IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Equipment => Ice Augers => Topic started by: sonar man on Aug 28, 2009, 03:23 PM
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Looking to buy one. I get laid off all ice season getting sick of hand auguring just looking for some good pros and cons of the gas or electric just don't know about electric because I like to drill a lot of holes.
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Nils Master ;D
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Ford,Chevy,Dodge....thats what it will amount.Most will go with what they own and like....I have a Strikemaster Lazer Mag.It works for me.....good luck on your choise of a new auger and hope what ever you buy you will like it and it will serve ya well...
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ooooh please...... we all know jiffy stx pro is the best..... ;) ;D :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: here we gooooooo..... ::)
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Ford,Chevy,Dodge....thats what it will amount.Most will go with what they own and like....I have a Strikemaster Lazer Mag.It works for me.....good luck on your choise of a new auger and hope what ever you buy you will like it and it will serve ya well...
So true! Well said.
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I also have a Strikemaster Lazer Mag, my first power auger. Very happy with it. Bought it off of eBay last winter for a song, put a few $$ in it for a gas cap, new blades, and a new plug. Runs like a top and gets through 24" of ice plenty fast enough for me. It's an 8" auger and is WAY better than my 6" Lazer hand auger when faced with 2' of ice.
Jeff
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Yeah Jeff,when you get to be my age 6" of ice is too much with a hand auger....LOL...
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I waiting for my new SOLO to get to my dealer 8) 8) 8) 8)
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I've got an 8" Jiffy, I have gone through 38" of ice without makin' her work hard. This will be my 3rd season with this auger, I'm happy so far. Like Skull said, they're are a lot of good augers out there some better than others and some cost a lot more $ than others. I guess I went with the Jiffy after talking to a few guys on here and at the coffee shop where I live. Plus it was what I could afford at the time (who am I kidding, it's what the wife said I could spend at the time) :nono:
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HI Gang!
If you can get the older jiffy or last years strikemaster in any model with a 2 hp tecmseh you will be doing great.
Strikemaster switched to a german made engine and the Jiffy switched to some chinese crap engine in the 60si. That Jiffy/chinese engine is not worth the $$$. I would say if you could get either brand with a tecumseh you will be way better off. The strikemaster with the 4 stroke robin engine are really nice but cost a bit more. I like them because they are quieter and extremely light 20 pounds total. I am a Jiffy fan until they went off shore for there engines. So the Jiffy made in America only half applies to them. There is one other option right now for you. Gator has an all electric auger drive that works just great and you can drill tons of holes with a single charge. I fish the NAIFC tournament and have seen them all in action and the Gator is the most impressive. The older jiffys are nice but they are extremely heavy. The stike master blades dull kinda quick I have to sharpen mine 2 times a season or more. I am drilling about 300 holes an outting so normally a guy would only drill 30 or so. I am thinking of going to the gator. The 24 volt looks like it would be quiet and durable. I would pair it up with a strikemaster lazer 6" or 8" auger drill.
Do not by anything from ht, mora, or eskimo they will let you down and all that stuff is just cheap cheap crap made overseas and will not last. This is just my 2 cents worth. Lastly the nils auger. It is nice and cuts just like a strikemaster but it is impossible to get parts for and is not worth the $$ you end up paying for it. You would be better off just buying a strike master there service department is outstanding and ships stuff fast! Nils has no service dept and like I said its impossible to get parts for.
Buy last years model Gander has many deals on them still and aske them because most of them have last years models still. I bet you could get a deal right now on one.
Just telling you what you will find out and if I am lying I am dying!
Da-Roc
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I like strikemaster . The new ones are out and sound like there the cats meow . Thank god the auger bits are being made in Sweden again.
Ive test drove the gator and it cuts real nice ,good for the "Green" minded person too but I dont like the fact that you have to haul it into the house, defrost/warm the batts and wait for it to charge.Fine for the weekend fisherman ;D Id like to see it cut a hundred holes then sit in the back of my pickup truck for a couple days (in the bitter cold) and then use it to drill another hundred holes . It might be able to do it ? but I wouldnt bet on it.
Gas and go for the win!!!!!!!
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HI Gang!
If you can get the older jiffy or last years strikemaster in any model with a 2 hp tecmseh you will be doing great.
