Power Augers

[Kybar]

I'm relatively new to the sport, and am currently using a hand auger for all of my fishing.  Just wondered what some of the veterans had to say about all of the power augers on the market.  I probably won't be able to afford one this year, but maybe I'll find a deal in the off season somewhere.  What would you guys recommend?

[Buck1985]

 I really like my Strikemaster Lazer hand auger

[fozsey]

It depends a lot on where you you will be going and what you fish for. Some here will tell you imphatically to buy a Nils. I think any of the reputable augers on the market will give you many trouble free years of service assuming you take care of them. I have a strikemaster mag ultra. I don't think they make them anymore. If I was buying another I would probably get another strikemaster although I personally have nothing against Nils, Jiffypop, Eskimo or any others.

[dkfry]

Power Auger Jiffy Stealth and hand auger Strikemaster Lazer. Spare blades for both. The last augers you'll have to buy.

[mcarolan]

The Guy I fish a lot with uses a Jiffy Lectric Auger powered by a small car battery, you can get about 35 holes in 3 foot of ice out of it before she starts to power out.
Good thing about it is that you pull up drop the tail bored and drill. Easy!

Makes a decent size hole too about 8 inch.

I've only got a hand Auger myself and when its thick ice it becomes a b***h and takes away valuable fishing time.

[fish_finder]

 They are definetly worth it! I used to do all my drilling with a 6inch hand auger until my fishing partner bought a gas powered one. Its a lot easier, quicker and makes a bigger hole which allows you to go after anything under the ice without worry whether it will fit or not.

[jconklin330]

2hp strikemaster

[coldbum]

Jiffy 3hp

[Kybar]

I guess I forgot to mention that I do most of my fishing in PA lakes and until this year, it's pretty rare to have much more than 12-18" of ice.  Thanks for the input guys.

[marble-eye03]

My friend just purchased a ESKIMO Z51. Great auger starts on the first or second pull. I use a power auger my father used its over 20 years old for sure. It resembles a strikemaster but the blades are diffrent, I have never been able to find replacements. Make sure you can find replacement parts, more specifically blades!

[Roacho]

I think they are all about the same. 


Personally - I have a Strikemaster Mag 2000 - it's a great unit.

[brookiebomber477]

everyone says jiffys the way to go but we just bought a brand new 3hp jiffy stealth and its a pain in the @$$. it takes awhile to get started, and takes even longer to warm up. she bogs down and dies halfway thru most holes, and water freezes on the "sidebiter" blades once you're done, meaning that you have to chip it off if you want to start cutting again. i don't know how much ice they get in penn. but if i were you i would get a used 2 hp auger for short money, most of the time in the early or late season i can cut more holes faster with a chisel anyway...

[fishingonly2002]

After half of a season with my jiffy lectric auger, I highly recomend it, no mixing gas and oil, no spills, no maintanence, lightwieght and drills like heck. very easy, to use, no troubles startting it up, plug it in and go!

~Neal

[-ADKIceman]

I started out this year with a lazer 8" hand... I came to the conclusion that I can chip Ice faster with a spud bar. I just bought a 10" jiffy model 31 that Dick's had on sale for 349.95. The 8" hand was fine with 4 or 5 inches of ice, but anymore than that your gonna get tired. I traded the 8" hand in for a 5" Lazer hand for perch and use the 10" for my tip-ups... LOVE IT!!

best move I ever made

[GAMBELL]

I don't really think it depends on the brand.  They are all about equal in quality.  Besides Tecumsa makes the motors for most of the major brands.  If you take care of it, it will last a long time.  My gas auger is 14 years old.  My father has one that is going on 20 years old.  I have a jiffy model 30.  My father has an eskimo auger.  I own 2 strkemaster lazer hand augers.  They are also a well made product. 

[Archer 58]

Just purchased( 2 weeks ago) a strikelite 4 cycle 2 hp,weighs 20lbs .This is my first power auger it works and starts just fine,also have a 6" lazer hand auger.

[Oldfart]

3 hp Jiffy can drill to China. I also keep a 6" hand auger in the truck for the days with big snowstorms. Its great for sneaking into areas that are posted by the state. No one can hear you drilling in those old gravel pits and farm ponds and its too cold and snowy for the cops to hike 2 miles into the woods to kick you out. They just look at me and my truck and have to be thinking " if your that crazy about ice fishing, go for it". I'm not talking about breaking game laws, just want to fish alone. Couldnt drag a 3 horse over those hills very far.

[Roacho]

One item of note is that each auger seems to bring it's own demons. 

Every unit I've ever used has required it's own combanation of choking, priming, pulling, etc.... to get it started.  They are kind of like wives...... each one gets revved up a little differently.

[putback]

everyone says jiffys the way to go but we just bought a brand new 3hp jiffy stealth and its a pain in the @$$. it takes awhile to get started, and takes even longer to warm up. she bogs down and dies halfway thru most holes, and water freezes on the "sidebiter" blades once you're done, meaning that you have to chip it off if you want to start cutting again. i don't know how much ice they get in penn. but if i were you i would get a used 2 hp auger for short money, most of the time in the early or late season i can cut more holes faster with a chisel anyway...

Now theres at least two of us. Wife got me a jiffy legend for x-mass, same *^% @$#& set of problems. Tie a rope on it for a boat anchor. Went back to my 25 year old 2 HP. Tass. Never fails.

[KingFisher1]

Now theres at least two of us. Wife got me a jiffy legend for x-mass, same *^% @$#& set of problems. Tie a rope on it for a boat anchor. Went back to my 25 year old 2 HP. Tass. Never fails.

Well, you can make that three. I just bought one and right out of the box I'm having problems starting it and keeping it running. I was hoping it might just need the idle adjusted or something. Now I'm considering taking it back to the store and getting a different model.

[JJ]

The 3 hp Jiffy's will run forever, but the newer 3 hp engines have given a lot of people problems. I believe since they came under emissions restrictions the carbs haven't worked properly.

[shortpole]

I've had a 3 horse 10" strikemaster lazer for about 7 yrs and love it.  Yeah it's heavy but boy does it cut some ice!  Only b***h I have is the price of blades.  Paid $46 for a set this year.  I just mailed 3 sets to fish307.com for exchange for a total of $34.95.  After reading this thread I think I'm gonna invest in a 6" lazer hand auger as well.

[slabcrab]

Is it normal for an auger to bog down?  Mine never used to do that but for some reason, this year it bogs down on the first hole only.  Changed the plug, etc; seems like it takes longer now to warm it up, guess that comes with age.  Anyone have a solution?  Yea, I put the throttle on full bore and let it spin for 10 secs on top of the ice before I put any pressure on it, that works too but I shouldnt have to be doing that.  Machine is a 3 y/o Strikemaster.

[wyogator]

I wonder if you could buy an old jiffy or strikemaster and put an Echo engine on it.  Then it would run forever.

[ice dawg]

Someone on IS was going to put a chainsaw engine on an auger last year. Anyone heard any reports. I think is was someone up in Trapper Dirk's neck of the woods. How about it TD??? I bet that would be a ripper.

[putback]

Is it normal for an auger to bog down?  Mine never used to do that but for some reason, this year it bogs down on the first hole only.  Changed the plug, etc; seems like it takes longer now to warm it up, guess that comes with age.  Anyone have a solution?  Yea, I put the throttle on full bore and let it spin for 10 secs on top of the ice before I put any pressure on it, that works too but I shouldnt have to be doing that.  Machine is a 3 y/o Strikemaster.

sounds like the old "varnish" problem, fuel left in engine long term without stabilizer. Might try a little fuel system cleaner, may have to disassemble carb and clean.

[PreperationH]

strike master and jiffy(or somethin like that )seem to be the popular brands

[lotwfisher]

I have an eskimo 2hp...its is really a chainsaw engine, it used to have a 10" eskimo blade but it didnt cut good so I bought a 8" strikemaster drill assembly for it and I love it....runs great and it cuts fast as heck.

[Perchonmypole]

sounds like the old "varnish" problem, fuel left in engine long term without stabilizer. Might try a little fuel system cleaner, may have to disassemble carb and clean.

2nd that.

[JJ]

Add SeaFoam to the gas to clean the carb.