IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Maine => Ice Fishing Maine => Topic started by: nateicefisherman1984 on Dec 26, 2018, 09:52 AM
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I find myself in need of a new power auger. Id prefer it to be light. What would anyone here recommend and why ?
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Helpful info for everyone to know to respond better for you would be, what size of auger do you like to use? How thick of ice do you usually have ( chance of drilling in dirty ice) ? How many holes do you drill during a outing? Should get you lots of suggestions .
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I am looking to get an 8 " auger. I fish all over New England. Ice depth can be deep enough that I use an extension. Depending on the day I could be drilling 5-50 holes.
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Clam Plate, Quality brushless drill, Add an 8 inch hand auger of your choice.
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Ion
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if you don't want to buy a dedicated auger here is an option.
the lightest auger is the eskimo pistol. i use strikemaster lazers in three sizes.
the plate will add weight and bulk and not needed. and they are having wobble issues with them anyway.
the strongest right angle/pistol grip drill, which is 1300 inch pounds is the ridgid octane and it is free when buying ridgid"s octane 9amp battery/charger kit at home depot. comes with a lifetime warranty. simply register your tools. this will turn any hand auger bit.
https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=362605.0
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Ion
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if you don't want to buy a dedicated auger here is an option.
the lightest auger is the eskimo pistol. i use strikemaster lazers in three sizes.
the plate will add weight and bulk and not needed. and they are having wobble issues with them anyway.
the strongest right angle/pistol grip drill, which is 1300 inch pounds is the ridgid octane and it is free when buying ridgid"s octane 9amp battery/charger kit at home depot. comes with a lifetime warranty. simply register your tools.
https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=362605.0
I just went with this setup. Waiting for my "Free" drill to arrive to test it out. The Pistol auger weighs under 4 pounds so the whole thing should end up around 10 pounds. Way lighter than my Jiffy Propane that shall primarily remain in the shack to drill jig holes.
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I don't know anyone who doesn't love his Ion. I am very impressed with my 40 volt Strikemaster Lazer after one season. I don't feel confident about the drill and clam plate setup. Cordless drills are better and stronger than ever but none of them is designed to drill 8" holes through 2 feet of ice.
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Ion or strikemaster electric.
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Ion
The Ion is one of the top ice fishing invesments I've ever made. It is a wondeful Auger-- light, durable, and performs really well even in the harshest conditions. :tipup:
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Ion.
Stay away from jiffy, products don't last and terrible support. Experienced both first hand with my propane jiffy, junk.
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if you don't want to buy a dedicated auger here is an option.
the lightest auger is the eskimo pistol. i use strikemaster lazers in three sizes.
the plate will add weight and bulk and not needed. and they are having wobble issues with them anyway.
the strongest right angle/pistol grip drill, which is 1300 inch pounds is the ridgid octane and it is free when buying ridgid"s octane 9amp battery/charger kit at home depot. comes with a lifetime warranty. simply register your tools. this will turn any hand auger bit.
https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=362605.0
Don't rely on the numbers posted by the drill companies. Not saying they are necessarily wrong, just there is no real way to know for sure how accurate they are. Not saying it won't work, or that it isn't a good drill, but there is a reason most professionals use yellow, red, or blue tools.
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My vote would be the ion the technology there is just were it’s at . I have the 8” ion and 8” propane Eskimo I thought I loved my Eskimo until I bought the ion. I have owned jiffy gas and propane and had terrible experiences just my $0.02 .
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I just got caught up in all the ridgid octane hype because I needed a new drill and battery and already had a hand auger to pair it with for double duty and early ice. I have used it three times thus far and rips ice once it gets started although we only have 6-8". I am impressed with the 9ah battery, I have purposely been leaving it on the ice in the cold to test, still at three bars.
Having said that, it would not be my primary auger if only had one. Although not light as far as your criteria, the old jiffy will be riding on the digger auger amount once we get fishing for real. The jiffy will be around long after these drills, ions, etc. are dead and buried. With a quart of true fuel, you'll drill all winter and have no ethanol related issues. I bet you can find a good used model 30 with a little effort. Stay away from propane augers, heaviest and struggle in really cold weather, atleast the ones I have seen.