Strikemaster switched to a german made engine and the Jiffy switched to some chinese crap engine in the 60si. That Jiffy/chinese engine is not worth the $$$. I would say if you could get either brand with a tecumseh you will be way better off. The strikemaster with the 4 stroke robin engine are really nice but cost a bit more. I like them because they are quieter and extremely light 20 pounds total. I am a Jiffy fan until they went off shore for there engines. So the Jiffy made in America only half applies to them. There is one other option right now for you. Gator has an all electric auger drive that works just great and you can drill tons of holes with a single charge. I fish the NAIFC tournament and have seen them all in action and the Gator is the most impressive. The older jiffys are nice but they are extremely heavy. The stike master blades dull kinda quick I have to sharpen mine 2 times a season or more. I am drilling about 300 holes an outting so normally a guy would only drill 30 or so. I am thinking of going to the gator. The 24 volt looks like it would be quiet and durable. I would pair it up with a strikemaster lazer 6" or 8" auger drill.
Do not by anything from ht, mora, or eskimo they will let you down and all that stuff is just cheap cheap crap made overseas and will not last. This is just my 2 cents worth. Lastly the nils auger. It is nice and cuts just like a strikemaster but it is impossible to get parts for and is not worth the $$ you end up paying for it. You would be better off just buying a strike master there service department is outstanding and ships stuff fast! Nils has no service dept and like I said its impossible to get parts for.
Buy last years model Gander has many deals on them still and aske them because most of them have last years models still. I bet you could get a deal right now on one.
Just telling you what you will find out and if I am lying I am dying!
Da-Roc
If you ever have a problem with a Nils,call JP at (802) 899-1209. He will take care of you. I have had mine for 5 years with no problems. They are easily worth the money and i wouldn't hesitate to but another. Saying it is not worth the money is not true.
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strikemaster- lasermag!
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I think gas would be best for me thinking of the Strikemaster. how does the 10 in model do or is that to big for alot of holes???
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i think the 10 incher is perfect. i use the 8 inch and am gonna move it up a size bigger.the 8 in. is fine except i had a couple times a fish didn:t want to come through the hole.these augers are pretty good, they go right through the ice, start every time,and are pretty quick to.
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i think the 10 incher is perfect. i use the 8 inch and am gonna move it up a size bigger.the 8 in. is fine except i had a couple times a fish didn:t want to come through the hole.these augers are pretty good, they go right through the ice, start every time,and are pretty quick to.
Its like you go big or go home. right now i use a six inch hand auger and when it gets over 12 to 18in it gets to be a pain to drill allot of holes. I would have perchested one last year but a good one man shanty and vex was good enough for one year.
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strikemaster mag express 8" love it not sharpened in 5 yrs ,have done nothing to it but put gas in and go ;D ;D ;D ;D ::)
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You guys keep forgetting to get on the fish first have holes drilled first get the only american made electric ICEGATOR!
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Recently I sold my snowmobiles and decided to finally get a powered auger. That is when I found out about the Tecumseh issue. I decided that I wanted one with a Tecumseh motor so i started looking for a left over one. I'm from Mass. so I called a few places in Minnesota that I do business with and was told that when people found out about the new engines, the leftovers were flying off the shelves and there only a couple higher end models left. No one within 100 miles of my home had any at all. I decided that I would go with the Strikemaster with the solo engine if I had to but my local guy said they were going to be more $$ than before. I was lucky to find a Strikemaster mag 2000 with a 10" auger with very little use for obscenely cheap $$ and now I'm very happy and can't wait for the ice. Our ice equipment does not get the use out here but if you can find one owned by a guy who decided he didn't like ice fishing ??? it can be a big score.
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It seems many are afraid to let go of those Tecumseh engines. In years past everyone stated how they loved one brand of auger but hated the next. They all used the same engine!! I bought an eskimo auger in 2000 that had the emak engine. the engine was made in Italy and I was leery of it because it was not a tecumseh. Well, now I am glad it was not a tecumseh. My auger is fast and starts and runs great and has never had one issue. Now that tecumseh is gone I will bet that one of the companies will actually have a better auger. Whether it will be eskimo with there own engine or strike master with the Solo engine or jiffy with whatever they are using. Time will tell!!!! I personally think the solo engine will be a great one. And Strikemaster will be at the front of the line. I may be wrong. I have been wrong before. Yes you could go electric but unless you are green enough to drive a prius I don't see that happening. They would gain a considerable following if they cost less than a gas auger or weighed less than a gas auger. Until they do that I don't see them gaining much of a foothold on the auger market.
