Hey Pike heads. Will a 6" hole give you problems with pulling up a pike?

[JustOsmo]

I am looking at a hand auger and was looking at Nils. 6" holes ever a problem for you guys when Pike fishing? Someone said 8" hand drilling can be a biatch.

[pikeking]

Depends on how big the Pike is!! I know you won't be pulling a 20lb fish through a 6" hole. Remember about the Nils, if anything happens to the blade it won't cut. The blades are very sharp and fragile... If you are going to spend the money on a Nils you might as well spend a few more bucks and buy a used gas auger.

[JustOsmo]

Depends on how big the Pike is!! I know you won't be pulling a 20lb fish through a 6" hole. Remember about the Nils, if anything happens to the blade it won't cut. The blades are very sharp and fragile... If you are going to spend the money on a Nils you might as well spend a few more bucks and buy a used gas auger.

hm really? I didnt know about the fragile blades.. maybe ill go with a lazor.

[ran7ger]

 i've gotten a couple 40"ers up through 6" holes and more than 3ft of ice...so it can be done but not worth the hassle.  go wit a SHARP 8" and it's not all that much work.  all the extra effort drilling will be more than worth it if you ever get into a true trophy.

[JustOsmo]

So a Strikemaster Lazor with sharp blades at 8" should be easy enough to cut through the ice around here? I will skip out on the nils if its that fragile and picky. I can be rough on my gear sometimes.

I will be saving up for a gas auger but that is for next year.

[JustOsmo]

ya so i just looked and my old auger was a 6" hole and that size is fine for me. i measured out a 8" hole around a 6" hole and a 8 inch is huge. ill wait till i buy a power auger to get an 8" blade.

[FROZEN SHINER]

10 IS THE WAY TO GO .remember hole will freeze,so it will swallow your hole up.

[JustOsmo]

10 IS THE WAY TO GO .remember hole will freeze,so it will swallow your hole up.

lol ill worry about a 10 incher when i get a power auger next season lmao. a 6" will be good for this year and will be nice to have when im making short trips along for trout.

[jtk]

i used a 8 inch hand auger all last year, it gets tiring in thick ice but its not to bad. if the blades are sharp it cuts pretty quick.

[SwedishPimple]

That "someone" should lift some weights.  Drilling a hole is not hard....

[unoman]

I agree with FrozenShiner....6 inch too small, but it can be done if you tire her out.....problem with 6-8 inch is hole getting smaller in cold weather....dont let it stop you from Pikin' just be aware...

[GrizlyGarou]

You can also spud out the bottom side of your hole so it funnels the fish into it. Just be careful not to leave any grooves for your line to catch in. It's a little tricky the first few times, but a little practice is worth it.

[JustOsmo]

Eh, maybe ill go with an 8" one. i mean if im drilling only 5 holes and then 5 more throughout the day i dont see tiring out as a problem really. I want to get a nils but the price for replacement blades is scary lol

[F.R.E.D.]

36" pike through 6" hole, not much of an issue. I'm not much for horsing fish in, so if you take your time and exercise patience it can be done. Using your spud to create a funnel is a good idea as well. The trouble I had was turning the fish up the hole without applying too much pressure. Hear is a pic for size comparison .  .  .

I tied the fish off to my sled so I could get my camera out and snap some pics before releasing.

That all being said if I ever get another hand drill I will be looking for an 8". I feel the 6" is very easy and that the 8 can't be to much more of a pain.

[MASS_pike]

I have used a 7" strike master mora (the classic old school, blue kind) pike fishing for the last 3 years.  I swap out my blades at the beginning of each season. It works fine, pretty good compramise, cheap, and available just about everywhere that sells ice fishing stuff.

[wallydiven]

I have used a 7" strike master mora (the classic old school, blue kind) pike fishing for the last 3 years.  I swap out my blades at the beginning of each season. It works fine, pretty good compramise, cheap, and available just about everywhere that sells ice fishing stuff.

