K-drill rage

[duckman1302]

I know I have seen k-drill threads on here before, but I am curious about one thing. I have been using a 10-inch hole since I have started ice fishing so i would like to hear from those of you that have gone from a 10" to an 8" hole. It's hard to find anyone saying much bad about the K-drill and my only reservation on it would be moving down to an 8-inch hole as I love the extra space in the 10-inch holes.

 

[mrperch]

I went from a 9 jiffy propane, to the 8 k drill, and no regrets here, some guys seem to not like k drill after 24 or so inches of ice, I don't seem to have a issue. Maybe if I lose that elusive 30 incher through the 8 inch ill change my thinking.

 

[Jigaman]

I went from a 9 jiffy propane, to the 8 k drill, and no regrets here, some guys seem to not like k drill after 24 or so inches of ice, I don't seem to have a issue. Maybe if I lose that elusive 30 incher through the 8 inch ill change my thinking.

30"ers fit just fine in an 8" hole.

 

[Bfishn]

The k-drill is actually only 7.5" fyi. Having said that I've used an 8" lazer exclusively for the last 5 years after using a 10" for the previous decade and i would never go back to a 10". Almost everyone uses an 8" at Winnipeg, because the 10" just gets to be to much work drilling through that much ice. I started using a 7" now attached to a Milwaukee, and i don't see it being an issue around ND.

I would say a guy almost loses fewer fish in the smaller hole, because once in the hole, they cant get turned around if they get off.

 

[H82bogey]

I actually use both an 8" k Drill and 10" gas. My K drill is my go to. About the only time I really use my 10" is when I know i'm setting my hub to fish an area for awhile. I do like the extra size for jigging in the same spot for a long time. I will say though, if I am fishing my 8" holes, am not sitting wishing I had an extra 2". I also have a pretty bad lower back, so the weight of the k drill saves me a lot of pain and stiffness the day after being on the ice.

 

[Big Iron]

I would say a guy almost loses fewer fish in the smaller hole, because once in the hole, they cant get turned around if they get off.[/QUOTE]


But does the fish ever get turned and make it up the smaller holes??? I'm of the school bigger the hole the better.

 

[MuskyManiac]

We've fished 8 inch for the last 3 years on Winnipeg with no problems. We've lost fish on the bottom of 10 inch holes as well as 8. We've lost a few fish in the 8 inch hole and they just come up to the top eventually like someone else mentioned.

 

[Fisherman25]

I just hate having to pull the transducer for every small fish I catch. So I generally use 10”. If I do use 8”, my jigging hole is 2 wide.

 

[Sluggin_Guts]

I had a 10" auger for years and bought a K drill 3 years ago. The 10" was nice, but it was a lot of slush to handle in the wheel house. I quickly realized the K Drill was way lighter and easier to haul around while doing the run and gun also. Got to the point where I'd use my K Drill 80% of the time, my 8" Strikemaster the other 20% and the 10" just sat in the garage. I sold the 10" and haven't looked back since.

 

[Captain Ahab]

I like to use a 10” when fishing current(Rainy River and Red River). Much easier to turn a fish up with a 10”. Other than that, I prefer the 8” because of ease and less slush.

 

[NDSportsman]

Always used 8" hole, never had an issue where couldn't get a fish up it.

10" holes are made for losing shit down them including fish.

Who likes a sloppy hole?:;:huh

 

[espringers]

Only fish I can think of that's sometimes hard to turn up an 8 inch hole are those 36 inch plus pike. Heads are hard and long and don't make the turn real good until they are literally dead tired sometimes.

 

[Lungdeflator]

10" is the only way to go IMO.

Yes, its still possible to bonk a fish off at the bottom of the ice. But I like to increase my odds of turning a big fish under thick ice with a bigger hole. A lot of my ice fishing (trophy fishing) gets done later in the year, big pike on Sak, big walleyes on Winnipeg, big lakers on Clearwater. Hookups on big fish aren't super common, so when it happens I want everything in my favor to get that fish topside.
Up at Clearwater where there is a very good chance at a 20+lb laker, I'm drilling 2 10" holes side by side. My BIL had a 20+lber get off last year because we couldn't turn it up the hole, he had 2 holes side x side but holes weren't straight so he had a little ice bridge at the bottom of the hole. Heartbreaking after a 45 minute fight and seeing the fish 40" away, but couldn't do anything about it.

 

[Chas'n Tail]

Only negative I can think of with my 8" k-drill is that with it being an actual diameter of 7-1/2", a slush inhaler or the like will unfortunately not fit into the hole. That being said, the reverse option on the drill takes care of 90% of that issue.

 

[BRK]

I don't catch big fish so the k-drill works fantastic for me lol

 

[Bowhunter_24]

Fishing for big pike a 10” would be nice. I caught a pig last winter and the bastard would not come up the hole. We had ice scoops down the hole trying to turn him. We were about to try to drill another hole beside it and he somehow made the turn.

If he wouldnt have inhaled a rippin rap there was no way I would have got him

oh this was a 7.5” k drill hole. Sounds dumb but I think the extra 1/2” of a regular auger would have made a huge difference

 

[espringers]

Only negative I can think of with my 8" k-drill is that with it being an actual diameter of 7-1/2", a slush inhaler or the like will unfortunately not fit into the hole. That being said, the reverse option on the drill takes care of 90% of that issue.

i have an 8 inch slush inhaler and it fits. its what we use in our ice house.

 

[Bfishn]

I can see the 10" being helpful if you consistently fish Big Pike or Lake trout. I pulled a 24# pike through a 9" no problem though.

The first time I went to Winnipeg we all had 10", being our first time we hired a guide the first day and when we pulled out our augers he laughed and i'm pretty sure in his mind he said "stupid Americans". This was one of those years where even 24" of extension wasn't always enough, After that trip i sold the 10" and never looked back. I figured if even the guides on peg are running 8" that's good enough for me.

 

[Chas'n Tail]

i have an 8 inch slush inhaler and it fits. its what we use in our ice house.

No kidding. I used an ice skimmer. Double rod going down either side that's designed to go down sideways and then you flip it and bring it back up. I'll have to check out an inhaler. It's nice for the permenant.

 

[espringers]

yep. love them for in the house. got a 10 inch too that now sits in the barn. if you want, i could take a pic of it down a k-drill hole. but, it fits no problem. never even though about it when i ordered it. are we sure the k-drill bits aren't actually 8 inch with the flighting 7.5?