Ice Auger suggestions...

I know it may sound crazy but I'm looking at augers for ice fishing. I would use it almost every year once or twice a year- for say the next 40 years. Time is everything and I want something easy to use and reliable. My 2 second review yields a bunch of electric models- anyone have experience with battery powered augers?

You're going to be hard pressed to find an auger that will last 40 years. Check out the Nils hand auger if you're only using it twice a year. No engine/ batteries to maintain or worry about

My buddy had an electric one for a couple years The times I went it was a sweet machine. He sold it because his health failed him. Wish I could have afforded it at the time.

They make ones that a drill will run, haven't used on but have heard they are sweet. Then you can use the drill for other things in the off season

If I was only planning on going a time or 2 a year, I would have to agree with the "quality hand auger" idea. The last thing I would want to worry about, if only able to get out a few times, would be getting an auger started or if batteries were still good to punch a few holes. If you are catching panfish, you don't need a big bit to get fish up the hole. I've pulled some xl size crappie up through a 6" hole before I bought an gas auger. I bought a used gasser with a 10" chipper for cheap from a guy that moved to IA from MN. I'm guessing because it had a 10" auger....don't do that. I hate how big the dang hole is with a 10" auger. My buddy has a gasser with an 8" bit and it is way to go on bit size.

If you want a manual auger get a Lazer auger. I use a ion battery auger. This is it's fourth season. Can't be beat. I fish every day, unless the weather is bad.

i just splurged on a new gas one.last one made it about 18yrs.

I had to get an electric auger since a gas auger is a no-no with a pacemaker. I have had an ION for 3 years and no problems. Quiet, lightweight, no gas mixing/leakage or starting problems. We get a lot of ice and a long season.

I just use a hand auger. If I get cold I go and drill a new hole. Warms me right back up.

I've got a jiffy that is 25 years old I expect it to last until I'm dead.

The new ions are pretty sweet. Expensive for a once or twice a year usage.

I have a gas and a battery auger, I like them both. The ION that I have is used for rat trapping, nice and light.

I own, or have owned every type of ice auger known to mankind.

My current favorite is a Nils hand auger. Cuts holes as fast or faster than any power auger, and if the ice is super thick I connect a cordless drill with 1/2" chuck.

With a 40-year service/storage time, all you'd have to do is keep some grease or vaseline on the cutting edge, in the off season. All other types of augers with power heads, will have maintenance and shelf-life issues.

-NC

I haven't changed over yet .

"Depending on your needs" , many guys are using converted drill augers .

I have the one that fits a 20v cordless drill. Be sure to get the one with two blades.

I had a jiffy for 30 yrs. Just switched to an eskimo.
Run saber synthetic oil and no smoke and starts like a champ.
Run some stabil thru in spring and run dry and should last forever.
I don't feel like dealing with batteries when its around 0 degrees.

how thick is your ice , a bar will get you through 4 inches of ice fairly quick

I have a hand auger but used to use my bar a lot more , there were generally holes where I wanted them and could just open them up of the few inches of ice they had.

If I ever get around to building a quasi permanent fish house, then I will buy an ION, I don't believe they will put up with the kind of abuse my jiffy has seen. I'm sure it's rode 10,000 miles on the front of the snomobile. That's a lot of pounding.

ran jiffy for 20 years then got a husquvarna...great unit or find a tanaka

I love fishing with all my buddies and watching them pull and pull there gas augers while I'm cutting holes with my 6 inch spoon auger. They are cheap to buy on eBay or Craigslist and as long as they are sharp they are the way to go and they even make a nice ice chunk for you or the kids to play with.

Thank you for input- only found here on Tman. So maybe 40 years is a bit too much to ask from a powered auger. I have a couple of hand powered and I’m truly only asking because I’m facing more than my normal 4-15” of ice and likely 24-30” by the time I make it. The ion sounds interesting even tho I understand battery life is not something I can count on long term. Can I expect to easily drill 10-20 holes with an ion or other electric In say 18” of ice?

