I hate 10" augers!

[ice dog Jack]

 Yea, You guessed it. Went thru an old hole Sat. up to my thigh. Lucky I didn't break a leg. Soiled my undies though!

[DyingBreed]

 This is why I use an 8in. Grabbed a little duffer once just as he fell into a 10in. hole. It'll scare the begeesus out of ya . Lucky little dude he was.

[tipuppppppppp]

i just scratch my head when i see someone using one.  i mean honestly you are probably never going to hook something that you can't fit through a 8 in hole.  maybe a big cat only because of the size of their head.  i used to use only a 6in hand auger and we pulled lots of 15-18lb pike out just need a gaff and a little patience, u know play the fish out. and besides when it gets warm out the damn holes end up huge and could suck ya in.  like ya said a kid is a goner if they go in one

[tench]

Bring a spud and chip out the bottom of the hole if you really feel the need.

[Lavman]

Years ago I bought an 8" hand drill thinking I was going to need a big hole for the monsters I was going to catch - boy was I wrong! Spinning the 8" auger by hand was miserable. I ended up trading that auger with a buddy for some hand tools.

Dad handed down to me the 5" Mora he has had forever and we have pulled many many fish through 5" holes without any trouble.

[VT_troutbound]

I use a 10" auger and I like it...gives me lots of room to work without having my line touch the abrasive ice on the sides...however I am 6'-4" and have a size 13 boot so I've never had any issues like that.  And these new augers eat through the ice, i've got a Jiffy Legend XT, amazing how well it goes through.  I also like the bigger hole for smelt b/c i can see my line while i'm jiggin move slightly more to the left or right and know the little ***** is on there.

[stubborn1]

To each his own, but I've fallen in 10" holes that melted out.  It sucks!  Started the day with a boot full of water and a wet pantleg.  It's a free country, but a hole that big is a safety concern.  I can't see needing a hole that big for anything but spearing!  I've thought about using a melted out 10" hole for netting smelt that wouldn't bite.   

[VTPikeman]

A 10" hole works great for big gators...

[hoghammer]

Up here where I fish my 10 inch hole is about 6 inches after fishing all day in -20 to -35. If I used a 8 inch it would be 4 inches by the end of the day. You have to be aware of your surroundings when walking on the lake. Today its -43 with the wind chill

[stubborn1]

The hole I stepped in was covered over in 2" of fresh snow.  Unless you're actually fishing for alligators, I don't see the need for a 10" hole.  I see what you mean about them freezing in, but it works the opposite way too.  A 10" melts out to a sinkhole that would swallow up an 8 year old.  Just sayin'...

[matty23]

8" is plenty ive stepped in numerous 10-12" holes and if your worried about the whole shrinking in size by the end of the day get out there and drill another hole just a few feet away....... its called not being lazy and checking on your tip-ups... after going out there and checking the bait and getting them stirred up ive had numberous flags after doing so...

[hoghammer]

I dont fish with tip ups I jig all day. And if you move a couple feet off the spot you catch nothing. Our holes up here freeze solid over night. Ice thickness is 4 ft+ The only way your going to step in a hole is if your on the lake after the season is over. I am not going to wreck my auger redrilling my hole. Its your own resposability to watch where you step. where you fish tip ups are the norm. Up here tip ups are for the lazy.

[VTPikeman]

While fishing for big pike,the quieter the better.  When time allowed, I pre-drill my holes friday night.  I`m able to fish all weekend out of these holes. All I do is spud the holes out before daylight and no more noise is made. I generally check my jacks 2 or 3 times through out the day to make sure my bait is still on my hook. Using hole covers, it enables me to rarely have to skim the hole,which means even less noise. This keeping it quiet style has worked for me and several other friends for many years. The big hole means quietness and quietness is 1 of the keys to success...

[Long Point Slammer]

Out West, the bigger, the better.  In early season we spud out holes that are 24"....to slide them big ol lakers into!!

[Grnmtn]

My 10 incher never come out anymore as I did the same thing and stepped thru the hole to my thigh. Need to find a new worm for that critter 6 or 8 incher.

[vtpike]

#1- Watch your step...I assume that there was other traffic not just the hole covered with snow. You now what a hole looks like after it has been fished all day.

#2- Is it not possible to stick your foot in a 8" hole if it is covered in 2" of new snow?

#3- If it's warm and taking on water doesn't even a 8" hole get dangerous?

It is easier to play a large northern, bass or trout and turn him into a 10" hole vs. a 8" hole..it's simple.