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HI Gang!
If you can get the older jiffy or last years strikemaster in any model with a 2 hp tecmseh you will be doing great.
Strikemaster switched to a german made engine and the Jiffy switched to some chinese crap engine in the 60si. That Jiffy/chinese engine is not worth the $$$. I would say if you could get either brand with a tecumseh you will be way better off. The strikemaster with the 4 stroke robin engine are really nice but cost a bit more. I like them because they are quieter and extremely light 20 pounds total. I am a Jiffy fan until they went off shore for there engines. So the Jiffy made in America only half applies to them. There is one other option right now for you. Gator has an all electric auger drive that works just great and you can drill tons of holes with a single charge. I fish the NAIFC tournament and have seen them all in action and the Gator is the most impressive. The older jiffys are nice but they are extremely heavy. The stike master blades dull kinda quick I have to sharpen mine 2 times a season or more. I am drilling about 300 holes an outting so normally a guy would only drill 30 or so. I am thinking of going to the gator. The 24 volt looks like it would be quiet and durable. I would pair it up with a strikemaster lazer 6" or 8" auger drill.
Do not by anything from ht, mora, or eskimo they will let you down and all that stuff is just cheap cheap crap made overseas and will not last. This is just my 2 cents worth. Lastly the nils auger. It is nice and cuts just like a strikemaster but it is impossible to get parts for and is not worth the $$ you end up paying for it. You would be better off just buying a strike master there service department is outstanding and ships stuff fast! Nils has no service dept and like I said its impossible to get parts for.
Buy last years model Gander has many deals on them still and aske them because most of them have last years models still. I bet you could get a deal right now on one.
Just telling you what you will find out and if I am lying I am dying!
Da-Roc
You drill 300 (approx.) holes an outing! You have got to be seriously motivated.
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^10000 dollers worth of motivation^
Did you see he fishes the NAIFC ?
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StrikeMaster's New SOLO just took the prize ...... German built engine, easy starts, more speed, burns less fuel ... a great cold starter / see it on their website now. This is the one I would purchase, cost is near the same as their other units ....
whats a good $$ for one of these 8in model
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StrikeMaster's New SOLO just took the prize ...... German built engine, easy starts, more speed, burns less fuel ... a great cold starter / see it on their website now. This is the one I would purchase, cost is near the same as their other units ....
strikemaster all the way!!! :thumbsup: :clap:
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whats a good $$ for one of these 8in model
how about a ten".
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Ahhhh, the annual debate over what's better, jiffy or strikemaster. :laugh:
Everyone has their own brand preferences. Mine is Jiffy 3hp STX Pro 10". All Metal, tears a 10" hole pretty quick. Weighs as much as a tank, but that doesn't bother me. I personally don't see the appeal of the lightweight augers. I don't carry one around unless I've got the ATV out. What turned me off to strikemaster is the extensive use of plastic. Plastic gets brittle in the cold. Friend of mine has a Strikemaster, a few years ago he broke one of the handles off while drilling, and also broke the throttle switch. Immediately thought to myself, "definitely not getting that auger"
I've never seen a Nils Master in action, but I would like to. They sound like good Reliable machines. I would hope they don't use as much plastic crap as Strikemaster.
Good to see Eskimo isn't even in the discussion here.
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Ahhhh, the annual debate over what's better, jiffy or strikemaster. :laugh:
Everyone has their own brand preferences. Mine is Jiffy 3hp STX Pro 10". All Metal, tears a 10" hole pretty quick. Weighs as much as a tank, but that doesn't bother me. I personally don't see the appeal of the lightweight augers. I don't carry one around unless I've got the ATV out. What turned me off to strikemaster is the extensive use of plastic. Plastic gets brittle in the cold. Friend of mine has a Strikemaster, a few years ago he broke one of the handles off while drilling, and also broke the throttle switch. Immediately thought to myself, "definitely not getting that auger"
I've never seen a Nils Master in action, but I would like to. They sound like good Reliable machines. I would hope they don't use as much plastic crap as Strikemaster.
Good to see Eskimo isn't even in the discussion here.
