gas ice auger 8" or 10"

[cooter7]

Hi guys I'm new to this site. It seems great with lots of advice. My question is what is the recommended size of power auger? I think an 8" is sufficient but I don't want to regret that decision. I am also still up in the air on what auger to buy a Jiffy or a Strike master. It seems that whatever some one has they are happy with it right?

[acrawfor]

It depends on what you are fishing for. My 6" hand auger I used last year for everything. It worked fairly well until late in the season I lost a really nice pike that wouldn't fit through the hole at an angle so I had to try to turn it to come straight up. The relaxed tension allowed him to shake off the treble. I used a handheld Strikemaster 8" last year and the hole seemed enormous compared to my 6". So I just recently purchased a 8" Jiffy gas auger. I think that will do for all/most fish I'll be going after. But like you said, going from a 6" hand auger to a 8" gas auger is going to make me very happy even if it isn't a 10".

[dkfry]

If you can't decide get a 9". I have a 6" and 9" drill for mine and use the 6" most, I wish I would have got the 8" drill instead of the 9".

[surflizard]

Welcome to the Shanty cooter7 Glad to have ya ! That is one of greatest debates here on the shanty !    Myself, I run both an 8" and a 10". I like the lighter 8" jiffy on first ice and I like the 10" Eskimo when the ice is thicker and when the wind is icing up the holes. Good luck with which ever you choose ! Anything is better than going after it with a Chisel !  
                                            Surf

[Chris Raymond]

I don't have a 10" but my fishing partner does.  When we're sight fishing, for us it would herring or maybe splake, the additional 2" come in handy but it's not necessary.  Am thinking about getting an ice saw to cut out the spacing between the two holes per guy we currently drill.

[acrawfor]

I did some sight fishing for splake on early ice using my 6" auger. Holes were way too small so I drilled 3 near each other and spudded them together. A big pain in the butt. If you find an 8" hole too small for sight fishing, you can always drill 2 near each other and spud them. At least with a gas auger that will be alot easier.

[JDK]

I run and am very happy with a 10.  Most times, at the end of the day, the 10 inch hole is down to +- 8.

[wiredstone]

If they are close in price I would go with the 10. The holes don't freeze up so fast. I have one but it only comes out after ice is 18"+  

[jasond37]

I prefer an 8" auger.  The 10" hole is just too big, especially in a portable.  You could lose a Marcum or Camera in a 10" hole, doesn't take much.  You wouldn't want to step in one after someone left and it's still open, covered with slush!  It's all about personal preference too, some guys love that large hole.  I suppose you would get less interference with the fish and your transducer, but it's all how the fish comes up the hole anyway.

[Lifeguard]

I live in Northern Canada and have yet to see the fish that won't fit up an 8" hole and that includes lakers and northerns.  My dad got a 10" when he bought his gas auger and ended up buying an 8" auger for it because the 10" was just too big most of the time.  As far as brand, it really is personal preference, but I'd really recommend looking at an Eskimo.  They are a great a great auger at a reasonable price.

[TIBS]

I prefer an 8" auger.  The 10" hole is just too big, especially in a portable.  You could lose a Marcum or Camera in a 10" hole

Camera I can see, but I put my old vexilar propack over my 10" hole once to see if it fits, and it does not.  The base on the Vex's I believe is 11"  Don't know if the Marcum bases are smaller??  My h-bird base is a little bigger than 11" so that shouldn't go down either....  Haven't actually tried to find out though yet.

I use a 10" and love it.  It is much nicer to have the bigger hole if you use your flasher transducer in the same hole as you fish from. (some guys do, some don't)

Just because a fish can fit up an 8" doesn't make it easier to handle the fish when it gets to the surface.  I've found I lose less fish from hitting the bottom of the hole with my 10" than when I was using my dad's 8"  Grabbing pike is easier too I think.  I hate gaff hooks so I usually grab them by the gill plate or behind the skull to pull them clear of the water.  A bigger hole is easier to handle fish this way I believe.

[cooter7]

wow lots of good advice . But is seems that whatever someone has is what they recommend. I guess I will just have to feel the weight difference and see if I want to pull that extra weight on my sled. I never thought about losing my fish finder through the hole. I would hate to loose my Humminbird I am glad to hear that no one has lost a fish because it will not fit through an 8" hole. I guess what I am saying is I am leaning towards an 8" auger but I just have not decided what brand is going to be best for me. I live in southwestern Ontario where do you buy Eskimo auger? I know Bass Pro has Jiffy and Strike Master.

