Has this ever happend to you?

[FISHINGNUT]

Well my buddie invited me up to his cottage to do some crappie fishing this past weekend.I forgot my auger so we used his 5". The fishing slowed down so I dropped down a 3" chartreuse mister twister tipped with a minnow to the bottom in 35fow ,I thought maybe some walley might be around.Then I went back to my second hole were I continued jigging.Next thing I hear is line pealing off my other rod .Luckily the rod holder wedged in the hole.I set the hook and it felt like I was on the bottom then it took off after at least 10 min it finally came up it was a huge pike .Finally after 8 or so more runs I finally got its face into the holeI had my neoprene gloves on so I managed to get my thumb in its mouth but it wouldnt budge I cant believe it I hook the pike of my life time and its to big to get through the hole .

I had my gaff with me but I didnt want to mangle it just for a picture so I pushed it down the hole again and yelled at my buddie to start another hole next to it , so what does he do, first crank on the auger it slipps off the ice hitting my line SNAP goes my line and the fish is gone. We did manage lots of crappie perch and smaller pike for the weekend so it wasnt a total loss.I will never ever forget my 8" auger again.Has any one else had fish on they couldnt fit up the hole?

[Joey]

Well that hasn't happened to me yet. What a bummer.

 

But I bet it was exciting nonetheless!

 

Joey

[Spiel]

....I know that 25lbs plus of laker don't fit through a 7" auger hole.

 

Sorry to hear you lost her but I'm sure they'll be others....someday.

[Handlebarz]

I always wondered why anyone would use a small hole like some of the 4" guys down here I like the 8" you can get a big fish in a 8" hole.

 

that sucks about the loss of your fish but you always have next time

[turtle]

Yes, 4.5 inch auger hole for perch and hooked into something in about 30 ft off Sibbald Pt. that moved and took line but I couldnt bring up off the bottom up to the hole. After a few minutes of that I realized whatever it was wouldnt fit any way and cut the line (4 lb on a whippy perch rod).

[steverowbotham]

I had my neoprene gloves on so I managed to get my thumb in its mouth

 

You are a brave soul.

[hogsmally]

I had a brown trout through the ice in a great lakes harbor not fit through a six inch hole. As I kept trying to pull its head through, it lost about 2 pounds worth of eggs from its belly and finally fit through. Even after it lost the eggs, it weighed 16 pounds-

 

That is always a good problem to have, at least you've got a shot-

 

Lumberjack

[GbayGiant]

Wheres the vaseline when you need it.

[Mark Kulik]

I had a 20+ carp on last dec. on Cooks -thing is I didnt want to get it through the hole!

[camillj]

Yep ... at least once a year I have had a MONDO laker that wont get through the 8" hole ... its why I always advocate the bigger the better ... even if it is a little more sweat drilling ... its worth it ... I wouldnt even consider a 6 or 4 inch auger for that very reason...

[Carp]

I remember years ago, I was in my early teens and my dad hooked a nice laker.

Got it up to an 8" hole and it was gaffed and pinned sideways across the hole. Ice was about 20 inches thick,

making it very difficult to manouver the head into the hole. We drilled another hole right beside the first.

Once near the end, we switched to an ice chisle and knocked out the remaining bit of ice at the bottom of the hole and chipped at the edges until the fish got through. 15 lb. laker was the result.

 

We've had a 10" power auger for the last 20 years and I wouldn't go back, unless fishing

smaller lakes for small fish. Then I can see the 8" manual coming in handy since the power

auger is heavy to carry unless you have transportation.

 

I drill 4 holes overlapping them then chip out the rest to make square holes

approx. 15 inches square for dads ice hut.