[Lavman]

where you fish tip ups are the norm. Up here tip ups are for the lazy.

I gotta tell you, I jigged exclusively for about 25 years and only started using tip ups for Pike in the last couple of years. Jigging was WAYYYY less work than drilling for and setting out 15 or 20 tip ups, baiting and maintaining them all day then picking everything up at the end of the day including my shanty and jigging gear, not to mention some days I pick up and move the entire spread a second time trying to find the fish.

If you are sitting over the same hole all day watching it freeze in then you, sir, are simply sitting on your ass and being the lazy one, I'm just sayin'  

[hoghammer]

Not sitting on my arse. I fish outside no shanty -30 We have to clean the holes every couple minutes. With my 10 inch hole I dont have to spend half my day chipping ice out to keep the hole big. And making noise scaring the fish. I guess we can agree to disagree

[stubborn1]

Never put my foot through an 8" hole.  Not even a melted out hole.  I'm insulted that you folks think that I wasn't looking where I was going.  It's happened to lots of people.  All the holes were covered in fresh snow and we were the first people there that morning. 

Also, I think you guys truly overestimate the fish you're catching.  I drill my 8" holes by hand.  I'm not lazy, clueless, oblivious or the only one who has stepped in an oversized hole.  You can use 'em.  I can hate 'em.  Fair enough.  Just don't tell me I wasn't looking where I was going. 

[Shepabs]

I met a pretty sporty gal up in Milton Vermont who said anything bigger than 8" was a waste.  She just didn't see the need of anything larger.  After I heard that I downsized my next auger to an 8" Nils Master.   

[vtpike]

Never put my foot through an 8" hole.  Not even a melted out hole.  I'm insulted that you folks think that I wasn't looking where I was going.  It's happened to lots of people.  All the holes were covered in fresh snow and we were the first people there that morning. 

Also, I think you guys truly overestimate the fish you're catching.  I drill my 8" holes by hand.  I'm not lazy, clueless, oblivious or the only one who has stepped in an oversized hole.  You can use 'em.  I can hate 'em.  Fair enough.  Just don't tell me I wasn't looking where I was going. 

You live up to your name..thats for sure

[Lavman]

Not sitting on my arse. I fish outside no shanty -30 We have to clean the holes every couple minutes. With my 10 inch hole I dont have to spend half my day chipping ice out to keep the hole big. And making noise scaring the fish. I guess we can agree to disagree

  To each their own. -30 this guy will be either home by the fire or in the shanty nice and warm so more power to you fishing outside 
Good luck and be safe out there. ~Lavman

[mroy44]

big hole for big fish you never know what your gonna hook, Ive got size 14 so I dont have to worry about steppin through one

[esox slayer]

I met a pretty sporty gal up in Milton Vermont who said anything bigger than 8" was a waste.  She just didn't see the need of anything larger.  After I heard that I downsized my next auger to an 8" Nils Master.   

What makes you think she was talking about an auger?

[hoghammer]

[Good luck and be safe out there. ~Lavman]



X2 lavaman tight lines

[rickl1968]

Always use a 10" and never had a problem falling in a hole, been fishing for 25+ years now. I think people need to start looking where they are going.(kinda safer that way) I was out this weekend with -20C and the 10" hole don't last long at that size. 3 feet thick and hole is usually gone by morning.

[fishn freak13]

6 inch is all i need to get my 20 lb lakers through the hole 

[CJiceaddict]

Just started fishing with an 8 inch nils and auger this year. Still have a jiffy 10 inch but haven't mustered up the ambition to lug it out and use it. The nils cuts faster, weighs 1/4 of the weight, and still provides a good hole at 8 inches that I have gotten many pike through this year. I have stepped into hole before but they were in spring and quite large covered by snow or ice. I don't know if they were 10 inch holes that opened or 4 inch hole that opened. In the spring, holes open up, no matter what size. In the cold winter, they freeze back up, no matter what size. I have no problem with the 10 inch for those that live in the very cold or just like it, though after my experience with a good 8 inch hand auger, I probably won't go back to the jiffy anytime soon.

CJ

[fishn freak13]

and yes i will admitt for you canadians it is very difficult to pull a big fish through a 6 inch hole when there is 3 ft of ice but when we only have 5-6 inches i dont really see the point just my 2 cents

[RipSomeLips22]

Ive already drilled so many holes this year ive spent one set of new blades on a four inch auger, and pretty much killed a set of blades on a six inch auger, so screw it i bought a  new 9" jiffy, especially if im fishing for another month and a half