Contemplating changing augers

Hey everyone. Been thinking lately about changing augers. I currently have an Eskimo mako 43cc with an 8” and 10” flighting. It’s never given me a single issue in the 7 years I’ve owned it, but I’m bored and have been looking at different augers. I’m not ready to go electric, but I am thinking about propane. Looking at the Jiffy 46xtreme with a 9” flighting. Can anyone elaborate on this auger with some real world experience? Not a lot of reviews on it. Thanks, Mike.

Here’s my harsh review on propane augers…don’t do it. There is no perfect auger out there (gas is pretty close but electrics gaining) but I feel as if propane augers were the result of great marketing and nothing else. I’ll go on saying they are a step back in technology being the only advantage is no leaking gas…(I’ll wait for the pitch forks by propane auger folks, LOL)

They tend to be heavier then gas, cost an arm and a leg to run, and the ones I’ve dealt with had cold starting issues. IMO, propane augers will fall to the waste side shortly.

Keep your great running gas Auger until you are brave enough to go electric. I’m not saying electric can fully replace gas augers For everyone but they getting pretty close.

MIKE METCALF wrote:

I am thinking about propane. Looking at the Jiffy

Should be plenty of them for sale on Craigslist! I would think it’ll be easy to get what you want. Most people I know have been dumping them the last two years.

With today’s batteries and a lot of big names competing in the electric field, they’re about to put every other form of auger sales into near extinction within a few years. Anyone who thinks otherwise is burying their heads in the sand. …Yes even the “I use 7 extensions on LOTW twice a year and need gas fumes to start my morning” type guys.

For those who think otherwise, what have gas or propane augers changed or advanced in recent years? It’s no secret where the $$$ and innovation is being directed.

Well I have owned a propane 10″ auger for many years. I also own a 8″ LiteFlite. Both units have their sweet spot. I do know that if I want to drill 10″ holes or have 36+” of ice I surely don’t want my Millwaukee setup with me even with a 12amp battery.

THe one advantage ive seen for propane over gas is that you don’t have worry about spilling gas or the smell, otherwise i have not regretted my decision to go with a clam plate and a high torque drill. The fact that my setup is half the weight of my old eskimo MAKO is reason enough. Gas augers had their day and its over. If I were buying a new auger this year i would go with a lithium Lazer, but a dewalt or Milwaukee drill with a 9a/h battery is a beast.

I had a jiffy propane pro 4 and it was good at first and then needed a new carb and it was never the same. Best thing I ever did was go electric. The strikemaster 40v is way better than the jiffy ever was.

I won a Jiffy Legend Premier 3.5HP 10″ Auger in an ice fishing contest in February 1992. It cut all of my holes until Dec. 2019. And back in the day before GPS it cut lots of holes. Nothing to cut 150+ a trip. I has been flawless. It still looks great to. BUT I got tired of lugging a 47# auger around.

I used/borrowed/tried as many augers as I could including propane for a couple winters. It had to be a 10″. Ever pull a 10#+ Walleye out an 8″ hole???

I went with the Strikemaster 40V in 10″. I am very happy. And I am had to please (or so I have been told). Cuts great. No grab at the bottom of the ice. Light. Waterproof motor as well. I have seen a Jiffy or 3 completely submerged and after pulling the plug, several pulls and fresh gas they started up. Last year I slipped in the slush and went down with the 40V. It was caked with slush. I did the best i could with a rag to clean it out/up. I then drilled several holes after that with zero issues. Another day I also drilled 50 holes in 22″ of solid ice on a single battery, just to see if I could. I bet I could have done 20 more.

The only thing I hate (and I don’t say that often) is according to Strikemaster the blades CAN NOT BE SHARPENED – even if I sent them in. So when they get dull it’s $70 for new ones. I already bought an extra set in case I wrecked the originals. I sharpened my Jiffy myself at least once a year. I am not buying new blades every time they are dull the next 20 years. I will sell the Strikemaster and go back to my Jiffy before that.

Now that you got me thinking about it, I will see if i can find a guy that can sharpen the curved blades. I know ACE has a guy that comes once a week to drop off/pick up. He does great with my circular blades.

Don’t forget……when you wake up tomorrow, thank the good Lord that it is one day closer to Ice fishing!

Ever pull a 10#+ Walleye out an 8″ hole?

Yes 13lb 7oz and 10lb 8oz

I went to the lite flite last year with dewalt drill and have a honda solo strikemaster as second unit. The weight difference is I think the big deal. Don’t have experience with cutting 10″ holes and I think that the 8″ lite flite is actually a bit smaller than 8 inches but I think that if your going to go away from the gas then you have to go electric just because of the weight difference.

If the ice gets to a thickness where I worry about electric running out then I go to the gas auger because by then I am driving on the ice and no issues with weight but I will echo the comments that with the lite flite and a 5 amp battery I can drill plenty of holes and I do carry an extra battery as well.

Biggest thing for me is that can use the drill all year… my gas auger or propane can not do that.

buck-slayer wrote:

Ever pull a 10#+ Walleye out an 8″ hole?

Yes 13lb 7oz and 10lb 8oz

Yes you would be amazed at the size of fish that will come out of a 8″ hole. Only species I would recommend a bigger hole is a lake trout since they are extremely difficult to get them to enter the hole.

propane if you’re only going to drill a few holes; I’m sure you can have your pick on them and they should be cheap.

