So as we approach my favorite time of the ice fishing season….March. I am curious as to what size drill you would get for fishing perch/sunfish/crappie.
6″ or 7″
Reason being is that entire auger is lighter when adding this to the Honda power head.
I am leaning towards 6″
The 6″ for sure. I used to run a 6″ laser on my 2hp tecumseh and wish I’d never sold it. Super light and fast! pulled many fish through that too. Including a 26 3/4″ walleye. How you liking the honda this season?
I have no problem fishing 6 early season when I use my 6 hand auger. Other than that I only have 8 with power. I like your thinking though. That Honda with a small drill would be as mobile as you can get. Well other than hand auger which is a tough option when the ice is thick. Tends to cut down on the running and gunning. A painfull lesson I re-learn every year between hand and motorized season…
For a powerhead I’d use a 6″. For hand I’d use a 5″.
I think koonce has a 5″ for sale. His fish are to big to fit through it. 
Definitely the 6 inch all year around. Just switched to a 6 from a 7 this year and absolutely love it, never had any trouble fitting anything through it yet and don’t ever anticipate it being an issue. The 6 is so much lighter to carry and drills much quicker, plus it allows less light down the hole. Unless you are catching 18 inch slabs routinely I think the 6 inch is the way to go. Just my two cents.
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How you liking the honda this season?
Loving the Honda, it took some time to get it broke in, but now it runs very well.
Thanks for the replys….I will go with the 6″ drill. 
I put a 6in. Mora on my Tanaka power head this week. It is absolutly the best thing I have ever drilled with. Package weights 18 lbs. Yes it out drills my Nils. Super clean and smooth cut. No catch at the breakthrough. And it fits in my small jet sled.
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I think koonce has a 5″ for sale. His fish are to big to fit through it.
Good One 
That was a hog.
I also like that if fish get off they cant turn around as easy. My dad always new where I had fished on local lake cause he saw the 6 “… 
Go Small or Go Home !!!
Cal.. you owe it to yourself to own a 5″ bit…
Just like you love to catch them big green backs thru an 8″ hole… Catch a 15″ Pie thru a 5″ hole and you met the match !!! 
I’m betting 95% of your fish will slide right up the 5″ home hole buddy !!! 
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I’m betting 95% of your fish will slide right up the 5″ home hole buddy !!!
But aren’t those 5% that can’t fit, or BARELY fit as you proved, the ones that really matter… the HOGS!
7 for everything. I haven’t caught a fish big enough I can’t fit in a 7″ hole. Friend of mine caught a 40″ musky crappie fishing last winter through a 7″ hole.
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Yup, the ones that barely fit we release anyway, so even if they get off it is no big deal. Who wants to eat 13+ inch crappies anyay?
13 is my cutoff. I will not eat a 14″ crappie. Those 12-13ish crappies will be coming home with me.
I put to test the 6″ drill on the new Honda this past weekend. Man is that set up light…fast as well. I was suprised to see that I didn’t get tangled in the ducer cable as much as I thought. Nice to see those 8″+ gills having a hard time turing around in the hole if they come unbuttoned.
Nice! That is a great size for run n gun panfishin!
I’m just not buying the fact a 6″ mora will out drill a 6″ nils on a tanaka power head. I have a 6″ nils on a 36v Bosch cordless hammer drill. It totally smokes the 6″ mora or 6″ lazer both with sharp blades. Tried last week through 14″ of ice. If it is out cutting your nils something is drastically wrong with that nils cutting head!
IMO
I have the ability to put a 6″ Nils on my Tanaka but on that front I guess I’m lazing and just keep power on the 8″ Nils and don’t bother making a change.
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I’m just not buying the fact a 6″ mora will out drill a 6″ nils on a tanaka power head. I have a 6″ nils on a 36v Bosch cordless hammer drill. It totally smokes the 6″ mora or 6″ lazer both with sharp blades. Tried last week through 14″ of ice. If it is out cutting your nils something is drastically wrong with that nils cutting head!
IMO
I buy it. Your 36V electric doesn’t have the torque to push those augers at the same speed, the Nils is probably turning more RPMs than the mora or lazer so therefor faster.
The Tanaka has enough torque to turn the Nils, Mora, and Lazer augers all at the same RPM or at least close. The Mora and Lazer are more aggressive so therefore will cut more ice per revolution. Equal RPM and more ice cut per revolution equals a faster hole.
EDIT: I should clarify I am talking about the Tanaka with 6″ augers of each brand, not 8″.
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