walleye 7″ hole?

The past few weeks of auger extension ice has really got me thinking about upgrading my auger drill from the chipper to a lazer. Right now SM website has a deal on the lazer bits, but they are sold out of 8″ and I don’t want to go up to a 10″. I don’t have any concern with the 7″ hole for panfish but does anyone fish walleye with a 7″ hole? Do you have any concerns or wish it was bigger? I could wait until next year to purchase it, but I have some late ice panfish hopes that I would love to have the new bit for.

For first ice, I use a 5″ and have little to no problems. When ice is as thick as it is now, I really appreciate my 10″. I personally wouldn’t want a 7″ for eyes when the ice is 30+” thick

Getting rid of the chipper bit and changing to a lazer on my old 39cc was the best thing for that auger I’m sure it helped it run longer. Never fished smaller than a 8″ so no experience on the 7″ which is not much smaller hole but if you are worried buy it on back order and wait.

I went to the 8″ Lazer vs the older 10″ chipper, and love it. This said, I think it is as small as I would go. I don’t get to big fish often on the ice, but even for crappies or white bass this time of year, 8-10 seems nice.

What he said

I have fished out of a 7″ hole for walleyes lots of times from Mille Lacs to Winnie to name a few lakes. It will take a heck of a walleye to get stuck in a 7″ hole, it would have to have a 22″ girth NOT to fit.
Have to be careful getting the head turned in the 7″ compared to bigger holes, but that is really the only concern I see.

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I have fished out of a 7″ hole for walleyes lots of times from Mille Lacs to Winnie to name a few lakes. It will take a heck of a walleye to get stuck in a 7″ hole, it would have to have a 22″ girth NOT to fit.
Have to be careful getting the head turned in the 7″ compared to bigger holes, but that is really the only concern I see.

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This

I think the 7″ is a great drill, ran one for two years mostly walleye fishing. I’m back to using the 8″ 224, but will swap it for another 7″ once that dies.

Nothing’s luckier than fishing out of a 7″ hole.

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I have fished out of a 7″ hole for walleyes lots of times from Mille Lacs to Winnie to name a few lakes. It will take a heck of a walleye to get stuck in a 7″ hole, it would have to have a 22″ girth NOT to fit.
Have to be careful getting the head turned in the 7″ compared to bigger holes, but that is really the only concern I see.

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Another +1

Also another positive to a 7 inch hole is once the fish is in the hole it has a much harder time turning and heading back down.

I agree with having fish turned around in a 8inch hole. For big perch the get wedged in a 7inch hole and it works great if that fish of a lifetime gives you the slip in the last few inches before landing him. For fishing eyes late ice when your dealing with a lot of ice like we are now I like a 10 inch bit all the way. – QB

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I have fished out of a 7″ hole for walleyes lots of times from Mille Lacs to Winnie to name a few lakes. It will take a heck of a walleye to get stuck in a 7″ hole, it would have to have a 22″ girth NOT to fit.

Have to be careful getting the head turned in the 7″ compared to bigger holes, but that is really the only concern I see.

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Another +1

Also another positive to a 7 inch hole is once the fish is in the hole it has a much harder time turning and heading back down.

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This is very true. I fish pool 8 with a 6 inch hand auger- most of the time I prefer the smaller diameter because they can’t turn-unless of course we get caught in some crazy polar vortex and there is 3 ft of ice almost everywhere…

All I run is a 7″ hole. I have never had an issue with eyes coming up it. You just need to play them a little more around the bottom of the hole.