If
you are drilling and
moving all through your day in search of your elusive prey and you find
yourself drilling through 2-3 feet of ice each time,an ice auger and
preferably a power auger is the solution for you.
Once again winter has arrived and many anglers are thinking of what
upgrades to their equipment will make their day more enjoyable out on
the ice. An ice auger should be number one on their upgrade list. Many
times an angler will pick an auger too big for their needs. It is very
rare to need a hole over 8 inches, keep this in mind when thinking
about the auger that is right for you. The bigger the hole, the more
torque you will need to drill through the ice. Obviously torque will
not be a problem with a power auger, however the bigger the power
auger, the more it weighs.
Hand
Augers:
Hand augers are a time tested
method for drilling a hole
through the ice. Generally speaking hand augers are lighter then the
power auger. Expense wise they are more economical than a power auger
and cut down on what you need to bring out with you on your trip. They
do not require fuel or oil and are much quieter than a power model.
They usually come in 3 sizes, a 4 inch a 6 inch and an 8 inch with the
6 inch being the most common. The most important consideration when
choosing a hand auger is the depth of the ice you will be drilling
through. Bit size and the depth of the ice you will be augering through
will determine how many holes you will be willing or able to drill
throughout your day.
Power
Augers:
Power augers are available in
many sizes and have as many
features as you are willing to pay for. Two stroke power augers have
been the mainstay for many years. These augers do a great job of
drilling but have the inconvience of having to mix your oil and gas
making sure you have the proper mix. They are also worse for the
environment as one of the byproducts of their use is oil residue. This
residue will find its way onto anything it comes in contact with, such
as clothing, gear, ice tents etc. The newer four stroke power ice
augers are much quieter and run cleaner than the older two stroke
models. The new 4 stroke power augers also have the advantage of not
needing to premix the oil and gas making it much simpler for the novice
ice fisherman. The one disadvantage if you want to call it that is
price. The newer 4 stroke power ice augers cost a little more than the
old 2 stroke models.
Anglers interested in power ice augers also have one more option to
choose from. The electric power ice auger combines the power and
reduced weight of the newer 4 stroke models and are extremely
environmentally friendly. They usually come with a rechargeable battery
which produces zero fumes and is extremely quiet. Think about taking
along an extra 12 volt battery to increase your drilling time.
Blades:
Blades have remained basically the same for many years. Single blade,
double blade and for the best in ice cutting power, the 4 blade bit.
The newest innovation in bit technology is the serrated blade. These
bits are designed to chew at a small section of ice and generally speed
cutting time. A blade with a power point tip is a good investment as it
will aid in keeping the blade steady almost eliminating wobble which
you find with more traditional bits. As always keep your bits sharp.
Blade
Covers:
because of the augers sharp blades they have the tendency to cut up
everything they come in contact with. By using a blade cover you will
reduce or eliminate this problem.
Ice
Cleats:
by purchasing a pair of ice cleats you will ensure you will
have good stable footing when starting up your power or hand ice auger.
Spark Plug: carry an extra
spark plug with you on your ice
fishing
trip, you never know when you might need it.
Be
sure to stop by our Ice
Fishing Store, we have something
for every hard water angler
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