  The nice thing about the 7" mora is that you can swap out to 8" blades when fishing for bigger fish. Thats what I did when I had a mora.   Being careful with the blades you should be able to get atleast a couple seasons out of them.

[masspike]

i like the 10 its good to have on those cold day when your hole keeps shrinking

[V Menzone]

i have a 10in gas   but 90%of the time i use a spud because it starts everytime (my arms) I bring the gas out only when there is over a foot of ice. i love the spud because i can make a hole any size i want .

[lenz]

8" is fine to me. not many fish around here that would require a 10. as to hole freezing up..tend ur tilts.

burp

lenz

[JustOsmo]

thanks guys. im gonna go with an 8". Not sure which kind. Lazor or Nils. Havent decided how much to dedicate to this purchase yet.

[unoman]

youre fine with 8"

[JustOsmo]

i have a mora 6" that my friend owns but leaves at my house so ill have that if i want it. so an 8" is a better option. then i save up for a 10" power auger next season.

[webster]

I have always argued that any pike caught on lake champlain could be landed up a 6 inch hole .    Well I still think it could be with time however my sweet wonderful wife bought me a 10 inch jiffy last year.   What a difference i will never go back as far as tipup fishing is concerened.  You know when you get the spread of tipups out with the hand augar and things are not happening well with the jiffy no problem two pulls on the cord and a bunch new holes.     

[ShawnR]

Most of the fish caught will fit up a 6" hole.  You can surprisingly fit a decent size fish up a 6" hole.  The way a pikes mouth is shaped aids in getting it up the hole.  I went through this debate last year and bought a Normark Finbore III 6" as they are readily available around here and I had read good things.  I have used the 8" of the same brand and it is a lot more work.  I guess it all depends on how much ice you have to go through.  Around here we get 3 plus feet of ice usually.  

[fishsluggos]

justOsmo,

If you can find a Nils from a local shop that's great.

I couldn't find a Nils locally and bought the 8" hand auger for $119 with free shipping. I have an 8" jiffy power but wanted a light one for early and late ice. Easy to carry and it's not adding to my bfa 220# which make early & late ice an adventure on it's own.

My buddy bought the power 8" and it's only about 15 #'s. He's got a Jiffy 10" that we never even used last year.

Lastly just saw this Jiffy in craigslist today for $100. http://worcester.craigslist.org/spo/2012149748.html

[JustOsmo]

Thanks for that info. I am paying by CC though so craigslist is out. I will be ordering it online and waiting for a free shipping or low$ shipping offer from cabelas. Nils 8" seems to be my choice.

Anyone with a nils know if the head if properly cared for and used by only myself (so no armatures fudging it up) will last a full season of 10-20 holes a weekend?

[jeepsw1]

Just take a ride down to west hartford and pick it up at the cabelas, a tank of gas will still be less.  only about 1hour 15 min from webster.  go 10 minutes further and get it from Ct. Outfitters.

only 10-20 holes a weekend, i drilled more than that every day with my crappy 8" mora.  yeah, you should get at least 2-3 season with that many holes from a nills, as long as you take care of it.  I've had my mora for 5 years, 30-50 hooles a day,and it still cuts like its out of the box. 

[fishsluggos]

Cabela's yesterday was offering $5 shipping, that offer is gone today.

Here's a info from a post in the archive on where to get a Nils sharpened ($20) locally in MA. 

Small Engine Repair
180 Hosmer Rd
Ashby, MA 01431

978-386-7707

[northernnyice]

Would never use a 6'' auger for pike. Heard someone say theyve pulled several 40'' pike through 6'' hole, 3 ft ice...i seriously doubt this..

[ran7ger]

Would never use a 6'' auger for pike. Heard someone say theyve pulled several 40'' pike through 6'' hole, 3 ft ice...i seriously doubt this..

 when you catch as many like that as we do up here, it gets easy with experience   this never happened by choice and would never recommend a 6" hole when fishing for jacks, but when you're fishing walleyes and a nice gator comes calling a guys gotta get his jig back, right?  roll up the sleeves and get ahold of a gill plate, once the nose is in the hole they come like a rocket.