need a bigger auger

Today only 1 good one through the ice. 3 crappies through, 4 bass, 8 bluegill. Almost all on teardrop minnow combos, some gills with waxworms. Here is the bad part, 2 crappies I could not get through the 8" hole. Not that they would not most likely fit, but would have to be perfectly verticle when pulled through. They were too high. Both got off after repeated tries. One break off-I think it was a bass. Pure pink and orange/chartruse were the hot colors today. They had to be no higher than 8" off the bottom and we were fishing 9' of water on a NE Nebraska farm pond.
I wear 12 D boots.
http://i993.photobucket.com/albums/a...IMAG0021-1.jpg
OK crappie
http://i993.photobucket.com/albums/a...h/IMAG0022.jpg

I have never seen a crappie that wouldn't go thru a 6 inch hole in the ice. I personally always used a 10 inch power auger. If the fish was any size at all I would lip them to bring thru the hole so they wouldn't have a chance to come off at the hole. Sometimes I would reel right down to the lip of the fish and pull them up thru the hole that way with the rod straight up and down. On Pike and Walleye I would reach down and get them by the gills to bring them thru the hole. EB

Sorry, I never asked how deep was the ice where you were fishing? EB

you do need a bigger one, will 10" be enough? we drove back to ne christmas before last to do some ice fishing. came up through mo in a heck of a storm on i 29. fished by sapp bros, and bennington caught some small crappie. went up by tekamah (sp) zero. then fish my brother-in-law's brother's farm pond north of oakland and took some real nice 13"s. lot of fun. last year hit the gator bowl and of course not much ice here in va. good luck on the hard water. be safe. go big red!

CKH....gotta ask...do ya beat 'em to death with that golf club once you get 'em outa that small hole?:eek::D:D:D

J/K:)

Congrats on your fishing trip.:)

ckh,hope my wife never tells me that big guy.j/k that ice fishing looks like it would be a blast.

congrats ,sorry about the lost one tough

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Originally Posted by dwaw

you do need a bigger one, will 10" be enough? we drove back to ne christmas before last to do some ice fishing. came up through mo in a heck of a storm on i 29. fished by sapp bros, and bennington caught some small crappie. went up by tekamah (sp) zero. then fish my brother-in-law's brother's farm pond north of oakland and took some real nice 13"s. lot of fun. last year hit the gator bowl and of course not much ice here in va. good luck on the hard water. be safe. go big red!

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Who was your brother_in-laws, brother I may know him. I was raised up around that area. EB

Thanks guys! Sorry, mine is a 6" auger. not 8". When the fish are 6" tall + the fins. it has to go perfect. Mabie its a good problem to have. I use the old fashion ice rods with plastic reels so with one hand on the rod another on the line pulling it gets hectic if the fish are truly big. I saw both crappies I lost and it put the hurt on me. My lines are 4 lb test (winter and summer) so that factors in also. The golf club :) cleans the hole and measures the depth of the ice. Last sunday it was 8" thick with 2" cloudy ice. All fish were released. Most were caught 1 hour before dark. Can't wait till spring, I may take my buddie the goats out if he wants to see big crappie as he has read this. CKH

Yes the twilight hours are the best either morning or evening, I caught most of my fish after midnight and before 4:00 AM. most of the time.