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I'm extremely pleased with my Trophy Strike 120 volt auger.
Great battery life, fast drilling (last year I drilled 3 holes through nearly 2 feet of solid black ice in just under 30 seconds)...
I can punch 70-90 holes through that same thickness black ice and still have plenty of battery charge remaining...
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Depending on how light you want to go I'd get an Eskimo Mako, which has a 43cc motor and weighs 32 pounds or if you want to go really light I'd go with the Eskimo F1 Rocket, which has a 33cc motor and weighs 22 pounds. Either of these are good augers that won't put you in the poor house and will last as long as you don't beat the crap out of them. Personally I'd be willing to deal with a bit more weight for the added power, especially if you're in an area that gets lots of ice, because I'm so use to my auger weighing around 30 pounds but that's just me. I saw a few videos of the F1 Rocket and it definitely get's the job done. I haven't used one personally but if and when I do I might be thinking the other way around.
Mako:
https://www.geteskimo.com/Product/8840/8-inch-f1-rocket-auger
F1 Rocket:
https://www.geteskimo.com/Product/8840/8-inch-f1-rocket-auger
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I have the 8" and 10" ION X and the 10" Jiffy Propane, I prefer the ION X, Great customer service! when they first came out the auger bottoms weren't designed correctly and when I called them to ask they sent me the upgraded augers no question. The ION is MUCH lighter than the jiffy!
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I got the Kdrill setup last year with the Milwaukee drill. I used it for a bit, then got the clam plate, more for ease of storage than anything else. It adds a little weight but it sure makes it easier when setting it down after drilling, and truthfully, for me, it is a bit easier when you are drilling through a lot of ice. A buddy got a jiffy 8" auger last year and was kind of bragging about it, so we lined them up and my set up was much faster going through 18" of ice. I use the drill all year, so while it is an expense it isn't just an ice fishing expense. It is light, easy to use and I bring two batteries with me and haven't had any issues yet. Sebago Bait was great to work with when I bought the Kdrill. Now can't wait to use it again this year!
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I have had good luck with my Ion. Its light, easy to handle, drills with ease and always starts! ;D
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I LOVE my Ion 10" so far... got it at the beginning of last season and it was great until I buried the blades in sand! d'oh! Replacement blades are only $40 so not too bad (because I have yet to find a way to sharpen the curved blades with any perfection...)
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Get an older Jiffy. For $5 a year in gas and oil it will be running much longer and for way less money than anything electric.
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Get an older Jiffy. For $5 a year in gas and oil it will be running much longer and for way less money than anything electric.
But you will go broke on Advil and Tylenol after drilling 50 holes with a 60 lb auger. My Jiffy 30 has been retired for the electric age. The weight is one part of it... the real bonus of the drill based augers is how much smaller the footprint of the equipment is. I have actually been able to retool my entire pull sled into a much smaller, lighter and mobile setup. I will admit to missing the 10" holes... those are pretty nice. But other than that...
(https://i.imgur.com/OG2hHwW.jpg)
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I don't miss the 10" hole . People were stepping in them and lost my biggest Brown because he was able to turn around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I only started ice fishing 5 years ago, and went with the drill and clam plate rout from the start. I can’t imagine hauling one of those gas engines around, especially for the run and gun hole hopping I do. Absolutely no problems with lithium batteries and the cold. The only time my drill ever stop on me from overheating, was during a torture test. I was checkerboading the pond, punching a hole every 5 paces non stop to see what it was capable of.
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I have an older 3 horse Jiffy (15 years ) strong as an ox and rips 10 inch holes no problem. I tried to upgrade to a propane jiffy last year. Not impressed. Keep the propane bottle warm and it starts right up even at 10 below. But it's pretty weak in all honesty. Just my 2 cents
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Get an older Jiffy. For $5 a year in gas and oil it will be running much longer and for way less money than anything electric.
X2. Plus there's nothing like the blat of a Jiffy auger at first light on a cold morning @)
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I have the K Drill with a Milwaukee drill Clam plate setup. It's quiet, no smelly fuel, and light weight. What a difference without the Jiffy ... my back doesn't hurt anymore and my hands don't stink! My son has the Ion and loves it. Either one would make you happy. If you go with the Milwaukee make sure you get at least the 9ah battery.
