Lovers or Haters?

[duck doctor]

Ok guys... I see the need to post this.  Every year we get the 10" hole bashing threads. So I figured it is time just to get a tally on who is a lover or a hater of the 10" hole.



Me, I am a lover, not a hater

[cSpike]

Hater, I fell in one this past weekend and fell flat on my face in the pitch dark. Not fun.

Spike

[knurren]

Is there an indifferent category.  I never fell in a 10" hole... but since I've been fishing out of 8" holes, I don't see the need to have any bigger.  If I fall in someone's 10" hole, then I would probably hate it.  With this snow, those can be like little land mines.

[nhtroutfreak]

Ugh, hate 'em!

[NHFishah]

For myself the smaller the better.

[Riverat]

This is definetly a Love / Hate relationship, I've had my 10" auger for over 10 years and Love it, It's always been there for me even when times were touigh, never turned it's back on me. But I Hate it when I step into one of it's holes and I can swear I heard it sputter something afterwards. My Lil' Eskimo with it's big 10" bit will always be my Valentine

[m19712]

don't hate the player hate the game.10" holesare alittle big where i live

[newfoundpleasure]

Hate- Em
My dad fell through one on Winnisquam Saturday Morning while we were just pulling the equipment out onto the ice.  It was snow covered, and it was still dark out.
Lucky he wasn't hurt, and we had the Big Buddy Heater in the bobhouse for him to dry/warm up.
Hole could have ended the day before it started if we didn't have change of clothes or heat, or worse if someone had torn a knee lig. or broken a leg.
HATE EM!
chisels are for widening the hole if your catch can't fit through an 8" hole.  God forbid a small child falls through one.  And don't say it can't happen.  It can.
Then how much would you love that hole?

[longbeardking]

To all those who have fallen or will fall into a 10" hole, I am sorry. First of all, with all the advancements in head lamps everyone should have one in their gear bag. Don't venture out onto the ice in darkness with some type of illumination.  Secondly, I come from a generation that is considerate of others.  When I cut a hole I always try to leave as much of the castleation as I can around it. This will make the hole in the ice more obvious to others. A second thing that can be done is to stick a hemlock or pine branch into the hole to mark the hole for others. Out of pure stupidity I have stepped into one of my own holes, so I do know it happens, but luckily I have not had an incident with a hole drilled by someone else. I have a 10" auger and I wouldn't part with it.

[Salmon Seeker]

                I have no opinion I am fine with my 8" holes.But if you feel the need to lug around a way heavier auger then more power to you.Lets just try and have some consideration for others and try and mark your empty holes.It sure would suck blowing out a knee doing something for fun.

[newfoundpleasure]

First of all, with all the advancements in head lamps everyone should have one in their gear bag. Don't venture out onto the ice in darkness with some type of illumination. 

This does nothing for holes that are freshly covered with the previous nights dusting of snow from storm or lake wind.
Small Evergreen branch is always welcome.

My dad wasn't the only one who fell through close to shore on Winnisquam.  Someone had definately drilled many 10" holes really close to shore at Pine Point on Friday fishing for Rainbows.  They picked up and left the holes unmarked for all those lucky Derby people that fell through Saturday morning.  I don't know any NH Rainbow that won't fit through a 6" hole let alone an 8".
To whomever it was,

THANKS

[bassranger]

I use a 10" auger and love it bigger is better, With that being said last sunday I pulled a fish up took a step back to get the hook out and stepped in a snow covered hole went right down to my thigh in water scared the crap out of me and I got a wet foot and leg.  I can see why people don't like them as if a child was to step in one who knows what could happen.  I think from know on I am going to some how mark my 10" holes. I like the pine bow Idea.

[1TIGGER]

I like mine and wont part with it .
I can have a little compassion for those who have fallen through an abandon hole but unfortunately that is one of the few dangers of the sport , just like going deer hunting . Bottom Line is Safety is not just the responsibility of the angler or hunter but also those in persuit of their selected fish or game .

[fishingonly2002]

a list if things that can fit through a 10 inch hole

-children
-legs
-vexilars
-front wheels on my ice bike (studded tires is a sweet way of getting around quick on bare ice)

I for one have never had a fish I couldnt pull through an 8 inch hole, but there are some times I will double drill my holes when I am fishing big lakers. I really hate doing frontflips over my handebars when i am stopped dead in my traps by a 10 inch hole. I would go on a killing spree if I lost my vexilar, and Im sure ice fishing would be frikin banned if we lost a small child through a hole.

I am not against 10 inch holes, but I do think they are a little more dangerous.

I will tell you what I frikin hate, is those basterds that saw out 2X4 foot holes in the ice for dipping smelt in the smelt shacks, my dog has found more of those then it ever should have, it barely crusts over and then snow falls on it and its invisible, those should be marked with something, the smelt deathtraps need some type of warning.

