is a 10" auger necessary

[the_mad_iceman]

I have a 10" Lazer 224 with a new solo powwerhead... LOVE it!!! I like having the extra room just in case.

[Timber]

Outlaw them !!! 

But just remember if they outlaw 10 inch augers only outlaws will have them .

J/K but I think they are way overkill and create an unnesessary hazard .

Don't we go thru this every season . lol

[Buckeye John]

Ditto on the 10 " kid magnet. If there were only two such holes on the lake, my grandsons would be the first to find them. HA! HA!

[Wiener]

You don't need a 10" hole.

Until you do.  

Maybe you finally managed to hook the fish of a life time, or (like happened to me last year)
you manage to hook two whitefish at the same time.

Never say never.   I own an 8" which is fine for 99% of the fishing that I do.

You could get a nice power head and a couple of different sized augers.

6" for panfish, and 10" for the big stuff.


Wiener

[knotreelly]

i buy whats out on the market with what my wallet says i can buy-10", PARENTS, PLEASE TELL YOUR KIDS NOT TO RUN THRU MY FISHING AREA AND WATCH WERE YOUR WALKING WHILE ON THE ICE. TY

[CHICKENFOOT]

No you only need 8" especially if you are Jig fishing, you don't want a 10" I fish with a Nils 4.5 or 6 on a Icegator and love it. landed Bass up to 5lbs

[GrizlyGarou]

i buy whats out on the market with what my wallet says i can buy-10", PARENTS, PLEASE TELL YOUR KIDS NOT TO RUN THRU MY FISHING AREA AND WATCH WERE YOUR WALKING WHILE ON THE ICE. TY

Exactly. I've got a six inch auger, and I've stepped in my old holes from a couple days earlier and gone up to my thigh, as well as having fish get stuck in them when the ice gets thick or it's really cold. There's room for my vex float, but I have to pull it out to land anything.

Buy whatever auger you want, and remind yourself and the people you're with that ice fishing has been known to be dangerous on occasion. 

[Curley]

I was looking for a 10" model, but when I was ordering it the guy at Reeds suggested an 8" model with the 2HP motor I was getting. I haven't had any regrets.

[bee]

I never notice the transducer from my Marcum in a 8" hole, now the float on a Vex was a problem. Hang the ducer along the side and you wont have problems.

Do away with the Float and use the the screw eye. It works much better.

[esox_magnum]

Do away with the Float and use the the screw eye. It works much better.

 I did solve the problem sold the Vex's bought Marcums

[MaxAntonious]

I'm still using a hand auger and I have yet to have an issue with a 7" hole.  I do plan on getting a power auger this year as well and it will be an 8".

[Junior58]

10" is way overkill unless you're targeting lake trout constantly. If you fish for perch, gills, crappie and even walleye 8" is big enough.  Saying it's best purpose is "just in case" doesn't justify the extra cost for the auger, replacement blades, weight, and danger in my opinion. If the mfrs. made a 14" or 18" would that still be the case? You might need it in case you land that 48" Tiger Musky. I just downsized from a 8" to a 7".

[Tunapursuit]

Have a 10", 8" and 6". Use the 6" for jigging most of the time and the 8" if I use tip ups. Have not had the need for the 10" but I do have one.

[Fatfish]

 

[Fatfish]

Get a 8in. and you won't be sorry. I have yet to have a fish that won't come through a 8in. Some think that a 10 is the way to go.If you think this is the way to go buy a 10. Get what you think you need.   Jerry

[princecraft]

+1

+2

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I've fished out of a 10 in a few times. nothing really special IMO. I've got an 8" Jiffy model 30 and never had a problem with it yet.

10in. Pros.
1.Bigger hole for the fish of a lifetime
2.More room for transducer floats.
3.Doesn't freeze shut has fast
5.Bigger hole for site fishing.