Oh ...the resident tough guy......I buried my gas auger to the handles one year...without going through....you can keep your hand tool ...:)

A lot of times here late season we need an extension on our augers, at least a 12". Add another 12" on top of that and you need a ladder to start drilling the hole lol

X2

My MN ice fishing buddy tells me propane is the way to go.

I don't fish enough on the ice to have an opinion.

I still use of school hand spoon auger. I have access to s gas auger but my old spoon if well sharpened works like a charm. Drilled many holes with it and starts every time. LOL

I tried to get my Eskimo auger started this summer but it wouldn't start. I haven't been ice fishing in 10 years.

the new K drills would be your best bet as long as you have a working drill you have a working auger for as long as you want my buddy just got one for early ice. with the bits that go on drills you dont want the metal flighting it will bind up in the thicker ice.

I use a clam plate , its going on its third season . Its been one of my best investments and I use my drill year around

Propane sucks....the augers weigh a ton...and the propane freezes up when cold....you can't leave it in the back of your truck overnight and expect it to start on a cold morning.

Propane has it's issues. I wouldnt own one, be better off with an ION. Propane might be okay in temperate climates like Pennsylvania.

Nessy, don't they sell extensions over there? Most years we have to put one on fishing Lake of the Woods. It's the ice combined with snow that gets ya most of the time. I dont recall ever have to put two extensions on fishing LOW but did once on lake winnipeg.

Don't need an extension 98 % of the time...but one year we were in Northern NH ice fishing...near the Canadien Boarder....wish I had an extension on that trip....

Got this 4 stroke ,3 years ago... no mixing gas...10 inch...lightweight 26 lbs...love it !!

I got by without an extension all last year. I thought about putting it on as it's easy to suck water in the carb but that was as far as I got lol.

I don't have any experience with the four strokes

I would guess he is one of the very few that does. Unless he only fishes when it is above freezing.. Nils are the best augers out there but just about any commercially made auger will suffice for a guy that only fishes a few times a year imo

Clam plate here also. I run a 6” lazer on it. Or I can put the handle on it if I need to.

would this be a good one?

https://www.fishusa.com/product/Nils-USA-Hand-Augers

I like the idea of not having to deal with an engine, fuel, or charging a battery to use the auger.

well that's no good!

Yes. The Ion will easily do that. Couple things with the electrics- It helps to keep that batteries warm. I've only used them a few times, but that is just what I've heard about keeping batteries warm from friends who have them. So if your out for a long cold day that could be a potential issue. Also, one of my favorite things about the electrics is that they have a reverse (at leasat the Ion does...), so that once the hole is drilled, you can you the reverse to push 95% the snow and ice shaving down the hole and under the ice instead of having to scoop them out of the hole or make a big messing trying to pull them out of the hole with the auger. The Ion does a really good job cutting holes in clean ice, if the ice has silt in it or the blades get dull, performance goes down alot.

As far as gas augers go- Had a Jiffy for a few years. One of the newish models (bought it in 2012 or so). When it was running, it cut great. But it was kinda of POS and I struggled alot with the throttle cable getting water in it and freezing. It was also pretty finicky and I had to be extra careful with keeping snow off of the power head when it was one the snowmachine sled. Got rid of that thing and got an Eskimo. It's been great so far. I've drilled hundreds of holes with it and it hasn't given me a lick of trouble (knock on wood).

The K-drill auger flytes cut really awesome and are light, but I just can't get on the 20V cordless drill bandwagon for drilling through any more than really thin ice. I have a k-drill flyte that I mated up to a Tanaka gas powered drill head. Had to have a custom adapter machined up to attach the flyte to the power head, but other than than it is awesome!

Right now a 10" ION runs about $650.00 delivered to the door. The 8" is $500.00 delivered.

If either ice fishing or setting traps through the ice, my choice is the 10".

Look at the bottom of a plastic 5 gallon bucket. Its just over 10".

That's a lot of room for my 160's set under the ice.