I paid $249 for the 8″ K Drill. That’s as cheap as you will find them anywhere.

My K-Drill has been amazing with the Milwaukee Fuel Drill. However, I just can’t get gas out of my head. I’ll be buying a Tanaka powerless next year for the thick ice. Thanks for the update.

tswoboda wrote:

How long is it? Looks a few inches shorter than a strikemaster bit.
Also what kind of adapter was needed to put it on the solo powerhead?

You do not need an adaptor to use it with a Solo powerhead. It was designed to do the following. Remove one capscrew, pull out the cordless drill adaptor, insert the Strikemaster or Clam power head, install the capscrew & you are good to go.

I’m running the 8″ K Drill with a Milwaukee 18v Fuel cordless drill with the 4 ah batteries. It weighs right at 9.5 #’s. I ended up getting 2 more 4 ah batteries off of Amazon for $83 each. We’ve only got 12-13″ of ice in our neck of the woods, but I can get 25-26 holes per battery. I can easily drill 100+ holes with my set up. I have no doubt that one can get 30+ holes per battery with a 6″ in the same ice conditions.
Next year I’ll get a Tanaka powerhead for the thick ice & will have a 17# gas powered auger. IMHO there is no replacement for gas in 18″+ of ice when you have to continually drill & move to get on fish. I don’t miss my SM Lazer, this K Drill drills just as fast & opens up old holes like butter.

Crappieguy,
If you want propane, look at the Jiffy Pro4 Lite. It’s about 26ish pounds. My dad has one & it’s really nice. You also can’t go wrong with a Solo powered Lazer. I’ve had my Lazer for 18ish years & the Tecumseh runs like a Swiss watch. I’ve changed the plug 3 times & never had to do anything else. I won’t get rid of it, it’s just been to good to me.
Last year there is no way i would have considered a battery powered auger, but I decided to try the K Drill with the Milwaukee Fuel drill because Milwaukee sells millions of batteries for their tools & I’ve never heard anything bad about them.
I was extremely interested in a SM lithium auger, but it would not save me any weight from my gas auger. I have no doubt that it is an awesome product. As I indicated earlier there is no auger that can compare to weight & performance of the K Drill/Milwaukee combo. But you need to make a decision that works for you. Good luck & I’m sure you’ll be happy with most products out there today.

Your really comparing apples to oranges. If you want to compare apples to apples you need to compare the Thorne Bros Powernoodle & the TUCR Precision Noodle. I’ve had both the TB PN & TUCR PN & prefer the TB PN as it is more sensitive because the tip is a smaller diameter than the TUCR PN. I know as I took a caliper to both. I prefer the TB PN for 4mm & smaller tungsten jigs. I have a Bullwhip that I use 5mm tungsten & small spoons on. It’s really a Noodle rod designed for heavier stuff. I do have TUCR precision & a Quick Tip that I rarely use as I’m a tip watcher. Is the split grip needed on a noodle rod? No, but it is nice when pistol gripping the rod. Thorne Bros has a stealth handle that is awesome as well. You won’t go wrong with either company, as they produce great products. Hope this helps. Good luck with your decision.

JD Winston wrote:

OK Dave, I gotta ask. Ever use that Milwaukee Vex electric rig? That thing weighs in at 10lbs. The K-Drill I think it is called. I’m looking at that too.

