# Ice Auger Diameter question



## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

I have an 8" auger that I am considering to retire this year and buy a smaller diameter one. Main reason is the effort to drill holes with the 8" is much more effort than the benefit of an 8" hole. I pulled the largest crappie of my life from a 6" hole.

My question is what would you recommend as far as a manufacture as well as diameter. I am pretty sure the sizes start at 4" diameter and up to 8" diameter.

flash----------------------------------out


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

My Dads Lazer 6" cuts through ice like a hot knife through warm butter. Im sure 90% of ice fishermen would agree. You dont even hardly need to press down, just turn the handle and it sinks in by itself!

Im too stubborn to downsize, I always hope that Ill catch a fish that wont fit through a 6" hole!  Plus I like the extra space that the 8" hole gives you for the vex float. But thats just me.

Hard to beleive but a 6" hole has only 56% the surface area of an 8" hole. Thats only about half the area. That makes it so much easier to drill.

Anyhow, my opinion/answer to your question would be a Lazer 6".


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## peple of the perch (Sep 13, 2004)

i like a 6 in hole to they r fast i use to have a 8 ich but that was hard


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

An 8" drill is okay for ice up to 5" thick. Anything thicker, i use my 6" laser. I bought an electra 8" battery operated auger for the thick stuff(8" and better).I can get close to 20 holes on a charge. Its just a little heavy dragging it out with all the other gear.


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

If you ever step into a snow covered hole in the ice, you will instantly see another good reason to use the smaller auger.


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

speaking of stepping into holes. Was at Mogadore ice fishing last year. I was setting up the shanty, bapenn was chatting with TxTransplant, and all of a sudden I hear a bit of yelling going on. Look out of the shanty, and bapenn stepped into a hole that looked like someone chiseled it out and was way more than 8" in diameter. Needless to say he was a bit cold. Entire leg up to his crotch went in. TxTransplant can tell ya more, I was getting warm inside the shanty when it happened. 

flash-----------------------------------out


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

I remeber that....Spud bars create more than one form of entertainment.....Anyone know how good cordless drills work while atached to augers?


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

haha, as exexec about the drill. They suck...i drilled 4 holes at Presque in the ammount of time he had half a hole done. Batteries don't last really long on the cordless drill tactic.


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## Parrothead Jim (Apr 7, 2004)

I used to use a 8 inch auger up until last year. I now use a 6" auger and will never go back to the larger one. It takes half the effort and half the time to drill the holes. Does anyone need a 8" auger??......JIM


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

My setup works great.  I use a 18 volt Ryobi cordless and get quite a few holes out of it. Lewis and I did 12 holes through 5/6" ice on one battery.
Too many people try to "FORCE" the auger rather than letting it cut at it's own speed.  Just hold the auger in place without any pressure on it other than the weight of the auger and drill.


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## exexec (Apr 12, 2004)

Didnt someone make and sell one?? Lewis maybe???


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## mousejam515 (Jun 3, 2004)

i met a guy who made his own drill powered auger. i think he said he had like a hole saw bit that the saw part broke off. and it just so happened to fit into the handle of the auger. I didnt mind drilling by hand last year. Dose the ice ever get much thicker than we had last year? 

james


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## fisherman261 (Apr 25, 2004)

We used an 18 volt Craftsman drill with our 6" lazer last year and it worked great. I heard if you keep the batteries warm they last longer.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

The thickest i saw it was afew years ago and was probably 15+in thick....the thickest i heard it got was in the 70's and was over 30 in. thick


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

Fisherman nailed it!
Yes, I have made quite a few auger adapters.
They are very popular in Mich,Wisconsin and other northern states.
In an average year they are not needed here in northeast Ohio,unless you have a disability.
They are a great tool when used properly. 
You still have to have razor sharp blades,
A name brand cordless drill of 18 volt or larger,
and you must keep the batteries warm.
A spare does not hurt.
Shortdrift is sold on his.
Several years ago when I first developed my design,we were on Piedmont which had 15"-16" of ice.
We were getting 12-15 holes out of a battery.
Each hole took about 20 seconds or less.
You actually have to hold back on the auger,or it will go in the ice like a big drywall screw!


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## pymybob (May 28, 2004)

I downsized last year to a 6" Laser and it was WELL worth it!


