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

[Mrpike1973]

A few years back I bought a power auger that was 8 inches. You know for that big one well after a 5 day trip to Mille lacs the wife and I got 1 fish it fit well up the hole. I fish for sunfish 98% of the time is it even worth having a bigger auger than a 6? I thought about getting a 7 inch mora for Those just in case times? I had one but found out it's bent they are only 50 bucks new Would like some honest opinions. the biggest pike I have ever ran into were I live was 34 inches came up the hole fine. The K drill You can do double holes but it's a pain if you ask me. Has any one truly lost that fish of a lifetime because you did not have a 8 inch hole?

[Agronomist_at_IA]

A few years back I bought a power auger that was 8 inches. You know for that big one well after a 5 day trip to Mille lacs the wife and I got 1 fish it fit well up the hole. I fish for sunfish 98% of the time is it even worth having a bigger auger than a 6? I thought about getting a 7 inch mora for Those just in case times? I had one but found out it's bent they are only 50 bucks new Would like some honest opinions. the biggest pike I have ever ran into were I live was 34 inches came up the hole fine. The K drill You can do double holes but it's a pain if you ask me. Has any one truly lost that fish of a lifetime because you did not have a 8 inch hole?

I mainly fish my size of hole due to what shack I fish in.  If I’m in my ice castle it is a 10in hole. (Bigger hole used due to freeze down of hole) If I’m in my Eskimo wide one one man I fish out of 6in holes. (Smaller so I can fit three holes for 2poles and camera) If I’ fishing out of my clam voyager it’s 8in holes. (Not to big, not to small my fav...for size.)

If your fishing pennies 98% of the time a 6in is fine. If your fishing waters with walleye & big pike I would fish no less then an 8in hole. I’ve seen a 47in northern come up an 8in and the guy was wishing it was a 10in hole when trying to get the head turned.

If I was in your position. I’d have 2 augers a - 6in and an 8in auger.......

I seen you ordered the Eskimo pistol let me know what you think of it.......It looks like a glorified mora flat blade. It will be interesting if you feel it was worth the money. If you want to part with you 6in K drill, I might have interest in it.

[Iceassin]

A few years back I bought a power auger that was 8 inches. You know for that big one well after a 5 day trip to Mille lacs the wife and I got 1 fish it fit well up the hole. I fish for sunfish 98% of the time is it even worth having a bigger auger than a 6? I thought about getting a 7 inch mora for Those just in case times? I had one but found out it's bent they are only 50 bucks new Would like some honest opinions. the biggest pike I have ever ran into were I live was 34 inches came up the hole fine. The K drill You can do double holes but it's a pain if you ask me. Has any one truly lost that fish of a lifetime because you did not have a 8 inch hole?

Iv'e always used a 6" for walleye and pike and never had any issues...it will suffice.

[quackpot]

I use 6" and 8" I've seen walleye turn their head to go back down the hole. 8" will be fine.

[Seamonkey84]

If your hand cranking then stick with the 6”. If you have a strong enough drill and already have a working 6”, go with a 8” for when your in waters with bigger fish.  As mentioned, you can fit a large fish up a 6” hole, but getting their head turned up the hole is the issue, especially once the ice gets thick. I only have a 7” and haven’t had an issue yet, but would like to switch up to a 8” for lake trout, just not sure about running one with a 725in/lb drill.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

If your hand cranking then stick with the 6”. If you have a strong enough drill and already have a working 6”, go with a 8” for when your in waters with bigger fish.  As mentioned, you can fit a large fish up a 6” hole, but getting their head turned up the hole is the issue, especially once the ice gets thick. I only have a 7” and haven’t had an issue yet, but would like to switch up to a 8” for lake trout, just not sure about running one with a 725in/lb drill.

A 725in drill will turn an 8in flat blade no problem.

[Papa Sly]

The 6" will ONLY suffice till you get a dream fish and lose it because hole was to small...been there, done that. Stick with 8" min.

[Mancaveburnett]

A big fish will fit in a 6" hole. If your fishing a body of water that's going to produce large lakers drill two 6" holes side by side.

[Papa Sly]

Just not true, I had a large bass and a over 40" pike that would not fit thru 6" hole PERIOD. Reason I'm not sure about actual size? Wouldn't fit...LOST BOTH FISH!

[esox_xtm]

I've had a few mid-40" incidental muskies that filled an 8" hole coming up. It was even tougher to get 'em back down due to gravity and their "fatness" not fitting in the hole without some massage. A 6" hole would have been "cut the line and push 'em back down the hole".

One other thing a larger hole brings for fish of any size is once the ice get over 18" or so it is much easier to them started up the hole.

[Papa Sly]

I agree plus you don't want to damage the fish, there is a reason there is 8 and 10 inch augers! Anyone who says a 6" is all you need has never caught large fish period!

[Ice Scratcher]

For walleye, I prefer an 8", but these two fit through a 6"..








Lol, they look a little big for the holes they came from .

<°)))>{

[Light liner]

8"
If its real cold ill run a 10" bottom on my auger, even with insulated covers holes will get smaller.

