Nils 4 1/2" auger

[riverfisherman]

For those of you that use a 4 1/2" auger have you had any trouble getting gills or crappies through that size of hole? I don't use a locator so I don't need room for transducer. Looking at getting a nils but trying to decide what size 4 1/2" or the 6" have used the 4 1/2" cuts so easy thats what I liked. Also like using smaller hole since I fish 3'-5' water alot. Also how does everyone like there nils? Thanks for the info

[rgfixit]

99% of the time I use a 4 1/2" fin bor. I have a 6" I sometimes use with tipups and tip downs. Never lost a fish because of the size of the hole.

Rg

[boder]

Love my Nils 6" handles whitebass and 12" crappie no problem. Cuts so easy. I have never used the 4.5" but would imagine its a lil easier then the 6", but honestly the 6" is great.

[Ravo Himself]

I have an 8" Nils and usually end up cutting everybody's holes because it's so fast and easy. I can't imagine how easy the 4.5 is

[Ravo Himself]

As for size. If you are really concerned about it, just get the 6. If you get a bigger fish you won't have to struggle to get it up the hole. Plus like you said, you can use it for tip ups if you like

[rgfixit]

I used to have a nils head on a 4 1/2" fin bor. It cut crazy easy, but so does the fin bor head.

Rg

[Muskyrush]

A 9" inch gill/pumpkinseed or a 12"+ crappie is not going to come through a 4.5" hole and good luck getting there head in the hole when ice gets thicker. The 6" is no harder to turn than the 4.5" get a 6".

[WARRIOR_ON_ICE]

I think it is getting rather ridiculous that hand auger companies are offering so many size choices these days. There are now at least the following, and maybe more that I am unaware of : 4, 4 1/2, 5,6,7,8

Is it really that important to try and pinpoint the size auger you need to the nearest 1/2 inch ? Just my .02, but I have a 6" for panfish, and an 8 " for tipups set for pike and lake trout.

Just maintain sharp blades and they are all easy enough to drill with, YES even my blue MORA's. As someone already mentioned, eventually you are going to find a school of 15 inch crappies or hook into that rogue pike or laker while panfishing, and good luck getting it through a hole of < 6 ". Then you will resent that 4 1/2 or 5 inch auger the rest of your life.

[Fishking83]

A 9" inch gill/pumpkinseed or a 12"+ crappie is not going to come through a 4.5" hole and good luck getting there head in the hole when ice gets thicker. The 6" is no harder to turn than the 4.5" get a 6".

X2.  Obviously not all the ones you are gonna catch will be good ones but I wouldn't want to have a trophy fish and not be able to get him because my hole was too small.  Go with a 6.  Last year I had 2 pike that pushed almost 40" and both came out of a 6" hole.  No worries with panfish with a 6" hole.

[rgfixit]

A 9" inch gill/pumpkinseed or a 12"+ crappie is not going to come through a 4.5" hole and good luck getting there head in the hole when ice gets thicker. The 6" is no harder to turn than the 4.5" get a 6".

I can argue with that


Been using that 4 1/2" for a long time.
Rg

[bassbull]

I have two friends with the 4.5 inch Nils and they like the fight of trying to get the fish in the hole. But their holes freeze down way to fast on top. If you want that get one. But if you want to catch gills and crappies fast before the school moves on get the 6 INCH!!!!! Good luck... STEVE

[jiignut]

Musky, obviously has no idea or experience with a 4.5". (auger anyway).
Its all I use for everything. But I dont have lakers or pike around. Used to use my Nils 8" just for sight fishing. Now i just auger two 4.5 holes and cut out a nice piece out with my ice saw. You fish shallow, you might want bigger if you want to sight fish.
Also, some large (pounds not inches) brown trout have come through there. I find larger fish calm down faster once in the hole because they know they cant turn around. So they swim straight up and land themselves ! Just kidding about that part.

[rgfixit]

I'll admit to going in to the elbow for a few fish, but not many. I did have a big brown or two on Lake Ontario bays that never made it through the hole, but the savings in energy is well worth it. I drill a lot of holes in a day. You can try to tell me that a 6" is just as easy, but physics and my arms tell me differently.

The area of a 4.5" circle is 15.9"
The area of a 6 " circle is 28.7"

That's 1.8 times the area. You're trying to tell me that the resistance and necessary force to drill those holes is the same?

Rg

[kyle1982]

i have the 6 and i use it for trout and bluegills pretty much everything

[CZMark]

My 6" Nils cuts with far more ease than my old 4" Lazer. You will never regret buying the larger 6" Nils.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

For those of you that use a 4 1/2" auger have you had any trouble getting gills or crappies through that size of hole? I don't use a locator so I don't need room for transducer. Looking at getting a nils but trying to decide what size 4 1/2" or the 6" have used the 4 1/2" cuts so easy thats what I liked. Also like using smaller hole since I fish 3'-5' water alot. Also how does everyone like there nils? Thanks for the info

How do you use your sonar with a 4.5inch hole? do you remove the ducer every fish?

[riverfisherman]

I don't use a locator! Some guys will drill two holes side by side and leave transducer in the one hole.

[riverfisherman]

I did buy a 4 1/2" Nils and all I can say is WOW!  Thing is unbelievable you can drill a hole with very little effort used. I and my nephew were trying it out and must have drilled 20 holes through 12"-14" of ice before we knew it. I figured if a fish is not coming through a 4 1/2" hole probably not coming through 5" either.   

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I don't use a locator! Some guys will drill two holes side by side and leave transducer in the one hole.

So why wouldn't they just use a 6 or 7 then?

[Jackperch72]

I have 4 1/2 and a 6 I use 4 1/2 when I run and gun and drill a lot of holes and use the 6 when I sit in the shanty all day with flasher. 4 drills holes crazy fast

[riverfisherman]

Few reasons not to use 6"-7" hole is ease of drilling alot easier to drill with 4 1/2" hand auger. Also I have seen alot of guys using 6" holes and have to pull ducer out of the hole alot anyway or the fish is wrapped around ducer cable . So if you have two holes with ducer only down one that can eliminate alot of problems. Also if fish comes unbuttoned in the hole they can't turn around in a 4 1/2".  I guess if a guy uses a power auger don't really matter. I personally don't like to fish in a hole any bigger than 5". Just a personal preference thing I guess.