well I've lost alot less in the 8" now that they dont have as much room to move around and shake the hook loose while in the hole. Trying to force a Green fish into any size hole is like trying to use the net to soon in the summer. For better results on getting big fish up any hole, play them out before you bring them 6 foot from the hole, once they are done running then bring them in, I've seen all sorts of people bring big fish to less than a foot or two of the bottom of the ice just so they could see the fish, and thats when you'll loose them, big hole or small.

[fiskyknut]

Well iffin you are advising me, thanks, though I did'nt make the comment..... 'looseing big fish in a 8" hole', nor did anyone else for that matter. I said....'much easier to lead up into a 10 vs. 8 inch hole'. I have baited, hooked, played, and successfuly landed my fair share of BIG fishes on the LOTW thru the ice, thru 8,9, and 10 inch holes, and yes even a 7 inch hole. I simply prefer the 10 for my Piking, we have alot of truly large ones up here, and because it is simply easier to get them steered into and up the hole. We maybe are dealing with a different caliber of fish though, LOTW is managed as a 'trophy pike' lake and we do have our share of very large ones up here for certain. Argueably the best BIG Pike lake in the state, and I get to release a few over 40 every year.

Good advise for those who maybe just can't quite figure out they should play 'em for a little bit longer and not try and lead 'em up when they're so green maybe?

Here's a tip for you to maybe try.....I have fished these BIG Pike on the LOTW ice for many years. Something I like to do, and have done for many years is this.....If you use tip-ups for winter Pike, tie a 5 to 6 foot length of heavy mono in-between your main running line and your wire trace. Not only will this help to let ya know when you have the fish up near the hole, it also provides for a litle more 'stretch' which can be helpfull during the playing and landing of the fish. Works for me very well too.

Fiskyknut

[captkev]

Quote:

---

I laugh when people lose a BIG Pike or 'Eye at the 8 inch hole after repeted attempt's to guide it up and in.

fiskyknut

---

I guess it was misiterpreted, sorry

I fish mainly Trilene XL for panies and XT for the BIG PIKE on LOW and URL. So I agree with the mono.

No harm intended

[Eric Wettschreck]

I never thought of that Fisky, thanks for the tip.

In my neck of the woods we don't get pike that big even in our wildest dreams. Wish we did.

[fiskyknut]

No harm no foul cap'n, one of my rare attempts at humour eh!

URL and LOTW.....That'd be the argument!

I may try and sneak out somewhere pikin' next coupla days. Maybe on the Z-bay or Bostic.

Have a great winter season.

[fiskyknut]

Boilerguy? Hmmmm, seem to remember that I liked some of your thinking on a particular thread.

Remember that fiasco! I think you said you liked mine on that topic as well!

I use that braided nylon suff on the spool, nail knot the mono piece in thru and above a half hitch in the nylon, a swivel, and then the wire rig...... Sraightforeward. Get to the end of that black stuff and you know they're close.

Get ahold of me iffin you ever make it up this way. Great minds think alike!

Regards.....fiskyknut

[Eric Wettschreck]

I was tryin to forget that fiasco!!!!!!!

First weekend in Feb I'll be up your way. Rentin a sleeper from sportsmans with some of my work buddies. Then, the last week in Feb I'll be up there with my 2 sons. Rentin a cabin and day house from the Walleye Retreat.

Am I excited???? You Betcha!!!!!!! Maybe, If I'm lucky, I'll get a chance at one of your monster pike!!!!!

[fiskyknut]

That end of Feb trip is getting to be the Pikin' time of season. Hope your boy's out fish ya!

Did ya notice my edit!

[Eric Wettschreck]

Edit??? There's an edit????

[M.T. Bucket]

I wish there weren't any 10" holes out there--way too hazardous for very little benefit. I've got a 4 year old who would easily fit down a 10 incher.

Last year, this same thread came up and a few guys gave the line that parents just need to watch their kids. That's true. It's also very true that it's nearly impossible to get a kid to stay put in exactly the parent-approved walking route you give them. Even parental supervision wouldn't prevent a fall through a hole that's invisible from a slight freeze. Am I supposed to keep my kid from ice fishing until he absolutely cannot fit anymore? I guess so as long as people insist on bigger than necessary holes. Can't even imagine hooking a fish that couldn't be landed through 8".

Even though parents should be watching their kids, we all know that sometimes small children venture out alone and sometimes parents aren't paying attention. It's not the way it should be, but we should be more concerned with looking out for the safety of those kids over landing a big slimer.

Personally, I like leaving the ice knowing there is virtually no chance that a kid's gonna drown through my hole.

[fiskyknut]

Yep this topic comes up every year since I've been around.

You are the 4 y.o's parent so what you choose to do is you business, I would'nt tell you or anyone when, how or anything of the sort, when it comes to their own childrn's safety. No ice is ever safe, holes or no holes. A parent's own choice as to age and keeping an eye on 'em and such while on the ice, just as is it is they're own with all the other hazards in life.

Boilerguy, edit was here on this thread.....'Great minds'

fiskyknut

[fiskyknut]

WOW, Boilerman! Did you see that one? Just got home, got it x3 at 0014. It was slick eh. What now? You wanna try n do that one for me? LOL!

[fiskyknut]

I am glad there is more to it for you now, maybe you see my intention.

I mean only well, and with my best wishes for you and your's.

Regards.....fiskyknut

Fisky edit.....Happy Holidays and enjoy our winter season M.T

[CrappieJohn]

MT....

That was myself that made note of the child who went in the drink thru a 10 inch hole. It was I who pulled him back thru that hole. And it was I who drilled that hole.

Parents who take the kids fishing are seeking a family type outting. I encourage that. And kids, like people's pets taken on the ice, will wander around and snoop. That too is to be expected. And I encourage a certain amount of this nosing around....it's how kids learn. Yes, there is the responsibilities of parents with kids on the ice to see to it that they tend to their own charges, but things happen and that is simply the way it is.

I'd like to think that this thread asked simply if there was a benefit, from the standpoint of fishing to the 10 over the 8 inch holes. When dealing with really large fish, I say yes. Will the eight inch get the job done? Certainly. From the safety standpoint though, the 10 inchers can be the cause of serious injury or worse if not marked in some way.

After my incident with that child I began to carry a spray bottle with red food coloring in it to mark holes. Then I went out in the market and looked for a new auger. My eight inch has yet to not allow me to land any fish and nobody has so much as gotten a foot wet. For me though, the decision to go smaller was one purely for safety reasons and to heck with the fish. If a fish doesn't come thru that 8" hole, it wouldn't be going home with me anyway. I don't care who it is or who's child it is, but I am not going to be responsible for a chance drowning or some kind of leg break or sprain either. The fishing is supposed to be fun , not a deadly game.

LOW or UR or Rainy all are fairly remote areas where you are less likely to see lots of child activity on the ice aside from fishing and a 10 inch hole , perhaps needed to handle big fish, could be justified. Lots of other fishing areas, though, get tons of people on weekends and children will be included. Those ten inchers might be a bit more welcome if the owners simply took time to mark their holes with something so people were less likely to see accidents.

I sure liked the extra room for handling fish with the ten inch, but the eight still has more than enough to get done what I ask of it.