[HWeber]

I've heard of fish into the 40s coming outta 6" holes.  I wouldn't worry about going bigger seeing you mainly target panfish

[RyanW]

I appreciate the size of an 8” hole for any species. I fish for bluegill/crappie 95% of the time. The other 5% is tipups for pike. I wouldn’t mind at all using a 6” for pannies if I had to but I wouldn't fish anything under 8” for pike. Like previously stated above, large pike can be fatties and a 6” inch hole just won’t cut it (no pun intended).

I caught a 40” pike a few years ago on a tipup through an 8” hole and it filled every single bit of it. Any smaller and it would have been rough bringing it up (not to mention trying to release it, but I probably would have just drilled another hole to make the original bigger for a safe release). Lots of good reasons for an 8” hole.

[Picking perch]

When I fish bigger water like Lake Ontario  I use my big auger. Other then that I use a 6”.  Have pulled plenty of pike and walleye through a 6”hole.

[Papa Sly]

me too, plenty of small ones!

[Seamonkey84]

A 725in drill will turn an 8in flat blade no problem.

Good to know, I might have to look for a mora or similar then. I wouldn’t be making as many holes when lake trout fishing anyway.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Good to know, I might have to look for a mora or similar then. I wouldn’t be making as many holes when lake trout fishing anyway.

A 725 will even turn a lazer, but you can start to tell an 8in lazer starts to make the drill work.

[Ice_Fly_Guy]

Outsized crappies are also hard to get through a 6" hole...once they're 14"+, they are pretty broad from belly to back.

[Gills-only]

I have pulled 10-11# walleye thru a 6” hole. Don’t be in a hurry , tire them out, get head started, and never had a problem. Sure a bigger hole would be nice, but it’s what I got and I guess if I run into a 16# fish , I’d prolly be in trouble, don’t think that’s gonna happen but could.

[missoulafish]

big fish come through big holes easier. Easier on your gear and fish ( if you plan on letting them go)

[RStock521]

8" for everything here.

[Mrpike1973]

Would a 7 inch be a good comprimise to have then. I don't want a 8 because they really work the drill. Have the fuel drill but it gets hot fast just because it can turn it doesn't mean it's good.

[Iceassin]

I have pulled 10-11# walleye thru a 6” hole. Don’t be in a hurry , tire them out, get head started, and never had a problem. Sure a bigger hole would be nice, but it’s what I got and I guess if I run into a 16# fish , I’d prolly be in trouble, don’t think that’s gonna happen but could.

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.   

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Would a 7 inch be a good comprimise to have then. I don't want a 8 because they really work the drill. Have the fuel drill but it gets hot fast just because it can turn it doesn't mean it's good.

I think your over thinking the hole deal. With a 725 Milwaukee fuel, I only ran an 8in nils or Eskimo flat blade. Never ran a 6in on it. I ran a 725in/lb for I believe 3 seasons before the 1200in/lb came out.  Ow the 725in/lb cranks my wheel house up and down.

[Seamonkey84]

Would a 7 inch be a good comprimise to have then. I don't want a 8 because they really work the drill. Have the fuel drill but it gets hot fast just because it can turn it doesn't mean it's good.

I’ve done very well with a 7” for the three seasons I’ve been at this. So far the biggest fish I’ve caught was a 25” lake trout and didn’t have too much trouble getting its head turned. But I’m looking at the 8” now because i know lake trout can get fat!

[Agronomist_at_IA]

It's kinda a disease....hole size......that's why I got a 6-8-10....covered all the needs. One of each, I use to have 4-8in augers and sold them off to get the 6in and the 10in.

[Mrpike1973]

From what I'm gathering I'm going to stick with a 6 inch hole for panfish but I ordered a 7 inch Mora with my Cabelas bucks. It's not as big as an 8 but For the few times I would fish for eyes or pike it would help turn their head better and easier on the drill. Tonight I was river fishing and saw a guy pull a 28 inch eye up I have never seen one that big I thought to myself would I want to lose that because to small of a hole? Most of the lakes I fish are not that big of fish but you never know. Someone put pics of 2 hogs on here that made it up a 6 inch hole but probably not that fun on the fish. For 50 bucks it should do the job. Better than spending 180-200 on something not used much. Agronomist and others have said how good the Mora's are on a clam plate it should not bug my hands to much and after the wife seeing that eye today she asked me why don't we fish eyes? I said we will now try lucky me.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

From what I'm gathering I'm going to stick with a 6 inch hole for panfish but I ordered a 7 inch Mora with my Cabelas bucks. It's not as big as an 8 but For the few times I would fish for eyes or pike it would help turn their head better and easier on the drill. Tonight I was river fishing and saw a guy pull a 28 inch eye up I have never seen one that big I thought to myself would I want to lose that because to small of a hole? Most of the lakes I fish are not that big of fish but you never know. Someone put pics of 2 hogs on here that made it up a 6 inch hole but probably not that fun on the fish. For 50 bucks it should do the job. Better than spending 180-200 on something not used much. Agronomist and others have said how good the Mora's are on a clam plate it should not bug my hands to much and after the wife seeing that eye today she asked me why don't we fish eyes? I said we will now try lucky me.

On that 7in auger 8in blades can fit. In the past 8in & 7in augers were the same besides the blades you put on them. I doubt it has changed.