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But you will go broke on Advil and Tylenol after drilling 50 holes with a 60 lb auger. My Jiffy 30 has been retired for the electric age. The weight is one part of it...
My ATV doesn't complain about the extra weight of carrying it around ;D
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all the electrics are great until you have some slush layers, then they are useless. i have the ion 8in . i just sold and strikemaster 10in lazer electric 50 amp and both completely stall out drilling w/ any slush in the hole. ask temper. he has the 8in kdrill w/ the same issue. keep your old jiffy for the late season ice. ;)
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all the electrics are great until you have some slush layers, then they are useless. i have the ion 8in . i just sold and strikemaster 10in lazer electric 50 amp and both completely stall out drilling w/ any slush in the hole. ask temper. he has the 8in kdrill w/ the same issue. keep your old jiffy for the late season ice. ;)
I have the 8" Strikemaster 40 volt and I didn't have any issues drilling through slush or late season ice. It outperforms my old Jiffy in every condition so far. My last day on the ice last spring there was 6" of slush on top of the ice.
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Keep up the rpms and slush should not be an issue With poly coated and poly fins water and slush should not freeze on.
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No problems with slush with mine either just gotta give it a couple twerks once your out of the hole to spin the junk off.
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I’ve never had a problem with slush using my drill and lazer hand auger either.
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I’ve never had a problem with slush using my drill and lazer hand auger either.
Its not slush that is the issue. Late season when there is close to 3’ of ice and there are layers to that ice that fill your hole with water the k-drill anyway will not cut with the hole full of water, it will however make a Milwaukee Fuel drill smoke!
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like he said. once that water fills in with the shavings in the hole its like trying to turn concrete! my 50 amp strikemaster lazer elect. couldn't turn it either. nearly killed myself trying to cut one hole! no water layer, no problem. you southern guys don't see that too often so you should be ok. up north here we have 2 layers frequently in the later season. the ol' jiffy 30 still has the power to turn it and punch thru.
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I got the Kdrill setup last year with the Milwaukee drill. I used it for a bit, then got the clam plate, more for ease of storage than anything else. It adds a little weight but it sure makes it easier when setting it down after drilling, and truthfully, for me, it is a bit easier when you are drilling through a lot of ice. A buddy got a jiffy 8" auger last year and was kind of bragging about it, so we lined them up and my set up was much faster going through 18" of ice. I use the drill all year, so while it is an expense it isn't just an ice fishing expense. It is light, easy to use and I bring two batteries with me and haven't had any issues yet. Sebago Bait was great to work with when I bought the Kdrill. Now can't wait to use it again this year!
Have to agree here....I have a milwaukee m18 fuel w/ 1200 in-lb of torque, the clam auger plate, and a lazer auger, 8". Whole setup weighs ~12 lbs making it great for relocating/moving around during the day. I bring 2, 18v 5ah batteries with me. One of those batteries on a full charge gets me through ~ 400" of ice, which is about 30 holes in a foot of ice. Ive yet to have a day where Ive run out of juice. Ive also had no issues with this setup in any conditions. As far as the batteries go....milwaukee is all that needs to be said. When the ice melts? it doesnt get tossed in the garage till next year, you have a nice drill to use as well. Would 100% recommend this setup
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like he said. once that water fills in with the shavings in the hole its like trying to turn concrete! my 50 amp strikemaster lazer elect. couldn't turn it either. nearly killed myself trying to cut one hole! no water layer, no problem. you southern guys don't see that too often so you should be ok. up north here we have 2 layers frequently in the later season. the ol' jiffy 30 still has the power to turn it and punch thru.
I didn't run into the "water layer" ice last year here on Chaumont Bay, but know from past experiences it is like concrete to try and cut through..
That being said, I'm curious how my 120 volt Trophy Strike will handle it, or if I'll have to crack out one of my old Jiffy model 30's....