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

Johnboy to answer your ice thickness question. Winter before last on erie out west of green island we had areas of ice that were an honest 28 inches. My gaff was only 24 inches long and you had to either start the fish up the hole befor gaffing (scary thought with a 13 lb eye) or get you arm wet (scarier yet) as it was one of those heat waves with a high in the low teens. I just pray that we see ice like that again and not like last year when the pucker factor was working over time every time out after we put a trailer though at mazurics.

Scott


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## Ruminator (Apr 6, 2004)

Just wondering if anyone has experience with both the Strikemaster Mora, and their Lazer?
For the money what benefits are there to the Lazer?
I'm looking at buying either a 6", or 7".


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## tpet96 (Apr 6, 2004)

6" lazer buddy. You can't go wrong. That's what I have.....and to be honest....I might even consider buying a 4" for gills and perch.


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## Ruminator (Apr 6, 2004)

I'm wondering if the 7" wouldn't be a good compromise and give a little more room for Vex and camera cables? Shawn,with the Lazer instead of the Mora will I have less effort overall in drilling holes? Whats the diff.?


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## Orlando (Apr 12, 2004)

Spend a few more bucks and go with the Lazer. I sold both my Mora's after trying a Lazer. I use a 6 for panfish and a 8 for Saugeyes. Firts Saugeye I ever caught ice fishing on Indian was a 5lber and can through a 6 inch hole. She fit but was a little tough getting her started!


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## Reel Thing (Apr 5, 2004)

I've had a 8" mora for over 20 yrs now just changed the blades last year. It takes a little man handling at the end of the hole so I just bought a 6" strikemaster much easier and faster. I've been cutting 2 holes close together put the vex and a rod in 1 hole and a rod in the other hole and vex picks up both jigs. I'm really happy with the 6" 
My wife gave me a Stikemaster 2000 for Christmas havn't got around to get the oil for it yet and the ice hasn't been that thick figure I'll break it in @Presque Isle during the next freeze.
Geowol


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

I use a 7 inch Mora and it does just fine for all fish. Several years before they drained Lake Milton to repair the dam I had moved out of one of my holes and another angler took it over. After about ten minutes he got a big fish which turned out to be a 32 pound Muskie and he pulled it through the 7 inch hole. He took it home to have it mounted. A little later another man snagged some spawn which had been squeezed out of the Muskie as it was pulled through the hole. Seven inches is a good compromise and is fairly easy to drill by hand.


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

Rumi although i use an 8" lazer which now after using a few times doesnt seem all that much better than my old 8" mora (maybe a little) i would also suggest you get a 6" lazer. they cut. lazer has curved blades, moras have straight blades.


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## Ruminator (Apr 6, 2004)

O.K. you guys have me sold on the Lazer. For Lake Erie, will the 6" Lazer be good, or would the 7" even be big enough?

Has anyone else read about the technique "ramping", and can you drill the intersecting hole for that with a Lazer? _It sounds like a real beneficial technique._


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

I have a 6in mora and never had a problem, even can sharpen my own blades for it.


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## esox (Dec 26, 2004)

There is only one auger to get. It's the Nils and it's marketed by Cabela's under the High Velocity name. This is a hand auger that will cut as fast if not faster than a power auger. If not abused the knives will last 15-20 years. It does has an offset handle which takes some gettin' used to. No downward pressure is used either. Just crank the sucker and it well do the rest.
It will re-cut old, re-frozen holes and overlap holes. I know of no other hand auger that does this. It will cost twice what those other augers cost but it will last forever if not abused and you won't have to replace knives every year.


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## Ruminator (Apr 6, 2004)

THANKS A LOT GUYS!!    

Based on everyones input I have bought myself an auger. 
I did buy a Strikemaster Lazer- 7" dia.

My thinking(ruminating)= 

- I couldn't go with esox suggestion about the Nils (although I have liked their design for years) because I want one I can use an electric drill with. Also I can and will buy the same style off-set handle for my Lazer that comes with the Nils for when I'm not using an 18V cordless drill.

- since I am planning on using a cordless drill, I went with the 7" rather than a 6". This seems to be a real good average size to use with a drill based upon all the posts. Without the drill factor or off-set handle, I would have gone with a 6". But for $23.00 I can buy the handle.

esox- would you say that design of handle outperforms the standard type? It sure looks like it would be easier on the shoulders, and worth the money!

Thanks again guys for all of your helping me think thru this.


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