Once you use a Nils, you'll want to keep it for yourself. They are not plastic junk like Strikemaster.
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how much does the augers cost new ? and do you guys like 10in or 8in augers. ??? ???
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i have and love the 8 inch. i have the four inch adaptor for it which i have never used yet, but would be very interested in the 10 inch adaptor for sure.
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Bigger is better, unless you're one of those people who thing 10" holes are dangerous and break people's legs when they don't pay attention and step in. There's some people around here who are that way, "no one should be allowed to use a 10" auger, it hurts people."
I say if you think a 10" hole is dangerous, get off the lake. There are other things to worry about than 10" holes in the ice.
I'd fish with a 12" auger bit if they made one, (wisconsin max hole size) I love that big hole, sight fishing is much easier, easier to pull big gators out, there's no downfall to them, unless you're worried about sunlight down the hole. But if you can affort a 10" auger, you can afford a flip-over shack
to cover it up too.
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I drill a ton of holes. I can guarentee you if you are like me you dont want a 10" because they are slower and they weigh more.
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Ahhhh, the annual debate over what's better, jiffy or strikemaster. :laugh:
Everyone has their own brand preferences. Mine is Jiffy 3hp STX Pro 10". All Metal, tears a 10" hole pretty quick. Weighs as much as a tank, but that doesn't bother me. I personally don't see the appeal of the lightweight augers. I don't carry one around unless I've got the ATV out. What turned me off to strikemaster is the extensive use of plastic. Plastic gets brittle in the cold. Friend of mine has a Strikemaster, a few years ago he broke one of the handles off while drilling, and also broke the throttle switch. Immediately thought to myself, "definitely not getting that auger"
I've never seen a Nils Master in action, but I would like to. They sound like good Reliable machines. I would hope they don't use as much plastic crap as Strikemaster.
Good to see Eskimo isn't even in the discussion here.
Where did you find a Jiffy 3hp STX Pro???????????????? STX Pro came only in 2hp
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My old Jiffy 8" 2hp just keeps goin and goin and goin and goin and goin and goin------------ :icefish:
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I have a 10 inch strikemaster lazer mag, Im pretty happy with it. I broke a blade but that was my fault. I wont fish an 8 inch hole if I dont have to, I guess I got spoiled.
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My old Jiffy 8" 2hp just keeps goin and goin and goin and goin and goin and goin------------ :icefish:
as many jiffy owners know... ;) ;) ;) ;)
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I'm a strikemaster guy and probably always will be. I sure wish I had a good reason to get rid of my lazer for one of the new solo powered lazers. Those things are crazy fast.
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I'm keeping my Strikemaster Magnum III until it blows up. If you can find an older auger that runs good, by all means get that... Cheap and almost all METAL! I don't like the new plastic on the strikemasters. You can put just about any of the new auger bits on it too. I have a Lazer 224 on mine and it cuts like a champ (until you hit sand in the ice :/ )
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StrikeMaster for ever, i prefer 10 inch even when im fishing panfish, it gives you more space to work with and when you tie into a gator, theres nothing to worry about except your line :tipup: :D ;D
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exactly icenomad, it would be nice to battle a good fish and be worry free. too many times i have battled a fish in only to have it pink off because my whole wasn:t big enough.
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Where did you find a Jiffy 3hp STX Pro???????????????? STX Pro came only in 2hp
My mistake, "Jiffy 3hp Stealth STX", not pro.
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I drill a ton of holes. I can guarentee you if you are like me you dont want a 10" because they are slower and they weigh more.
They are like maybe 1 second per hole slower than an 8", which is insignificant IMO, I'm not out there to race augers, I'm out to catch fish. But yeah if you walk around with a 40lb auger, it gets old. That's why I don't walk, I let the arctic cat do that. I drive to each hole and drill. I didn't spend 4K on a quad to look at it while I'm dragging the auger all over the lake, gotta get my money worth. I like to be spread out with tip-ups (my majority of fishing) 100 yds at a minimum apart, the lakes I fish don't have a lot of structure to them, just big basins. Just the nature of the lake topo's in my area.
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good point tibs!!
