What size auger??

[coldmark]

My 9 inch is a Jiffy. It's the yellow model and about 4 years old. So far, not problems, runs great. I haven't even changed the plug yet. I make sure I use fresh gas every year and use Stabil.

[The Grebe]

Myself, I think you should buy a unit with as big a motor and as big an auger as you can afford and/or carry! Myself, I have a 24 inch auger with an adapted, modified Harley Engine on it!

I can go through 3 plus feet of ice, like on Red Lake, extention attached, in about 1 1/2 seconds! Sometimes it's so fast it makes my nose bleed!

Sometimes, like when I let my guard down, it slams me against a fishhouse, or the truck, then I usually bleed in several places!

Only three times have I had it bind up on me, all three times I was going full bore. The first time was easy, I landed on shore in some cattails, about 30 yards from where I was going to fish.

The second time I landed in a tree and it was pretty easy to climb down from....I fell the last 30 feet, but there was alot of snow to cushion the fall.

The third time is kind of hazy? I remember cutting the hole, but I don't remember how I ended up unconscious up on the asphalt? The officer in the Highway patrol car that ran over my foot, said I appeared out of nowhere?

I really couldn't say? I limped back the 200 yards to my auger, finished the cutting and fished the rest of the day.

Sure the big dawg has it's draw backs, but man can it cut holes! Buy the biggest baddest auger you can find, or have Hank the fixit guy build you one like I did.

You can really shine when you go out ice fishing...you can be the firstest with the mostest and all the ice fishing gals will think you the bomb, when they hear dem pipes!!

[Eric Wettschreck]

Dude, that Harley engine is leaking oil all over the ice ya know.

That's icky.

[18 inch Crappie]

I have the new 9" lazer and love it. not a 8 or a 10 just right.

[Holaey]

lookn4fish,

Ya know, I have that same problem with my 10" holes...

little trouble getting the walleyes turned up the hole

but once they are coming up the hole and the hook comes out..

they have no choice but to swim up... they can't turn around

nail a fatty

[JohnMickish]

I am one that has put a leg down a 10" hole. Up on LOW last year, the hole was snow covered and nobody saw them. I say them because after I fell in up to my thigh we found more holes all around us. It looked more like a mine field than a place to fish.

I have both a 10" and a 8", I use the 8" 100 percent of the time now. It's lighter and faster and on the same line at Deitz, if it won't fit in my 8" hole I don't really need to take it out of the lake. I have personally seen a 42" Musky come thru a 8" hole. Big enough for me.

[trapperdirk]

Well, well, well . Every year the size of the auger hole comes up and even though I'm not seeing the standard paranoi in this thread about ten inch holes but I'm still hearing some things . We use more 9 and 10 inch augered holes in my area as a standard than anything less unless your handbombing holes and even them we twist an 8 .

Have I stepped in a 10 inch hole and got a soaker ? Yes I have . I have never lost a kid though or a dog etc. down a ten inch hole . They are definitately more of a pleasure to fish out of because as they freeze you can reopen them to a decent size which may end up as an 8 inch by end of day in our cold temps . They also are way, way better to use in conjunction with electronics because they are roomier .

I personally prefer a ten inch or even a nine over anything else and do own a Jiffy ten inch and it will continue to growl and have it's say this winter for trapping and fishing but I purchased a Nils 8 inch this year for specific reasons and that is for it's lightness and speed which I have heard so much about . It will have a job to do which will be to search for fish and save my poor ol back as I'm known to drill 15 to 20 holes at a crack and sometimes finish with a hundred holes in a day . That heavyweight 3 HP 10 inch is just getting to be a grunt when drilling that many holes especially floundering through deep snow . I'm sure my Nils is up to the hype and it will be a pleasure to run and gun with but once I've found the big ,pike ,walleyes and lakers the Jiffy will come out at some time . I also will drill double holes and chisel out the centre with the Nils at times if I'm on big game fish and the Jiffy isn't with me which could be quite often because I'm not ever going to haul two augers . LOL .

