New Ice Auger; What should I be looking at?

[MinnesotaHunter]

I should start with the fact that I am not a hardcore ice angler, but have been wanting to get more into it the last few years. For an auger, I still just have a hand auger I have had since high school, and would like to get something powered. I like a 10" hole, and have been looking at the Ion Electric Augers, but I am not an expert and would be interested in hearing some people's experiences.

Fire away....

 

[wyoelkfan15]

Ion are great. My main fishing partner has the 8" version and it works great.

I bought a 10" Eskimo Mako right when Ion was starting to come out with their electric augers. I would say the main difference is no need for the "pull throttle dance" of getting the gas engine started in negative degree weather. That being said, I've never not had my auger start, it's mostly just super convenient with the electronic augers to just push a button and drill. Personally, if we are punching alot of holes, I like the gas engine better, seems to cut through the ice a bit quicker.

You cant go wrong with the Ion though.

 

[ccc23454]

I am a kdrill guy but i think biggest they make is 8.5". I just drill clovers when fishing big lakers. I drill my 3 holes faster than my buddy with the standard gas 10" drills 1 and mine never spills fuel on me.

 

[wihunter12]

I have had an 8" Ion for three seasons and really like it. No complaints except for replacement batteries are not cheap. When I need another auger I will likely look at the kdrill or similar rout3, but I do not need a 10" hole.

 

[Elk59729]

My buddy just got the new 8" Ion and that thing is slick.

 

[MNElkNut]

Get the Ion with reverse. when you are done drilling, you reverse it and all the slush goes down the hole. No smoke in the house if you have a shelter of some kind too. electric or Kdrill is the way to go. although you can buy a used gas auger for really cheap as most people are moving away from them.

 

[feedback]

Everything I’ve read for the replies got myself thinking about the electric also. I’ve got a question though, what about the ones that you can use a cordless drill on. What’s your opinion on them and can a 3/8 drill work or do you have to go with the 1/2 drill? Thanks for your time and be safe out there.

 

[CycleFishHunt]

Disclaimer: I went ice fishing for the first time two weekends ago.

We used the Nils USA 8" Convertible. It's a hand auger that you can attach a 18V+ drill to (stabilizer handle recommended).

We were drilling into about 8" of ice. It worked impressively well. Although we might have been using a 20V drill. I did not notice.

I am likely going to order one for a trip I have coming up in a few weeks. It retails for about $200 + drill.

 

[rustednuts]

If you aren't going regularly I would go with an electric or propane option. The drill based ones work well and are bit easier on the budget than an Ion. If money is no objection I'd get an Ion.

 

[MThuntr]

Electric augers are pretty awesome. A friends ion drills fast and quiet. Reverse plunges most of the slush back down the hole. Really my fear is longevity of electronics especially as each company offers a new battery style almost annually as the old ones aren't being built

I'm going on 12 years with my Eskimo. It's generally a 3 pull start at most temperatures. Once it is warmed after 2 holes it will fire on one pull. The issue is fuel and fumes. I did spill gas and you really can't use them inside shanties without gassing yourself out.

 

[Benjamins]

If you have dewalt or Milwaukee lithium ion tools I strongly consider getting a hammer drill and something along the lines of the k drill or pistol bit. I cannot believe how well my dewalt drill can power through 16 inches of ice. Plus I have all the other tools so I have no shortage of batteries if one happens to go bad (which has not happened). Plus the weight of the combo is just a few pounds. Most people knock the drill set up until they try it.

 

[brymoore]

I use a 20v dewault and a Kdrill. It’s quick and easy to use.

 

[targetpanic]

Most of my friends have Ions at this point...some for as long as 7-8 years now. They are all on their original batteries and all have nothing but glowing reviews.

 

[cwitherow]

I have an 8" hand auger I was given from a coworker. I don't go often, but I have strongly considered getting a hammer drill. Cheaper than buying a whole new auger. I also don't have any ice electronics, so that might need to take priority.

 

[Jamen]

I used a Strikemaster chippermag 10" for many years. Last year i bought the 24v strikemaster electric. It weighs maybe 14lbs! the light weight alone made it worth it for me. But they come in 6 or 8". If you are set on a 10" id go to their 40v electric. I know several people who switched from ion over to strikemater. But like anything everyone has their preference and I'm sure ions are good too! I also used to be the type who liked having a 10" but if im in my flip up the 8 is the way to go!

 

[BuzzH]

Pretty fair comparison here:

I'm partial to strikemaster as I've owned one of their gas models for years and its reliable and cuts really fast. I like the blades on the strikemaster, although they aren't cheap. But if you stay off sand and watch what you're doing a set of blades will last a long, long time. I would probably opt for a strikemaster, but probably isn't really a bad choice no matter which you decide on.

IMO, I like 8 inch better, cuts faster. Which doesn't sound like a big deal, but I run and gun when ice fishing...in particular for walleye, perch, catfish. Not uncommon to drill 100+ holes a day, some days I'd guess maybe 200 holes. The faster I can punch holes the more time I get to fish.

Even trout fishing I move a lot, maybe 30-50 holes a day searching.

 

[F250]

I only fish yellow perch through the ice with a jig stick. I've always used a 4" hand auger. I just upgraded to a DeWalt XR 20V 1/2" hammer drill with an 8AH battery. I paired it with a 6" Jiffy Torch auger . The drill was about $300.00 and the auger was just over $100.00. I have friends run an 8" auger with the same drill setup and claim they punch over 60 holes per day (18" of ice) without an issue. That also gives me a great new power tool to use year round. Have fun shopping !! Lots of good stuff on the market and a wealth of knowledge and experience here !!

 

[Schaaf]

Get the Ion. They’re so damn nice.

 

[Talk2elk]

We use an Eskimo propane 8-inch that's works very well. I guess something to consider would be weight. The fuel powered augers will weigh more but are proven work horses. How far do you normally travel onto the lake? Do you pull a sled or use an ATV? Our local lake it is rare for us to go more than 300 yards out, so we pull our stuff out on a sled and weight is not a concern.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Thanks for all the feedback, so a little more info. I pretty much leave my ice fishing gear up at my cabin year round, so the idea of buying a drill and having to remember to bring it up, when a lot of time fishing is kind of spur of the moment, doesn't seem ideal to me. This is why I have been leaning towards a stand alone unit.

I am not committed to a 10in, I like it probably because I have my vexilar down the same hole I am fishing, and also that is what I grew up fishing through... I like to run tip-ups for pike, but logically I know an 8" hole is plenty.

Battery technology seeming to consistently turn over with everything rechargeable is my biggest concern with an electric, but it sounds like the Ions and Strikemasters have been pretty consistent...

I think I am going to start seriously looking for an 8" Ion or Strikemaster, and will probably buy whatever I find a better deal on. That said I should probably lean towards the Strikemaster as they are a MN company...