What size hole do you have to have for walleyes and pike? will 6 suffice?

[slipperybob]

Not that tried.  But I thought it was a school of tight crappies that turned out to be a huge sturgeon.  I did manage to pull the beast up next to the hole.  Peeked down to see that the gill plate was about the size of the 8" ice hole.  Basically no way the head of that mother was gonna fit... the only thing I miss was my lucky lure after it snapped my line by wrapping it up on its tail.  18" of ice or so is rather deep for an arm going down the hole.

Another time it was the big crappie boom of Upper Red Lake.  14+ inches of crappies were common and 16+ were in the mix.  Whenever your fish was getting stuck in the holes..you bet it's a 16+ inched... something about those two inches of length that really separates them.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Not that tried.  But I thought it was a school of tight crappies that turned out to be a huge sturgeon.  I did manage to pull the beast up next to the hole.  Peeked down to see that the gill plate was about the size of the 8" ice hole.  Basically no way the head of that mother was gonna fit... the only thing I miss was my lucky lure after it snapped my line by wrapping it up on its tail.  18" of ice or so is rather deep for an arm going down the hole.

Another time it was the big crappie boom of Upper Red Lake.  14+ inches of crappies were common and 16+ were in the mix.  Whenever your fish was getting stuck in the holes..you bet it's a 16+ inched... something about those two inches of length that really separates them.

The upper red crappie boom........oh what a site to see limits of huge crappies. I don't think anyone will witness that BOOM again unless the lake gets miss managed.....I believe the walleye population had collapsed for the crappie boom to happen.

I've got two of the Upper Red lake crappie on my walls.

[Papa Sly]

X2...and I would rather lose a fish that might have been too big for the hole ( though rare) than to burn  up a $200  drill because I thought I needed a bigger hole. Smaller fish are better eaters anyway.   

exactly why I have a 8" Ion and not a drill, was afraid you could burn up a drill. That makes my mind up to stay with the Ion! I kinda knew but wasn't sure why and you answered the question for me. With all the money I spend on fishing I would never let $200 keep me from catching those dream big fish.

[52isntbigenough]

My auger is 7.5", so 7.5". Personally, I like a larger hole, even if you're using a cover the hole has a tendency of closing back up, so a 6" could be 4.5-5" by nightfall

[perchnut]

I had a 7 inch mora that I had on a gator head,,,,,after burning through a lot of batteries over the years, decided to opt for an ion....went with the 6 inch, and wow...what a Dif an inch makes.....(insert rude comments here).....I believe im going to pick up that 8inch extension.....

[matzilla]

I fish a 5" lazer 100% of the time...I've caught some monster crappie and hybrid stripped bass that required a little man handling to get up through the hole but I don't mind. As mentioned above an 8" vs a 6" on thick ice (12+") will help in landing fish.

[Seamonkey84]

The upper red crappie boom........oh what a site to see limits of huge crappies. I don't think anyone will witness that BOOM again unless the lake gets miss managed.....I believe the walleye population had collapsed for the crappie boom to happen.

I've got two of the Upper Red lake crappie on my walls.

This was a couple seasons ago, but IDO did an episode on upper red and talked about a bit of a rebound on the crappie out there.

[chilly-willy]

If using power and setting tip ups drill one hole tI'll your in the right spot Like depth wise..some guys do it old fashioned way like me with the depth finder..  then when you picked the spot drill three 6 inch holes in a triangle shape.. and spud chisel out the centers.. of the triangle ..  them 3 holes gives aprox 12 by 12 hole size ..  for the big pike same with walleyes .. this way any thing will fit if getting crappie I suggest same thing .. knocked a few small crappie off cause the ice got to thick and could not get the angle on them with the 5 inch hole I had at time 18 inches of ice with a hand auger was lucky to get threw 18 inches if you ask me??  But a power auger will be perfect to do 3 holes for tip ups.. I would go with a 6 inch!!

[filetandrelease]

Willy we use the same method here for the double digit eyes

[chilly-willy]

Willy we use the same method here for the double digit eyes

Lot of waleye around here are 13 to 18 inches were a 6 inch hole can be fine for those fish .. when you get into the bigger eyes the three holes do wonders the 6 works with tip ups were in three holes.. now if done with a 8 inch the tip up will fall threw the hole .. also with a 6 inch auger  if you run out of battery?  your not hand cranking a 8 inch hole.. wich is a lot harder to do..

[filetandrelease]

I absolutely agree with the 6” , Oneida lake is where I get my eaters from they Have to be min of 15” , which are great table fare  ,
Those big eyes are Lake Ontario fish in my opinion aren’t very good eaters so a pic and toss ,1 don’t spend much time on them , ,
 My shoulders  are starting to bother so power seems to be a closer friend these days LOL

[chilly-willy]

I absolutely agree with the 6” , Oneida lake is where I get my eaters from they Have to be min of 15” , which are great table fare  ,
Those big eyes are Lake Ontario fish in my opinion aren’t very good eaters so a pic and toss ,1 don’t spend much time on them , ,
 My shoulders  are starting to bother so power seems to be a closer friend these days LOL

Sag bay you can keep them at 13 inch but they don't got any meat on them!!  so why keep em??  I keep 16 to 18 inch fish and let the smaller ones grow.  it keeps the fishery going and I don't mind so much tossing legal fish back.. just cause they make size don't mean I like filleting a small fish lol's..   I do keep a occasional  large fish if it meets master angler size quality but most go back to spawn.
 but who wants to eat those big tough fish the better eaters are 16 to 18 inchers. Good point bring up the hole size but all you really need is a 6 inch. If fish are large go three holes in a triage shape and spud out the middle..
 