Oh and yes I have had lakers on that when you see their bellies as they go sideways by the hole and spread across it that would give me a fright to think of them using an 8 inch hole or less . One friend of mine pulled a 35 pounder like that but my own personal bests were only a 23 and a 26 and even those I thought I was lucky to manage in a ten inch hole even though there was room to spare just I found it easier to manouver them .

TD

[picksbigwagon]

I have used a 9" the past 5 or 6 years, but I am considering buying a 6" auger end for my jiffy. My two sons are going to joining me this winter (5 and 3 1/2) and yes they could possibly go down a 6" hole, but I know for a fact that a 9" hole is too big with kids around......Why do people Kick snow in their holes????

[HarryG]

I use the 7" because it is just a little easier to handle in the portable. It has never been a problem when landing a fish. Maybe a northern but I can deal with that when the time comes. I do wish for a larger auger in the hard house as the 7" holes get smaller much quicker. Until they make an adjustable auger, you will always wonder which one is best.

Good Luck!

[Sandmannd]

I found an electric auger for around $40. Has anyone used these before? Are they any good?

[The Grebe]

My friend had one and he used it to open the holes in the permanent and it worked really good.

[luv2fish]

I use a 10" jiffy cause I got it from my uncle for the right price (Free). I agree with most things people say here. The 10 sucks for running and gunning. I get tired quickly carrying that around, and just drilling holes with it. That is why when we go out with my friends, I let them do the searching. BUT when we find fish and start fishing. I have not heard anyone complain about fishing out of those 10" holes.

As far as kids go. I have a 4 1/2 year old that fished with me last year. He actually did trip in a hole last year and got his leg wet. But I do not see anyway he could actually fall all the way through a hole. I told him if he is old enough to fish with dad, he has to watch where he is going..... They have to learn sometime.

[Huskiedevle]

Yep, had my daughter at 4 years old step in a 10 inch hole, and well, her view of icefishing drastically changed after that happened.She was ok because she was a big kid for 4 yrs., but scared. I want to know why folks kick snow back in those holes, as well. I have an 8 inch Strikemaster, and a 10 inch Strikemaster( 2 augers), and for runnning and gunning the 8 inch goes every time. The 10 is a bit too heavy for alot of moving around with a portable, but it does get used for tip up fishing.

[Northlander]

Trapperderk you will love your Nils. I also read all the "Hype" a couple years ago and got a Nils. Man am I glad I did. My back thanks me every time out for getting rid of my 10" Jiffy Legend. It was a good auger but man was it a heavy SOB!

Enjoy the Nils. Oh and be careful putting the blade cover on those blades are SHARP!

[deadminnowcatcher]

I have always been told that size does not matter.

[trapperdirk]

I hear you about the sharpness and to becareful of the Nils blades Northlander . I even have a backup cutter blade just in case happen to hit something or whatever . So far I have just fired up the power head and it is sweet and I can personally vouch for the exemplary customer service that Nilsmaster provides and that makes me confident that this auger is up to its hype .

Back to the subject and size of hole . A four year olds foot will fit in an 8 inch hole too and even a six inch one .I'm more inclined to think that some parenting skills need to be refined than worrying about the size of an augered hole .

I always find that answer odd when in a hole size thread because even though kids occassionally do step in holes its not a common thing here and you could check a thousand holes here and 999 of them will be nine or ten inch and I don't think our kids are any different then yours or smarter. Anytime your on the ice or near water as a parent you have a responsibility to have eyes in the back of your head and always watching .Heck we as fisherman owe each other that to look out for each other and each others kids and trust me I've been known to beller at a strangers kid or dog to watch their step .

TD

[The Grebe]

Don't you believe it! It's the guys with the little augers that say size doesn't matter....here's another one, it's not the size of the auger, but the skill of the augerist...!

PPPfffft I say! Try pulling a 5 pound walleye 6 inch hole! You thought I was going someplace else with this, didn't ya!

[picksbigwagon]

a 6'7", 36 year old with size 14 boots can sink to their hip in a 9" hole, thanks to their fishing parnter kicking in a hole for "fun"

Parenting comments aside, I do watch my kids, keep a very sharp eye on them, and if someone does "beller" at them, no doubt they deserve it and will receive double from me. My fear is losing one of my children and I would rather be safe than sorry.