Any hand auger guys?

Anyone here rip a hand auger for the whole season? After my ion’s transmission broke last winter, I was stuck to a hand auger and was pleasantly surprised about how much easier it was then I thought it would be. I was still able to punch around 30 holes a day through a couple feet of ice. It takes a little bit longer and is a little more work than a power auger, but a little faster hole drilling just doesn’t seem like it’s worth 500 bucks to me. Plus you don’t have to worry about battery, I remember there were plenty of times where I was limited on how many holes I could drill because of the battery left in my auger and I wished I had a hand auger with.

When I was young all I had was a hand auger. I work my ass off all day at work now. When I go ice fishing my drill does the work for me.

I used an old 8inch Mora hand auger for years. It got to be a lot of work and I don’t miss it at all. That being said, I mainly fish for panfish so my 8 inch Strikemaster is over kill. Especially when there isn’t a lot of ice. I’ve often thought a 5 inch hand auger would be a lot easier to carry around and almost as fast.

SR

I’ll hand auger the first couple of trips out just to save on weight but switch to gas as soon as possible. Life bearcat said, I’ll let my tools do the work for me.

When I first started ice fishing a hand auger was all we used for a few years. We used to take turns drilling because our blades were dull. I remember when I first got my gas powered auger it was like heaven! Unfortunately that auger died after many years of service in the middle of winter last year so I had a taste of hand auger life. I am now shopping for a new auger to go with my drill because I do not miss hand drilling holes at all.

Invest in a nils and you can make it most of the season. After you drill 5-10 holes through 20+ inches of ice in a row you really start questioning yourself

Might as well just attach a drill to your hand auger and be done with it. I’ve had a 7″ Eskimo hand auger attached to my Milwaukee for the last few years. Haven’t started my Honda Strikemaster since.

I laugh every time I see someone out on anything more than 4 inches of ice with one. This guy doesn’t need to fish that bad if my augers won’t work forget it. My dad still has one on the wall in the garage, hasn’t moved in years.

Youbetcha wrote:

Invest in a nils and you can make it most of the season. After you drill 5-10 holes through 20+ inches of ice in a row you really start questioning yourself

It can be a workout for sure

Whole season? No. I used to use one until there was 4-5, maybe 6 inches of ice just because it weighed about 3 pounds. Now that I have a pistol bit, it just sits as a back up

I started off with a scoop auger. That was work. Then picked up a normal round hand auger and it was easier. I used that for years. Today I like the power auger, the easiest way. No one is going to stop you if you are using a hand auger. Sharp blades make a world of difference. I also tend to sweet less with a power auger.

Early ice hand auger for sure. Strike master rips it good.

I tend to be on the city lakes quite a bit early ice. Try to stay near shore, pull up the short sleeves and let the gun show bring in all the yoga pants near by.

Hand drill 30 holes in 2′, sweet Martha, that’s some serious firepower right der.

I typically use one first ice for the first couple trips out until it get’s over 4 or 5 inches. Then it’s just not worth it.

I fish the bwca off and on all year long which is hand auger only. It sure makes you appreciate any motor driven auger. Also makes a person realize how many holes they can drill to cover an area with a motor driven auger.

Makes me think about when they were first brought into use how people must have thought “what a game changer”. Because, really, they are.

luttes wrote:

I’ll hand auger the first couple of trips out just to save on weight but switch to gas as soon as possible. Life bearcat said, I’ll let my tools do the work for me.

Gas do they still make those???

Nope no hand auger for me had enough of that chit.I use the drill-clam plate from day one.I don’t care if the ice is 2″or 20″ i’m not crankin on a handle.

Ah, no!
but I can remember back in the day when I couldn’t afford an auger I would use an ax. Talking about fun times.

Yeah but that is when you had to walk up hill both ways to get on the lake with 5 ft of snow, and could only bring 2 coronas 1 for each pocket

I remember as a kid my dad using a spoon auger, no gps, electronics, cell phone apps, just landmarks. He drilled three holes and we caught more fish than these days

I’ve got a 6″ Strikemaster Lazer for BWCA lake trout only season long.
Use it on a couple small local lakes for first ice pannies til there’s 6-8″ of ice then switch over.

For many years I would hand drill all season, up until 2 or 3 years ago. I’ve used my Nils by hand up to 36″ of ice, I can’t recall ever fishing anything thicker but maybe I have. I still hand drill a lot but usually when the ice gets thicker I run the Nils on a cordless drill setup but I bring the handle along just a in case

xplorer wrote:

I’ve got a 6″ Strikemaster Lazer for BWCA lake trout only season long.
Use it on a couple small local lakes for first ice pannies til there’s 6-8″ of ice then switch over.

My first hand auger experience was an 8″ Mora for lakers in the BWCA last year with the Canada border closed. Hand auger on a new to me lake with no contour map really made me appreciate power augers and snowmobiles.

After that I definitely don’t recommend hand augers… ever.

Been there done the hand auger thing, never again.

I would carry one for a backup if I could find one.

Instead I carry two gas augers, been screwed over before with my main auger breaking nice to have a spare.

I’ve spent many a seasons early-on with only a hand auger, bucket, 1 rod, and the brown carhartt coveralls…puts hair on your chest

I have a Nihls that I would sell, blades need sharpening but that’s easy.

I started out with hand, gas and now mil-drill. works well!

Little story in my younger years I ran across a old ice fishing guy and he was using a old rusting spoon auger. He cut half the spoon away and I thought how is that going to work. He started to cut the ice and went though the ice like butter. Then I seen what was going on. He was only cutting half a hole the center was like a cylinder. He was cutting a hole faster then my gas.

I use a Nills 5 inch for early season. It’s a pleasure to carry and lightning fast. I know if I put a drill on it I could be a faster driller, but I bet I’m quicker to drill, move, and toss down in the slush than a power drill that can’t touch water. The benefit is I don’t have to carry batteries and backups/ worry about stuff breaking. That is what my Ford is for..

I keep one in the rafters of the garage as a back up.

Grizzly,i would rather be hairless.