JD Winston….I just got a K Drill this year & absolutely love it. I opted for the 8″ model & run it with a Milwaukee 18v Fuel with 4ah batteries. I am getting 25-26 holes through 12-13″ of rock solid clear ice on ONE battery with it being left out in the cold. Again keep in mind that is with the 8″ model. I have no doubt that one could get 30-35 holes in the same ice conditions with the 6″ model.
The key to maximizing hole count it a drill with a brushless motor & large capacity batteries. Anything less & you’ll be left frustrated.
The benefit to the K Drill/Milwaukee set up is that you now have a sub 10# auger that drills right at the same pace as a Lazer, but you have the ability to open up existing holes. I’m not trying to sound arrogant, but there is nothing else on the market that comes close to the weight/performance of this set up…..& I’ve played with 90% of all augers out there. Is it the best for everyone? No, but there likely will never be ONE perfect tool. However having the ability to use my cordless drill in the off season is a benefit.
I was able to score 2 extra 4ah batteries on Amazon for $83
each. They retail for $130. I now have the ability to drill 100+ holes a day of needed.
The other thing that is nice about the K Drill is that you can run it with a Lazer/Clam powerhead. If you want a really lightweight gas option, pair it with a Tanaka power head & you now have a 17# gas auger. I guess, I’m saying it’s nice to have options.
I’m any engineer by trade for a large green Ag company & I will say that this is one of the most well thought out augers available. The build quality is second to none. PS. I have not been paid nor do I represent Vexilar, just a really happy customer.
Again, I don’t think there is a bad auger out there today, each has their own benefits that YOU have decide & make your decision on. It’s never been better to be a consumer with so many great choices.
I try to fish back waters of the Mississippi slot & light weight is key in dragging stuff up and down the ditches, over RR tracks & through grass/marshy areas.
If any one has any questions on my auger set up, feel free toPM me. I would be happy to answer any questions based on my experience. Good luck in your decision.

If your only drilling 20 holes per outing, and want the lightest weight auger out there, look at a K Drill & a cordless Milwaukee 18v fuel drill with the 4ah lithium ion batteries. I have the 8″ version and can drill 25-26 holes in 12-13″ of ice per battery. Drills just as fast and my Strikemaster Lazer but only weighs 9 lbs. I’m not trying to sound erogant, but there is nothing else available that will drill an 8″ hole as fast, even at twice the weight. If you get the 6″ version, I’m sure you’d be at 30+ holes per battery. I’m still a gas auger guy, but for fishing thin ice (4-12″) this thing is incredible. I will be adding a Tanaka powerhead and I will have a 17 lb gas auger that drills at nearly the same speed as a Nils Master, but I can open up old holes.

Aaron,
Look at the K Drill. I just got an 8″ K Drill and paired it with a Milwaukee 18v fuel lithium ion with the 4ah batteries. Yesterday, the first time out with it, I drilled 26 holes through 12-13″ of ice with one battery. The entire unit (with Milwaukee) weighs 9 pounds. It drills just as fast as my gas powered 8″ Strikemaster Lazer. The bonus is it opens old holes with ease. Something the Lazer cannot do well. While it is spendy, NOTHING else offers the versatility, speed & light weight.
I do have days where I drill 70-80 holes, so I’ll have to buy a 3rd battery for those days or add a Tanaka power head. Also note the Strikemaster power head will bolt right up.
If you want a really fast light weight gas powered auger, add a Tanaka power head & you’ll have a 17 pound gas powered auger that will drill as fast as any power auger that there is.
Again, there is not another auger that will offer you the versatility at twice the weight on the market.
Look io K Drill on YouTube & you’ll see some videos. I’m not a Tom Zaneco fan, but this drill rocks.

I’d bet money your blades are dull, I’ve ran into the same situation before with my Lazer. Time for a new set.

I just bought a Strikemaster Glide Lite sled to force myself to cut down on weight. It’s a pretty neat little outfit. I find myself fishing outside more & more as I am continually on the move looking for the aggressive voters. This should be pretty slick for going down narrow paths, up & down ditches, over railroad tracks & through culverts to get to the back waters of the Mississippi.

James is spot on. The TUCR Quicktip has a ton more backbone than the Quiverstick. There are not to many fish in the mid west that the Quicktip couldn’t handle.

bronzbak wrote:

Raced a Kdrill 6″ with a 20v dewalt lithium cordless against my 18v dewalt nicad and 6″ nils! Nils cut through almost a full second faster through 8 inches of ice! Ran them 3 times to verify the nils was that much faster! Just a FYI for you!

Thanks Bronzbak,
I appreciate the feedback. Honestly, I went back & forth several times on whether to get a Nils or the K Drill over the past year. The Nils are awesome augers. In the end I thought I’d give the K Drill a shot due to the weight & cheaper replacement blades. Once I get it & play with it some I’ll know if a made the right choice or not.