10in. Cons.
1.Large for kids & adults to step in and get hurt
2.Allows for normal size fish to get turned around and headed down the hole if they come unhooked.
3.If using fish camera the compass camera covers seem to be a bit small.
4.Takes up more room in the portable, usually loose a few more things down it.
5.Auger is heavier, and takes a little longer to cut holes.
6. Some tipups can have problems with a larger hole.
7.Auger bit takes up more room wherever you put it.

In the cases I fish, I've never had a problem or concern with an 8in. When I go up north the guides usually have a 10in if we are trophy fishing, so I don't really even use my 8in when on these trips.

I guess if I was in your shoes I look at where I was at. If you're up north and have a lot of big trophy fish chances, I'd get a 10in. If your a little south of the trophy fish area, I'd go with a 8in.

I've seen 30in 10lb walleye's come through a 8in hole and a 47in northern come through an 8 in hole. Not to sure I'll ever see bigger trophy fish then that, but who know.

[Boatless]

Yes...

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Yes...

(Image removed from quote.)

If I was in Winipeg and had a shot at fish like that I'd have a 12 in. 

[hrlyridr77]

Here is a vid of a guy in NY landing a 46 inch muskie. The hole looks like a 6", no more than 8"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDPmAwdJFTg

Here is another jiggin - 6" hole

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bnp4calMs8U

No need for 10" IMHO

 

[Timber]

If the mfrs. made a 14" or 18" would that still be the case?

If they only made a 144 incher I could just launch my boat . 

[BottomDweller]

Yes...

If I was in Winipeg and had a shot at fish like that I'd have a 12 in. 

+ 1 

[esox slayer]

Here is a vid of a guy in NY landing a 46 inch muskie. The hole looks like a 6", no more than 8"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDPmAwdJFTg

Here is another jiggin - 6" hole

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bnp4calMs8U

No need for 10" IMHO

 

Yeah, and on the first video he's only dealing with 3-4 inches of ice, try that same stunt in 2 feet or more ice.

Judging from the way the muskie filled the hole when he brought it up, it's an 8 inch.

[Trooper Bri]

"is a 10" auger necessary"

Yes. Without them, these threads would never get this long.  

[Five Trap Limit]

I encourage you all to use 6"
I on the other hand will use 10"
Just kidding(or is he)
I hunt Togue and with 2+feet of ice and and 8" hole it is very hard to get the fish turnded headed up the hole. 10 inch is much better
Please watch where your walking.

[stumper]

I have yet to catch a fish that wont come up an 8" holes.

I generally fish out of a 6 inch hole, today we were using a 4 inch. Coulda used a 12....

[JigginRod]

Last year chirstmas weekend I pulled this 43" musky through a 5" hole. Since than I have pulled many trout over 10lbs through a 5" hole. Thats not to say when a person is targeting big fish to just use a larger auger for the ease of landing a fish but for the most part there is no reason to go over a 8".

[walleyes4*u]

i buy whats out on the market with what my wallet says i can buy-10", PARENTS, PLEASE TELL YOUR KIDS NOT TO RUN THRU MY FISHING AREA AND WATCH WERE YOUR WALKING WHILE ON THE ICE. TY

+1

[pirkaus]

I am happy to see the thread has stayed civil  
This is the age old "which is better" debate
The pros and cons have been laid out clearly by each camp
This brings us to a personal choice on the matter
I started with a 6" hand auger and never caught a fish that would not fit
This may mean I am not the best fisherman
I then purchased an 8" gas auger because the price was right
I still have not caught a fish that wouldn't fit
Some of my friends have 10" gas augers so I have fish that size too
And still every fish fit just fine
I guess I am just not a good enough fisherman to need the "extra" room
Pirk

[webster]

I am happy to see the thread has stayed civil  
This is the age old "which is better" debate
The pros and cons have been laid out clearly by each camp
This brings us to a personal choice on the matter
I started with a 6" hand auger and never caught a fish that would not fit
This may mean I am not the best fisherman
I then purchased an 8" gas auger because the price was right
I still have not caught a fish that wouldn't fit
Some of my friends have 10" gas augers so I have fish that size too
And still every fish fit just fine
I guess I am just not a good enough fisherman to need the "extra" room
Pirk

+1