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They are like maybe 1 second per hole slower than an 8", which is insignificant IMO, I'm not out there to race augers, I'm out to catch fish. But yeah if you walk around with a 40lb auger, it gets old. That's why I don't walk, I let the arctic cat do that. I drive to each hole and drill. I didn't spend 4K on a quad to look at it while I'm dragging the auger all over the lake, gotta get my money worth. I like to be spread out with tip-ups (my majority of fishing) 100 yds at a minimum apart, the lakes I fish don't have a lot of structure to them, just big basins. Just the nature of the lake topo's in my area.
You lucky guys that can drive on the lake. >:(
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You lucky guys that can drive on the lake. >:(
never had that experience, but i gotta tell you that hearing that alone " driving vehicles on the ice"doesn:t sound too cool. i mean i see the pics and could see ice thickness but seeing a vehicle out ontop of ice is a little scary.
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never had that experience, but i gotta tell you that hearing that alone " driving vehicles on the ice"doesn:t sound too cool. i mean i see the pics and could see ice thickness but seeing a vehicle out ontop of ice is a little scary.
Ah, another naysayer with driving on the ice. I was talking about driving an ATV previously, but I've got no problem with taking my F-150 (about 2-1/2 tons of american steel) out on 12", as long as it's a solid 12" You should see Ice Road Truckers, them guys put 50 tons on the ice and you can see it bend, I love it. How do you think us northerners get our giant ice shacks out on the lake? Pull them behind the truck. I got my wife to ride out with me last year to put my permanent shack out, she was flipping out, pretty funny considering there was already 16" of ice and it wasn't really cracking a whole lot.
If there's 6", the quad goes out, no second thoughts about it. We usually get 6" pretty quick around here, once we get freeze over, as long as the wind is down, can be only a week before we get 6", which is why I might only use my little 6" hand auger only once a year. Once the quad comes out, so does the 10" Jiffy. That's why I can drive to my holes and drill them, because I'm either on the ATV, or the truck.
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Ah, another naysayer with driving on the ice. I was talking about driving an ATV previously, but I've got no problem with taking my F-150 (about 2-1/2 tons of american steel) out on 12", as long as it's a solid 12" You should see Ice Road Truckers, them guys put 50 tons on the ice and you can see it bend, I love it. How do you think us northerners get our giant ice shacks out on the lake? Pull them behind the truck. I got my wife to ride out with me last year to put my permanent shack out, she was flipping out, pretty funny considering there was already 16" of ice and it wasn't really cracking a whole lot.
If there's 6", the quad goes out, no second thoughts about it. We usually get 6" pretty quick around here, once we get freeze over, as long as the wind is down, can be only a week before we get 6", which is why I might only use my little 6" hand auger only once a year. Once the quad comes out, so does the 10" Jiffy. That's why I can drive to my holes and drill them, because I'm either on the ATV, or the truck.
now i have been on the atv, snowmobile on the ice but a 2.5 ton vehicle is a little nerve racking. i have to get out that way one day!!
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Nils Master, lighter, faster, and a more efficent engine than a Strikemaster or Jiffy. Four years use on the original cutting head, perch fishing on Lake George, NY. You get what you pay for.
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I have a strikmaster 2000 mag 8in
When I went 8in I asked a lot of people on this site they
mostly said 10 in was un safe for people when you were done with
the hole
I love my strikmaster and the price was right
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how is a 10" hole any more dangerous then a 8" either one if you step into either size your going up to your knee at least. the only one that you might be ok with is a sixer but your still almost garentied to trip. I say go with a 10" if your going to be doing any kind of game fishing. the 10 is even nice when your using a flasher there is a place for the trans. but thats just my two shinners worth..
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how is a 10" hole any more dangerous then a 8" either one if you step into either size your going up to your knee at least. the only one that you might be ok with is a sixer but your still almost garentied to trip. I say go with a 10" if your going to be doing any kind of game fishing. the 10 is even nice when your using a flasher there is a place for the trans. but thats just my two shinners worth..
Oh noooooo!!! The 10" hole debate Monster is back ;D
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Lets go with 12" holes!
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My boot won't fit through an 8" hole. I made the mistake of getting a 9" drill on my stealth and should of got an 8". I use the 6" drill most of the time and you can get big fish through even a 6" hole. Here in PA the biggest hole size should be 8".
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Lets go with 12" holes!
now thats what i could use, too many times i have lost a real nice fish at the hole because it was too small.
