biggest fish through a 6 inch hole ?

[FreshwaterPhil]

22 inch largemouth bass. Scale was frozen, likely in the 6 lb range. My biggest to date. Also landed a 26" / 6.5 lbs laker. Very tight fit on both.

[P.Dona]

I couldn't fit a laker through my 6" hole. I estimated 10-15 lbs, another reason I got an 8" auger for NH now. 

[Seamonkey84]

22 inch largemouth bass. Scale was frozen, likely in the 6 lb range. My biggest to date. Also landed a 26" / 6.5 lbs laker. Very tight fit on both.

(Image removed from quote.)

Looks like you broke or dislocated the jaw on that bass pulling it up by force.

[FreshwaterPhil]

Looks like you broke or dislocated the jaw on that bass pulling it up by force.

I didn't have to force it out of the hole, I plunge my arm in and it slid right up.
I did take a few selfies with it as I was alone, so it is possible, but it swam off just fine when I released it.
Hopefully, it survived.

[vanhln]

How about this?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8052427/Fisherman-struggles-pull-massive-fish-hole-ice.html

[Gunflint]

How about this?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8052427/Fisherman-struggles-pull-massive-fish-hole-ice.html

That's Minnesota for you...

[FreshwaterPhil]

How about this?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8052427/Fisherman-struggles-pull-massive-fish-hole-ice.html

That isn't a 6 inch hole. Guy I know landed a 50" musky up here in Quebec about a month ago. He uses 10 inch holes, necessary when fishing for fish that size.
See https://www.facebook.com/andrew.walker.564813/videos/pcb.10157160225476448/10157160225116448/?type=3&theater

Took a shot of 10" vs 6" hole,with a keeper sized pike I caught earlier this winter.

[Iceassin]

34", 13#  pike

[appleye]

45” northern. Blood is from me landing fish swam away!

[filetandrelease]

 34-5/8” cat and released

[river_scum]

45” northern. Blood is from me landing fish swam away!

lol I bet that hole was slimy for 3 yrs.

[marknpanfish]

Nothing  worse than a slimy hole.   

[1moslab]

I was standing right next to a guy that pulled a 50” 47lb musky through a 8” hole

[1MOFISH]

I was standing right next to a guy that pulled a 50” 47lb musky through a 8” hole

MUTO?
GOD BLESS
mo

[1moslab]

sarnese

[Seamonkey84]

I was standing right next to a guy that pulled a 50” 47lb musky through a 8” hole

Yea, but prob wouldn’t fit in a 6” at all, hence the discussion of needing something bigger. I bought an 8” just for lake trout and pike, when I already use a 7” auger for my other trips.

[1moslab]

No it would not fit to a 6 inch hole but I don’t think you need 10 inch hole as stated in the post above for a 50 inch musky

[kevs]

 32" catfish, 6" hole, 12" of ice. Took some persuasion to get it in the hole.

[1moslab]

Ya those damn barbs can be a beeitch

[Lumberjack]

I don't have any experience with 6" holes, but once saw a rainbow the size of my leg come out of an 8" hole. I have never caught or seen a fish caught while ice fishing that couldn't come out of an 8" hole. I have also never understood the need for a 10" auger.

This is why I need a 10" auger. I would love to downsize but I'm always afraid I would loose trophy pike at an 8" hole. For walleye 8" all day though.

[Mr.Seaguar]

32" catfish, 6" hole, 12" of ice. Took some persuasion to get it in the hole.

I pulled a 13# catfish out, probably close to the same size as yours. Like you said, it didn't just slide out, I'm not sure it had any slime left on it afterwards.

[1MOFISH]

another take on subject,a older fisherman saw me struggling to land crappies jiggin,it was first time targeting them,he exclaims your hole is too big i had an 8" auger.he said you need a 4 or 6 inch hole to land dem crappies?i looked at him dumb founded and asked how can i squeeze the crabbies otta such small hole i was getting them up to 15".he said i was losing them because they could turn around in my 8" or so hole,he said a smaller hole they wedge themselves and you just reach down and pull the wedged crappie out.any body have a comment 
GOD BLESS
mo

[FreshwaterPhil]

OK, just beat my pb lake trout while jigging for perch in a 6 inch hole. 30 incher, took me a good 10 minutes to line up it's head to land it through 20 inches of ice.
Selfie no to great, I was alone...

[badger132]

another take on subject,a older fisherman saw me struggling to land crappies jiggin,it was first time targeting them,he exclaims your hole is too big i had an 8" auger.he said you need a 4 or 6 inch hole to land dem crappies?i looked at him dumb founded and asked how can i squeeze the crabbies otta such small hole i was getting them up to 15".he said i was losing them because they could turn around in my 8" or so hole,he said a smaller hole they wedge themselves and you just reach down and pull the wedged crappie out.any body have a comment 
GOD BLESS
mo

I second this technique! I fish a 5 inch hole for perch, and have landed them up to 2.7 pounds with no issue. Almost every day I have one come off at the hole, and they can not turn around and escape, you just reach in and scoop them out on to the ice. I also saw a video where a guy lost his flasher down a 10 inch hole, and I have stepped in 10 inch holes covered by snow and almost broken a leg. Smaller is better!

 

[FreshwaterPhil]

OK, this one came through an 8 inch hole, my first ice musky and biggest fish ever landed on ice.