[Chevy_94]

I know its not nice to start brand pushing, but i bought my first gas auger last year and i love it. I got a Strikemaster Pro Lazer 10". I've always liked having the larger hole just for the fact that I like to sight fish. The new Solo motor runs and starts great! I've borrowed a jiffy (Model 30)from a coworker in the past and didn't care on how it ran, it was very finicky. Therefore I would highly recommend the strikemaster. But that's just my two cents worth. 

[rickl1968]

I have a Strikemaster power auger in 10". I would highly recommend the 10" hole especially if you are using it in a permy. The 10" hole is much easier to use and easier to scoop water out of, for your minnows etc. I am pretty sure the Strikemaster is lighter than the jiffy anyway!

[princecraft]

8 inch

[ice dawg]

Ran into this dilemma years ago so I bought a 9" auger.   Problem solved.  

[slipperybob]

I've got a 9" blade this year.  The 8" works for the most part, but still on occassion on ice 30+ inches, I would have fish hang up on bottom or too much line rubbing in bottom of hole just to lose them.  Plus 20" extension this year for me too.  I hate having to clear ice volcanoe and then try to finish drilling just to dip bottom of auger into slush to get some steam from the engine.

[IcePirate6]

I have an 8 inch right now. I think its great haven't run into any issues with it. On cold days I do chip the hole a bit more than when I fish with people with 10 inch augers only to keep it open. But I'm usually not worried about getting a fish out of an 8 inch hole. I haven't caught many fish with a 25 inch girth 

But I am eyeing a 10 inch right now so who knows I could change my mind by the end of the season

[Whiskeyriver]

I use an 8" hand auger but am looking for a gas auger. Will probably stick with 8"

[slipperybob]

It's not always the girth of the fish.  I've got a crappie that had it's mouth open and caught itself right at the bottome of the ice edge.  Well this crappie was long enough that I couldn't get it's other half of the body up the hole.  What are the chances of that?  You get your self into a delimma of slack the line to see if the fish will swim and stay hooked or stick your skimmer down there to nudge the fish some.  Well I've attempted the skimmer before and it was about a 50/50 success ratio.  I didn't want to lose, this slab of a crappie.  Decided to give some line slack and with one head shake, it was gone....   I don't like repeated scenarios of this nature with the 8 inch hole, although they are few a far.  Just can't get over the memory of the big one that got away.    I was lucky the only other time, the ice was still only about 12 inches and I easily reached down and secured my fish.  Still what are the chances of that???

[Mainedog]

You mentioned weight!  The 10" will be heavier, but have you considered the size of motor?
I would not drive a 10" with anything less than a 3hp motor.

My Jiffy 2hp (Tecumseh) and an 8" is a very good match! 
I have a 9" bit for it, but have never used it.  Never needed it.
Must be where I fish.

MD

[BlueDuck]

I prefer the 8".  Its big enough and not so easy to loose stuff down it. 

[Bennettc]

I am looking at getting a new auger also.  I currently have a 9 inch.  I want to get a new  3HP Strikemaster that comes in 8 or 10.  Do you think that going to a smaller hole would bother me? or is there not much difference between 8 and 9 inch holes.  Also how much faster would the 8 inch cut holes compared to the 10.

[Mainehazmt]

10" when ever possible 8" min  and if stuck with 8" I like to cut 3 side by side cloverleaf style and chip out the middle!   go big or go home!

[Junior58]

I am looking at getting a new auger also.  I currently have a 9 inch.  I want to get a new  3HP Strikemaster that comes in 8 or 10.  Do you think that going to a smaller hole would bother me? or is there not much difference between 8 and 9 inch holes.  Also how much faster would the 8 inch cut holes compared to the 10.

Why would it bother you? Did you ever have any difficulty getting any fish out of the nine inch hole because the hole was too small? An eight inch or less will be plenty sufficient. The smaller diameter (not like you're going to a 5") will drill faster, be lighter, and cheaper. Seems like plenty enough good reason to go eight vs. ten. I just got my new auger last week and went from an 8" down to a 7".

[Tainterslayer]

An 8 inch hole is fine 99% of the time. If you catch LARGE fish then maybe you'll want a 10 inch, but I highly doubt you would have regrets with a 8 inch hole.
I've never once had a problem getting a fish to come up the hole and the ice here gets to 20  inches thick regularly.
10" holes usually need large engines and that means a heavier auger.

If you can't give us one reason why you think you NEED a 10" then don't get one.