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You lucky guys that can drive on the lake. >:(
I can see your point Gambler. YOU Older guys should be able to drive on the Ice. ;D
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I most likely going with a 10in auger. falling in the hole is the least of my wherry's the lakes i fish people cut huge spearing holes and then don't mark them. that can be alot of fun going in one of them. I've been lucky so far.
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Oh noooooo!!! The 10" hole debate Monster is back ;D
You had to see it coming.
Last time this hole discussion took place I remember one member stating that we could all strap 2x4's to our feet. Might be a good idea.
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I can see your point Gambler. YOU Older guys should be able to drive on the Ice. ;D
LMAO.... ;D
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it is pretty simple get your heads outta the clouds look where you put your feet!
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it is pretty simple get your heads outta the clouds look where you put your feet!
I guess you never went fishing when there was fresh powder on the ice. Down here if its not that cold the holes from the night before just barely skin over. A fresh coat of powder over a barely skun hole means you ain't going to see it and you'll step in it.
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I guess you never went fishing when there was fresh powder on the ice. Down here if its not that cold the holes from the night before just barely skin over. A fresh coat of powder over a barely skun hole means you ain't going to see it and you'll step in it.
No difference between this and if it was a 10 acre bad patch of ice that skimmed over with fresh snow on it. You need to watch where you're stepping, and be aware of the conditions of the lake you're on. I've never seen a 10" hole that was snowed over that I didn't know was there. Either it's wet, or you can see the outline of the hole in the snow. Even if there is only 1/2" of ice on that hole, you're not going through it. You have to stomp that hole open, I know, I do it often with my old 10" holes from day to day, rather than drill new ones.
People who go through 10" holes ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.
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No difference between this and if it was a 10 acre bad patch of ice that skimmed over with fresh snow on it.
A spud will go through the bad ice, the chances of the spud hitting the skun hole is slim.
I've seen it down here where you couldn't see the old holes period. Guys clean there holes and the temps get over freezing during the day and flatten everything out. Powder over it and you can't see them. 6"-8" of fresh snow fills in whats underneath. Don't have a choice but to walk down here.
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I guess I'll just agree to disagree with you on this and leave it at that. If all you can do is walk where you are, then why are people even using power augers?
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Most lakes are small and they are state parks so sleds, atvs and vehicles are not allowed on the ice. The ice can still get thick some winters (20") with a cold spell in the higher elevations. The weather can fluctuate quite a bit throughout the season, never know when rain is going to come. I can see why someone would want a 10" auger up north but down here theres no need for anything bigger than an 8" hole. An 8" hole will get pretty much any fish thru around here except maybe a monster carp, but if you lose a carp at the hole who cares. I've seen lots of guys haul out a big power auger to drill holes in 8" of ice only to pull lousey little 9" trout out all day.
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Most lakes are small and they are state parks so sleds, atvs and vehicles are not allowed on the ice. The ice can still get thick some winters (20") with a cold spell in the higher elevations. The weather can fluctuate quite a bit throughout the season, never know when rain is going to come. I can see why someone would want a 10" auger up north but down here theres no need for anything bigger than an 8" hole. An 8" hole will get pretty much any fish thru around here except maybe a monster carp, but if you lose a carp at the hole who cares. I've seen lots of guys haul out a big power auger to drill holes in 8" of ice only to pull lousey little 9" trout out all day.
Which state are you in that you can't drive onto a lake? Even here in wisconsin, unless there is a local ordinance that prohibits driving on the lake (Madison area... there's a couple others I can't remember off hand) there's no rules against it, even in state parks. I've driven onto a lake in one of the most popular state parks in Wisconsin (devils lake) and the DNR didn't look twice at it. A buddy of mine got pinched though for riding an unregistered ATV, but driving the ATV on the state park lake wasn't a problem. Seems fishy to me that it's prohibited unless these lakes are all no-wake no motor lakes.
If you put a vehicle through though, there's laws that state you've got a limited time to get it out at your own expense. And it gets really expensive to do it.
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I'm in PA. Most of the state parks, DCNR, PFBC or local run lakes are under 250 acres (mostly trolling motor only) but some are larger and still don't allow atvs, sleds or cars on the ice. You can run ATVs and sleds (maybe cars) on wallenpaupack in NE PA but thats a big lake (over 5,ooo acres) and you have to watch the ice as it varies a lot.