If you are a tip watcher, & use lighter baits get a Thorne Bros Power Noodle. My 32″ Power Noodle has just as much backbone as my TUCR Quicktip. It’s worth 10 times it’s weight when crappies are on a light or up bite. It’s the first rod out of my bag every time. I have landed several largemouth over 5#’s & the rod handled them with ease. If you are a feel the bite guy look at the Thorne Bros Quiverstick or Sweet heart. I prefer the Thorn Bros actions to TUCR & I’ve got 4 TUCR’s. But both companies make excellent rods & you’d be happy with either.

Thanks Tonka,
I have seen that Frabill & it is still larger than I’d like. Scheels has one that is close, but it is a semi hard case that is to short for 32″ rods.

I feel that that the manufacturers ar missing out on an opportunity. For the guys that like to travel light. I know they’d sell a ton down here in Iowa.
My thought is similar to Gonehunting’s. Smaller case with a folding handle or just a handle that is made from material similar to motorcycle straps. Hopefully some of the Otter pro staff read this & could help persuade the folks at Otter to answer our needs. I know of at least 12 people that would snatch one up in a heart beat.

Trigger X, B Y Baits & Jr. Jigglers are my go to plastics. This will be my 1st year to only use plastics. As said above, plastics typically out produced meat for me last year. Especially on a negative bite.

I recommend a ceramic grill such as a Big Green Egg or a Primos. They are much cheaper to operate over the long haul. I use a Big Green Egg 12 months a year in Iowa. Lotsof people say they are fragile. I’ve been using ceramic grills for over 7 years with no issues. The BGE has a lifetime warranty on the ceramics. As long as you treat it with respect you will get at least 20 years out of it. The nice thing is I can smoke for 24+ hours on one load of charcoal. The other thing I’d I can cook pizzas at 650+ degrees on it. IMO it is the most versatile grill/smoker made. I can run 225 to approx 1000 degrees F.

Well Scheels has them for 20% off in their add this week. I guess I’ll pick a couple up. Thanks.

I fell in love with the Scheels Extreme Trolling rods last year. I’m running two 8’6″ & two 5′ shorties. IMHO they are the nicest trolling rod I’ve seen. I’ve noticed a fair amount of walleye pros are now using them as well.

We were in So Dak 2 weeks ago & my Strikemaster was just poking through 40″. We had to put the extension on in other areas. My buddies Jiffy had to have the extension on at all times.

I’ve had nothing but good luck with any Vex I’ve owned. My FLX-28 is no exception. Pick your budget & buy accordingly.

I prefer snowmobiles for fishing. Basically nothing stops them. But if you have to give more money to get a sled, you might want to look into tracks for your quad. They will help you with flotation across snow drifts.

We started at Lardy, but got skunked. We ended up on Enemy Swim with 65 gills 8″ – 9 1/2″.

Used to used 24 inchers, but have gravitated towards 32 inchers. I can easily get by with 32s inside the shack. I do have a. 16″ Sweet Pea that is the bomb for sight fishing. I’ve also gravitated to longer open water rods as I feel they play fish better IMO.

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I am so ready!! Just got my TUCR Noddle in yesterday, reel is on and all spooled up.

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Did TUCR come out with another rod? I haven’t scene the Noddle yet…..just kidding, your gonna like that noodle.

We’ll be there, sure as heck beats sitting in the office.

Here you go. Last year on a fishing trip, the only way you could catch fish was watching them on a camera. They would grab the bait & just sit. Spring bobbers would not detect the bite, so off to the local Walmart we went. It’s made from a heavy duty paint stick. We didn’t have a saw at the lodge so we used a steak knife to cut them down. The clothes pin puts just enough pressure to hold the cord & not damage it.

For my aqua view mini, just took a paint stick and used double sided tape to stick a clothes pin to it. Yes, I know it’s something a redneck would do, but it’s light weight and does not take up any space. I might have $0.50 in it and it works like a charm, but you have to manually index it.

6 of is will be coming from Iowa. We’ll be in the area Thurs-Sun.

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Do u think i could properly work these small spoons with a 32 inch presision noodle with 4 lb mono with a 3lb floro leader?

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Yes, your PN will be fine with the small Tinglers & Slenders.