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Thank you teampar and jacksmelt for being the guineas and giving honest reviews about electric augers for the rest of us in the county. With all the electric hype I almost took the plunge myself. And the k-drill only 7.5" auger couldn't cut it. There is no replacement for displacement IMO.
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Its not slush that is the issue. Late season when there is close to 3’ of ice and there are layers to that ice that fill your hole with water the k-drill anyway will not cut with the hole full of water, it will however make a Milwaukee Fuel drill smoke!
Hmmm... never had that happen with mine. You wouldn't happen to be a guy with a lot of bad luck like hammers breaking or trees that you're cutting down falling on you? ;-)
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Hmmm... never had that happen with mine. You wouldn't happen to be a guy with a lot of bad luck like hammers breaking or trees that you're cutting down falling on you? ;-)
How did you know?? ;D Honestly, I love my k-drill. We get more ice then most up here and it has performed as advertised. The 2 biggest cons I can say about it...Its not a true 8" hole, which is a very big deal in the extreme cold temps we get up here and if your cutting through 3' of ice and after the first foot there is layers with water and that hole fills with water with still close to 2' feet to go it will not cut, you will however burn up your drill(in my case the Milwaukee). IMHO the Milwaukee/k-drill set will work great up here depending on temp/ice conditions. I will continue to use it as much as conditions allow, I will however always have my 1985 Jiffy 10" model 30 with a tank full of Truefuel waiting for action! I have been kicking around the idea of a Nils or Eskimo Pistol grip to get the true 8" hole for my electric set-up...But another 220 bucks is it really worth it. ???
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Concerns of burning up a drill motor is why I didn't go with a clam plate or other adapter. Milwaukee, Bosch, etc make geat drills but they are not engineered to turn a bit anywhere near as heavy as an ice auger. Add in the work of lifting ice shavings and chips 2-3 feet and you are greatly exceeding what the drill was intended to do.
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IMO if u want a true electric auger that replaces gas, ion strike master or trophy strike are the only way to go.
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IMO if u want a true electric auger that replaces gas, ion strike master or trophy strike are the only way to go.
i have the strikemaster 50 amp lithium lazer and it has the same issues with water layers as the k drill does. 98% of the time it works great. you won't know its a issue until you encounter it then is game over for the day.
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A guy is headed into Ross or Chamberlain for a week, night time lows of -25 and 2-3' of ice, you own a ridgid or Milwaukee setup, a propane auger, and a 30 year old jiffy 30. Which one is going to make the trip with you? If any says anything but the model 30, they are a baldface liar.😚😁
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I would bring my 40 volt Strikemaster with the Jiffy as a backup. I did that for a 3 day trip to Chesuncook and Ambajejus lakes last winter. We never started the Jiffy. Two batteries were enough for 3 people for 3 days.
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A guy is headed into Ross or Chamberlain for a week, night time lows of -25 and 2-3' of ice, you own a ridgid or Milwaukee setup, a propane auger, and a 30 year old jiffy 30. Which one is going to make the trip with you? If any says anything but the model 30, they are a baldface liar.😚😁
the mod 30 is coming. ;)
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I have the ION X and kept my Propane Jiffy for Slush season :P
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I would bring my 40 volt Strikemaster with the Jiffy as a backup. I did that for a 3 day trip to Chesuncook and Ambajejus lakes last winter. We never started the Jiffy. Two batteries were enough for 3 people for 3 days.
and the 30 will add 50 lbs to your sled
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The only way the 30 would leave the truck is in someone else's sled. I would rather hand crank a sharp Nils than lug that overweight beast around the ice.
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Hand crank through 2 1/2 foot of ice, lol. Go for it, I'll haul my pro4. You must be one of the guys I see who drills a hole and sits there all day, if he catches anything or not, because he doesn't want to have to cut another hole!
clearly have never used a sharp nils.
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I bought a used Nils that had been sharpened on the wrong side. I sent it back to have it sharpened and a couple of weeks later it came back and it would not cut finally gave it away. I paid 60 bucks for it used and the sharpening cost that or more.
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Hand crank through 2 1/2 foot of ice, lol. Go for it, I'll haul my pro4. You must be one of the guys I see who drills a hole and sits there all day, if he catches anything or not, because he doesn't want to have to cut another hole!
clearly have never used a sharp nils.