Electric otherwise

Hodag Hunter wrote:

The only thing I hate (and I don’t say that often) is according to Strikemaster the blades CAN NOT BE SHARPENED – even if I sent them in.

My question to Strikemaster would be;
How do the blades get sharp in the first place?

Would not the same process be repeated to re-sharpen? Is the edge only case hardened 0.010 deep?

I have not seen these blades. Do the blades have some sort of “coating” similar to nitrate coated drills, milling cutters, etc.? Even those tools are routinely re-sharpened and can be recoated if desired.

SM probably says that so they dont have to deal with resharpening them.
FYI, the Redrock store in Ely does sharpen lazer blades, unless youre driving up there you will have to ship, but the last time I did it they turned them around fast https://www.redrockstore.com/ice-auger-blade-sharpening-service/ice-auger-blade-sharpening

Huntindave wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Hodag Hunter wrote:</div>
The only thing I hate (and I don’t say that often) is according to Strikemaster the blades CAN NOT BE SHARPENED – even if I sent them in.

My question to Strikemaster would be;
How do the blades get sharp in the first place?

Would not the same process be repeated to re-sharpen? Is the edge only case hardened 0.010 deep?

I have not seen these blades. Do the blades have some sort of “coating” similar to nitrate coated drills, milling cutters, etc.? Even those tools are routinely re-sharpened and can be recoated if desired.

Have had zero issues with my eskimo propane HC40 8″ whether 35 degrees or -15 degrees out. Good combination of speed and ease of use. I might pick up a 6″ bit and run my dewalt drill as a lightweight early season option for this winter. I’ve been extremely underwhelmed with k-drills and Ion electrics.

ShldHveBenHreYserdy wrote:

SM probably says that so they dont have to deal with resharpening them.

Oh I understand that. But to say “CAN NOT” be sharpened is way different than they “WILL NOT” sharpen blades.

Just when most companies are working to re-use and repurpose, Strikemaster is advocating a “throw away” mind set. Doesn’t make much sense to me.

tornadochaser wrote:

Have had zero issues with my eskimo propane HC40 8″ whether 35 degrees or -15 degrees out. Good combination of speed and ease of use. I might pick up a 6″ bit and run my dewalt drill as a lightweight early season option for this winter. I’ve been extremely underwhelmed with k-drills and Ion electrics.

Underwhelmed with what how smooth fast efficient light they are?

My Jiffy propane has been great for me. Start it, walk way for a minute to let it warm up and then start drilling. Its heavy but it drills fine.
One note about the LiteFlite I have noticed is if and when you try to drill through THICK ice you need to “peck” it often. I have had the plastic fins bend over and stop ejecting the ice chips more than once. I thought I had to leave it in the hole once when it locked up on me because of an ice jam. I was able to hand dig out the chips to allow it to come out of the hole while laying on my stomach. Good times…

I treat drilling through ice the same i do an earth auger or drilling through wood, gotta clear the flitting to drill efficiently.

my buddy brought his jiffy pro propane on the ice with us and we had probably 10-15 holes drilled with our electric and gas augers before he was able to run his. seems expensive given the cost of green canisters and comparatively filling your own just seems like a hassle. it also was heavier than hell.

he sold it and bought an ion.

You should be able to find a cheap used one, as previously stated, they are getting sold. Personally I’d go electric and never look back. I’m still running gas until my SM dies, but once it does I’m going electric.

I have an Ion 40v and my buddy has the Strikemaster. We fish side by side and I really don’t see much difference. Both work great.

Team electric over here. My Strikemaster 40V has been incredible. No fuel, no fumes, no hassle.

until my Honda strikelite starts leaking or not starting, I am gas all the way. I had it up for sale last year but pulled back. I still miss my 2 stroke smoke from previous years but love the purr of my 4 stroke.

I have a 6in K-drill for panfish and late last season picked up a 8in Lite Flite. My 8in IonX will be for sale this fall due to thevspeed and wieght savings of the Lite Flite

i have 2 – SM Honda 4 stroke 8″ augers for sale. $225 obo

I have the Jiffy lite and would recommend propane. I MAYBE go through 2 small tanks a winter with several hundred holes and have never had an issue with cold starts. 1-pull. My biggest gripe is having to be cautious about which way you set it down.

All I do is change oil every spring and unplug the tank and hang it up. Auger is currently about 5 years old.

I also have the Jiffy Pro4. Picked it up used a few years ago for a good price. Starts first pull and runs like a top. I think I average 1 or 2 of the green propane tanks a season, drilling about 10-15 holes per week i’d guess. So very inexpensive to run unlike others have mentioned.

Electric is the future no doubt, but I wouldn’t hesitate to get another propane auger if needed. There are A LOT of ice fisherman out there who NEED the newest products on the market. You can pick up a used propane auger very reasonably.

Well, we will see if I get the wild hair to get one when the ice season gets closer. Just pulled my mako out yesterday and it fired on the first pull after sitting since March. I don’t ever drain the gas out like a lot of guys do for the off season. Hard to beat the reliability. Still running the original spark plug too. Probably keep running this one til it starts giving me problems. Hard to beat for an auger I bought 7-8 years ago for $179 brand new from l&m supply on a close out deal.

I got the 8″ k drill after getting a hair up my arse and tired of the weight of my grandpas OLD jiffy that still starts on the first pull. I dont ice fish as much as some but i dont hate anything about it the thing is sweet as heck! It cuts at 1″ per second for me. And being able to reverse the drill and clear the hole is a huge bonus.