~Neal

[crawpie]

Hate them

About six years ago went fishing with my 4 year-old daughter (you know what I am going to say), I was setting up a trap in my perfectly reasonably sized 6" hole when I heard her crash through.  She was walking on the ice and thought it was cool that there was a little circle in the ice (about 1/2" ice skim from the night before with some snow on top).  She went in up to her waist. It scared her a bit, but really freaked me. Needless to say, that day ended and frankly she has never been the same on the ice.  I suppose it was my fault for not watching her 100% of the time.

Really, how many bodies of water hold fish that are greater than 8" in diameter?  I agree with the thread that marking it is the key.  I agree with Neal on the smelt holes. Unmarked ones are borderline criminal.     

[1TIGGER]

If that is true, why is 12" hole illegal?

The topic is 10" holes not 12 " and even if they were legal up to 20" it's still the responsibility of the person that's walking the ice to watch whats going on around them .
Safety starts with you and nobody else . Sure it would be nice to see all the large bore holes marked for people to see but I think we all know that simply wont happen so again , you have to look out for you.

[fishingonly2002]

yeah use common sense good judgement and a keen eye, but I'd bet my house that if I took you to a spot with snow covored crusted over holes, you wouldnt be able to find it untill you were a wet pissed off ice fisherman.

the worst are the selfish inconsiderate people that like to fill the holes in with slush when they are done, double whammy. the slush slows down the freezing of the hole and makes it nearly invisible.

the one time I cut out a large square of ice for smelting, I brought a packet of red coolaid, and sprinkled a big red circle around it, and layed out a circle of branches around it too. did I have to? no sir, but I would have felt like a total a$$ if I read about a youngster dying on the ice because  "she wasnt using good judgement on the ice"

~Neal

[newfoundpleasure]

For those who have been smelt fishing, some folks use ice saws to cut 3 foot by 1 foot holes in the ice. Talk about dangerous.    

I know I'm alot more thoughtful/careful since becoming a dad.  Some people sometimes just need a good cuff upside the back of the head.
Someone had one of these rectangular holes cut close to our bobhouse.  And left it unmarked.  Again, thanks.  
It's gotten to the point that no matter how thick the ice is, wear the neoprene and make sure that my kids are wearing floatation..  spend thousands of dollars in protective clothing so that the bigger/better crowd can be happy.

[mosred]

This forum has got me thinking twice about bringing my daughter out on the ice.  I personally enjoy my strikemaster 6" hand auger and have always been able to bring the fish through the hole.  I have never stepped or fell into a 10" hole, but if I did, I would be bull""""ed.  Especially if I had twisted a knee or a young child fell through (god forbid).  This gives me another thing to think about as I am out enjoying the fruits that the ice has provided for us.

[nhtroutfreak]

I like mine and wont part with it .
I can have a little compassion for those who have fallen through an abandon hole but unfortunately that is one of the few dangers of the sport , just like going deer hunting . Bottom Line is Safety is not just the responsibility of the angler or hunter but also those in persuit of their selected fish or game .

Very true, but that doesn't mean I can't hate 'em.

[KissMyBassNH]

i love my 10inch , if i didnt have it i know a couple of the bass ive caught would have been tight threw an 8 inch
plus for cusk fishing over a weekend , each day you chisel the ice your hole tends to get smaller each day.
ive never steped into a hole , my buddy has once .
and i can see how it would be easy come derby time with how many holes are out there and how many sleds and stuff cover them up.

[paqman]

I catch real fish so a 10 in is needed. As far as falling in, I have clown feet so its not an issue.

[jibbs]

love em.......i like to be able to see what going on with my reel and i like the big hole when it comes to bass fishing........

[Pail Rider]

Yeah, I like em too.  Only seen one guy step in a 10" hole since I've had the auger (15 years), it was his own hole that he had just pulled a tip-up out of (yeah, he was drunk too).  My buddy has an 8" auger and I've used it plenty of times as well, and have no problem fishing in a 8" hole....but I have a 10" auger, so until I buy a new one, I'm all over the 10" hole.  I never kick slush or snow into my hole when I'm done, I usually shovel the area my tip up is at so it is marked pretty good...a big bare spot.

[captain54]

I started with a 4inch auger,then a 7 in. and now a 8in. I think 8 in. are plenty big,I've pull quite a few 40 plus pike out of a 8 in. hole,and never lost one because the hole was to small. I can only remember needing a bigger hole one time in 47 years, I caught a huge catfish,that lost alto of skin coming out of the hole,but she did all 18 lbs of her. I vote for the 8in.hole,I think there just alot safer.

[jibbs]

i still love em and have stepped in my own hole about 2 or 3 times.......

[bassranger]

I catch real fish so a 10 in is needed. As far as falling in, I have clown feet so its not an issue.

I wear a size 14 boot I fell in a hole on sunday

[baboosicfisherman]

i have a ten inch auger and fall or see people fall through the holes on a regular basis.  I agree that anything i am fishing for can make it through an eight inch hole easily.  I am sure after this season i will make the switch down because constantly looking for 30 holes from the day before is getting really old.

[brett me hot]

hater fell in 1 2 years ago and Brock my leg

[paqman]

I wear a size 14 boot I fell in a hole on sunday

I had a size 14 in 6th grade