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There have been many days that I cranked 25+ holes through 2 1/2 feet of ice. Frequently I would drill 2 holes 6"apart, one for the transducer and one for my line. The biggest reason I bought my battery powered Strikemaster was for the 8" hole. I had a Jiffy for many years. When it died I used the Nils for a couple years. Now I have the Strikemaster. The number of holes I drill in a day of fishing has not changed because of using different augers. 30-36 inches of ice is normal where I fish.
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There have been many days that I cranked 25+ holes through 2 1/2 feet of ice. Frequently I would drill 2 holes 6"apart, one for the transducer and one for my line. The biggest reason I bought my battery powered Strikemaster was for the 8" hole. I had a Jiffy for many years. When it died I used the Nils for a couple years. Now I have the Strikemaster. The number of holes I drill in a day of fishing has not changed because of using different augers. 30-36 inches of ice is normal where I fish.
I couldn’t agree more. I used a nils for years thru 2’ of ice. I have a 10” ion now but the thick ice never stopped me before.
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If the ice gets too thick I'll go back to using the Nils. It has a longer bit than my Lazer.
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My jiffy propane auger is nothing more than a paper weight now. The plastic timing gear and rubber band timing belt failed me, in fact it never had the power it should have because of these cheap parts jiffy uses. That combined with their horrible customer support has made me choose to never buy another jiffy product. You may love your jiffy propane now, but it's a time bomb waiting to fail you.
Couldn't be happier with my ion x.
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I didn't realize it when I bought it that the Nils was an upgrade from the Jiffy. If battery power doesn't work out in the long run I'll go back to the Nils before I go back to an internal combustion auger. I'll try a 7 or 8 inch before going back to my 6 inch Nils. I won't know if the larger hole is worth the additional effort until I try.
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I have a 10 inch Eskimo for 15 years and wouldnt trade it for anything....to me gas rules, doesnt bind up, plenty of power and no freezing issues, its a little heavy, but worth it to me as i have no worries about performance
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After 3 Jiffy's and using numerous other brands these past 40 years I decided to go electric. Watched every conceivable video, read discussions on forums and actually talked to people that used the drill setups (great for weight savings) and Lithium purpose built augers. Settled on the Strikemaster 40v Lithium. Guys and gals I'm telling you, the auger is a beast on the ice. Totally impressed. Used it on Moosehead with my son Saturday, granted, only 13 to 14" of ice but we drilled 27 holes with a 10" auger and at the end of the day I still had 3 of 4 bars left. My last Jiffy Pro 3 HP with 10" auger was just not fun drilling for the grandkids or multiple locations. I let everyone that "wants" to try drilling a hole do so just so they can make comparisons. ONLY drawback is the price, $600+ but I consider it a key component of my ice fishing enjoyment. By the way, my Jiffy's were totally dependable over the years, just HEAVY!
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X2. Plus there's nothing like the blat of a Jiffy auger at first light on a cold morning @)
AGREED!
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My husband bought me my own auger for Christmas!!! I now use a strike master electric with a 10" bit. It is light, only about 22 lbs and I can carry it and drill holes as long as I want! It is a beast drilling holes! The only thing you hear is the ice cutting! No funes, no pulling to start! Just push the button and off I go! I'd highly recommend it!
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I bought an Eskimo 8" Hand Auger-60 bucks. Bought a Brocraft drill bit adapter-15 Bucks and I already had a 20 Volt Dewalt drill. Its works awesome, just hold onto it when it get down towards the crusty ice on the bottom..
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all the electrics are great until you have some slush layers, then they are useless. i have the ion 8in . i just sold and strikemaster 10in lazer electric 50 amp and both completely stall out drilling w/ any slush in the hole. ask temper. he has the 8in kdrill w/ the same issue. keep your old jiffy for the late season ice. ;)
Never go anywhere w/o your backup!!! It won’t do you any good in your shed!!!
I AM looking HARD at that Strikemaster 40V for next year. OH YEAH, My birthday is June 15. ;D :angel :icefish: