Power Auger

[shakedownstreet]

I apologize in advance if this topic has circulated a few dozen times already, but I am getting interested in laker fishing and thinking of getting an 8 or 10" power auger. I have a 5" hand auger now because I mainly go for perch and crappy. There seems to be a pretty good deal on a new Strikemaster Magnum and I am close to pulling the trigger on it. I have read some threads already from previous years on different power auger preferences etc. but if anyone has current experiences they would like to share, I am all ears. Thanks.

[beershanty]

get an 8"... u can lose way too many things down the 10"hole. A flasher can easily fit down one and I've watched guys have a leg fall thru 10" holes in late ice when they don't completely freeze back over. 10" could be dangerous for small kids too. 

[rugermag]

you can get a hell of a fish through an 8" hole. That should be plenty.

[Pickeralpicker91]

Yeah don't get a 10 inch one.   10 inches is just too big.

[shakedownstreet]

Maybe that's part of he reason it is such a good deal. The same one in an 8" is actually $50 more. Kinda sux because I really dont want to spend that extra dough. I didn't think about losing fish though. I am definitely not interested in that.

[trapper2000]

i  just  got the strikemaster honda  four  stroke  from bass pro in  auburn  for  379 bucks   it  came with a  8 inch and  i  must say i love  the machine   thats a great sale but call them to see  if they have any left

[shakedownstreet]

Sounds like a great deal, especially for a Honda. I was looking at a 10.25" for 300 even. That's really a lot for me me to justify on its own. Not saying 379 is a bad price at all but I wanted to keep it $300 or less for something decent.

[shakedownstreet]

I didn't consider having my sonar fall though a 10" hole. That did it for me. Thanks. I am in pursuit of an 8.

[oldtrapper]

Never lost a sonar down a 10" hole and that's 30 years of using one . I have both an 8 " and 10" auger . I've never seen or heard of anyone losing a sonar down even a 10" hole but I guess anything is possible .

TD

[Kevin23]

If you want to stay cheap you should look at eskimos. They aren't the fastest, they aren't the most reliable.. but they are cheap and run great. Check out L&M supply, they usually have good deals on power augers. Glens army/navy is another good one this time of year if they have put their augers on sale already.

[shakedownstreet]

Lol.... I guess I opened up a small can of worms. Good information though. I can get a 10.25" for 300 even and its the lowest price new that I can find. It's a strectch for me but I would like one. I wouldn't really use it until the ice got over 15 inches or so. My 6" works fine. I just want something for lakers or bigger fish and when there is more ice than I feel like drilling through. I just don't want to get an 8" hand auger if even the best one is hard to get through a lot of ice.

[nwifisherman]

I am very happy with my eskimo z51 8".  Got it for $315 from landmsupply.com and had free shipping.  Glad I got 8" instead of 10" because it drills quicker, blades are cheaper, its plenty big for fishing (almost too big as I already dropped some stuff down the hole), and weighs a little less. Only way I could justify a 10" is if I sight fished a lot but I have a camera so I rarely look down the hole.

[Kevin23]

Here is a great buy if you can justify an extra $50. http://www.landmsupply.com/department/sporting-goods/ice-fishing/augers/strikemaster-8-lazer-mag-power-auger

[shakedownstreet]

The one for 300 I looked at is a Magnum 10". The same Magnum in 8" is 350 with shipping included.

[Drillguy33]

Where are you finding it for $300?

[Kevin23]

Unless you drill through some really dirty ice or need to open old holes, I suggest you go for the 8" lazer mag.

You can get the magnum 8.25" for $329 and free shipping from reeds sporting goods. But $350 is retail price, and 329 or 300 really isnt a fantastic deal. The lazer mag I linked to for $350 with free shipping retails for $450.

[shakedownstreet]

That might be the cheapest price around. I had a conversation earlier about the chipper blades vs. dual sets. I have heard the same thing, that unless you are going through dirty ice, it isn't necessary. One thing I did hear though is that the blade stays sharp for a long time and can be sharpened easily. What's the advantage of a lazer mag with the regular blades?

[shakedownstreet]

Same thing with the 10" that I am talking about. It goes for at least 400 and beyond, so 300 even is a great deal. I don't see the lazer mag for 350 like you are talking about.

[dog4up7]

just checked now at Bass Pro in Auburn they have no more, catalog wants 579 HA HA kinda price. guy was a jerk at the catalog. would not budge on his 579 price.

[shakedownstreet]

Well it's a done deal. I have one coming. I bit the bullet and made a decision. Now....I can wait to get it and punch a mess of holes! Work is getting in the way of my ice fishing. Well...so is the snow, wind, and extreme cold. Sound kinda wimpy huh?

[Kevin23]

What's the advantage of a lazer mag with the regular blades?

Cuts a lot quicker, uses less gas, and you can find replacement blades at most shops if you ever need them in a pinch. Same thing for the 8" vs 10". You rarely see 10" blades around here, but every shop has 8". 8" cuts twice as fast as the 10" and uses less gas. Plus 8" is a lot safer than 10".

I've heard dozens of guys on here ask where to buy a lazer bit for their magnum, but I have yet to hear someone ask for a magnum bit for their lazer (the auger portion is interchangeable with all strikemaster powerheads).


Congrats on your new purchase, any gas auger is better than no gas auger. 

[shakedownstreet]

Gee...I wish I saw that. Seems like a smoking deal too. I wonder if I can cancel my magnum order for a lazer mag. I am thinking not since I just received a tracking number. I am not a speed demon but I don't want to sit there drilling for 30 seconds or more while a lazer mag would do it in 10. I have seen good reviews basically for both. I dont fish in sandy dirty lakes ever. Is the Magnum really that slow? I did read that the Magnum blades last a long time too, which was a selling point for me.

[Kevin23]

No, you won't be taking 30 seconds to drill unless you are drilling through 30+ inches of ice. Lazers are twice as fast because... well.. there are two blades. Now that itself doesn't account for twice the speed, but add that with the shaving style vs the chipping style and you get a faster auger... much faster. I do think you will be happy with your magnum, they are bullet proof. Like I said, any auger is better than no auger.

[shakedownstreet]

Well, maybe I'll just keep it. I don't plan on drilling 10 holes at once it would be nice if I could do a few. Not to belabor the point but whats the difference lets say between magnum and lazer on 24" of ice.

[Layne]

I honestly have  hard time even fishing out of an 8 inch hole now that I have a 10" auger, a 10" is almost a must if you use a sonar and plan to catch big fish.

Good luck with your new gear!

[shakedownstreet]

Thanks, Layne. Well, the one I am getting is 8.25" to be exact. I have heard twice as many negatives about 10" than 8" augers. Whatever works for ya though. I can't see many fish not landing out of an 8 1/4" hole. Should be plenty big enough. After agonizing for the past week I decided on keeping the Magnum when it gets here. I talked to a rep from where I bought it and he said he has used the magnum and lazer and likes them both. He said that magnum wasn't that noticibly slower and the blades last a lot longer. He has an Eskimo with a chipper blade and hasn't replaced it yet. He said people with lazers (and who use them a lot of course) usually change their blades once a year. not a huge deal really. I wont even use the power auger for the whole season, just when the ice gets over 8" or so.

[Layne]

Thanks, Layne. Well, the one I am getting is 8.25" to be exact. I have heard twice as many negatives about 10" than 8" augers. Whatever works for ya though. I can't see many fish not landing out of an 8 1/4" hole. Should be plenty big enough. After agonizing for the past week I decided on keeping the Magnum when it gets here. I talked to a rep from where I bought it and he said he has used the magnum and lazer and likes them both. He said that magnum wasn't that noticibly slower and the blades last a lot longer. He has an Eskimo with a chipper blade and hasn't replaced it yet. He said people with lazers (and who use them a lot of course) usually change their blades once a year. not a huge deal really. I wont even use the power auger for the whole season, just when the ice gets over 8" or so.

Nothing wrong with an 8" man, I've got plenty of big fish up an 8" hole before it just takes more finesse. Drilling will be quicker and easier.

$300 for a brand new auger is a wicked deal, will surely beat cutting my hand.

[shakedownstreet]

OK so...because I sometimes get stuck on stupid, I decided to change my mind and return the Magnum and get the Lazer Mag. The place I was going to get the magnum said to just not accept delivery and it will be sent back without me having to pay for shipping. The place where I ordered the Lazer Mag from said he will honor the $350 price even though it is now $399 there. It is a lot more most everywhere else. Hopefully I'll be able to even get out again this season and use it. There is a ton of snow on top of the ice and there is no way I'd be able to walk through it right now anyway. I'll just start the auger in my garage for fun.

[kpd145]

Gee...I wish I saw that. Seems like a smoking deal too. I wonder if I can cancel my magnum order for a lazer mag. I am thinking not since I just received a tracking number. I am not a speed demon but I don't want to sit there drilling for 30 seconds or more while a lazer mag would do it in 10. I have seen good reviews basically for both. I dont fish in sandy dirty lakes ever. Is the Magnum really that slow? I did read that the Magnum blades last a long time too, which was a selling point for me.

My magnum is a 10" chipper blade, I prefer this because I do not need a replacement set, I am not worried about cutting sand, wood, frozen fish, opening old holes, cutting through someone's fire pit that froze over and I could not see.  I can also sharpen the chipper blade myself in about 15 minutes.

My magnum is not slow nor is it fast ( if I wanted fast, I would strap on a chainsaw engine  )

I have no issues with other guys around me getting holes drilled 10 seconds faster than me because I am not in a competition for hole drilling 

IMO chipper blades are much more dependable and longer lasting per blade than non-chipper types blades.

I only wish I could of had 2 chipper blades instead of just one on my auger bit.

[shakedownstreet]

KPD.... I was actually interested in getting a Magnum for those very reasons that you mentioned - and because of the smoking deal I could have gotten on one. Thing is, I don't fish in sandy, dirty ice, over logs/sticks, etc.... I ice fish in a handful of lakes and only one has a concentration of clay/mud in the water, and maybe a few weeds. That's it. I love the idea of never having to change out your blades and having an auger that is super dependable. I just wanted a little more speed without compromising quality - and I got a great deal on the lazer mag as well.