[eriksat1]

Northern pike and walleye will come through a smaller hole not to bad. But 2 years ago I caught a 16" crappie that scrapped both sides of the hole on a 8" hole. Imo there is no good reason to go any less than a 8" hole.

[wirenut45]

Northern pike and walleye will come through a smaller hole not to bad. But 2 years ago I caught a 16" crappie that scrapped both sides of the hole on a 8" hole. Imo there is no good reason to go any less than a 8" hole.

I call first dibs on    crappie fishing with ericsat1. wire

[Agronomist_at_IA]

exactly why I have a 8" Ion and not a drill, was afraid you could burn up a drill. That makes my mind up to stay with the Ion! I kinda knew but wasn't sure why and you answered the question for me. With all the money I spend on fishing I would never let $200 keep me from catching those dream big fish.

Thats funny. An ion power head will burn up before a drill with 1200in lbs. try a 10in on the ion head and then on the milwaukee 1200in/lb and you see which one turns it easier

[esox_xtm]

I call first dibs on    crappie fishing with ericsat1. wire

Crappie fishing like that is not uncommon in northern WI if you know where to go. Our problem is once word gets out the resource gets hammered and takes years to recover. That said, many lakes here tend to run in cycles. Other bodies like the Chippewa Flowage can sustain more pressure simply due to their size.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Crappie fishing like that is not uncommon in northern WI if you know where to go. Our problem is once word gets out the resource gets hammered and takes years to recover. That said, many lakes here tend to run in cycles. Other bodies like the Chippewa Flowage can sustain more pressure simply due to their size.

Around here that's what happens with pretty much all the fish......If perch, walleye, or crappie get to eater size they get hammered. Gills are usually pretty good size and numbers though....not to much for a cycle on them.

[wirenut45]

Crappie fishing like that is not uncommon in northern WI if you know where to go. Our problem is once word gets out the resource gets hammered and takes years to recover. That said, many lakes here tend to run in cycles. Other bodies like the Chippewa Flowage can sustain more pressure simply due to their size.

the problem here in west pa. is, we have very few lakes vs. the number of fishermen, plus C&R for pannies hasn,t caught on with many. and our season may be only a few wks. , if we have a season. 14-16 in. crappies would be heaven around here. wire

[SLAYERFISH]

1st time I used my Fuel/ 6" Mora.  13 lb Pike on 6lb mono.

[Seamonkey84]

Northern pike and walleye will come through a smaller hole not to bad. But 2 years ago I caught a 16" crappie that scrapped both sides of the hole on a 8" hole. Imo there is no good reason to go any less than a 8" hole.

Good point about the pan shaped/sized fish like them. Crappie are an invasive here, and I’ve caught several in the 13” range and my biggest was 14.5”, but all caught open water. Would a 15-16” crappie fit up a 7” hole?

[SLAYERFISH]

Good point about the pan shaped/sized fish like them. Crappie are an invasive here, and I’ve caught several in the 13” range and my biggest was 14.5”, but all caught open water. Would a 15-16” crappie fit up a 7” hole?

Easy-

[Papa Sly]

1st time I used my Fuel/ 6" Mora.  13 lb Pike on 6lb mono.

(Image removed from quote.)

nice fish, try a 6 or 7 LB bucket mouth, you would really damage the fih trying to get it through a 6" hole.

[Finnt]

A 6in is what I use all the time I have cought a 31 1/2 inches walleye and a 28 incher last year. And also many northern pike that are from 26 to 37 inches. Just let them run and tire them out and get the head turned and they come right up. Big crappies , you have to go slow and use a treble gaft.

[Iceassin]

Crappie fishing like that is not uncommon in northern WI if you know where to go[/i]. Our problem is once word gets out the resource gets hammered and takes years to recover. That said, many lakes here tend to run in cycles. Other bodies like the Chippewa Flowage can sustain more pressure simply due to their size.

Here in Michigan too...plenty of waters hold them. Personally, don't much care for them during soft water season...little on the mushy side. But through the ice...yummy. Once breaded and fried, not too much different than a gill.

[Mrpike1973]

WOW!! that a big girl maybe I can get by with a 6 inch hole.

[marmooskapaul]

The golden beauty in my avatar came up through a 6" hole...touching on all sides...lol.

[Seamonkey84]

The golden beauty in my avatar came up through a 6" hole...touching on all sides...lol.

Wow, a carp up a 6” hole, that must have been an interesting fight.