A few questions about getting through the ice.
What kind of hand ice augers are good and where can I get one ? I've seen the ones at SW called Eskimos - are they good ? I've heard some kinds are better than others for going through the ice more quickly. How big of one, as far a blade diameter, would be good for all around fishing for trout, panfish, maybe walleye, etc. ?
Is it hard to sharpen the blades and what's the best way to do that ? And, how often do you have to replace the blades ?
Also, I have looked(I checked SW) for one of those big metal bars but haven't found one yet - where could I get one ?
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Eskimos are fine. Stay with an 8" for a hand auger. It is very difficult to sharpen the blades. Just replace them when needed. The best tip that I can give you is to NEVER use the blades to check the ice. I mean never bang the blades on the ice. That will dull them faster than anything.
A good hand auger will serve you well for ice up to 12" thick. After that, they will make you very tired using them and you will not want to move around the ice punching test holes to locate fish.
I would never use a rod or bar unless I couldn't use an auger. They work best opening someone's day old holes but are very slow and take up a lot of energy to punch a new hole.
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hey hound
with thin ice i use a ice bar.. works well and if pounding a hole in the ice right next to you dont make you fall through the ice it must be safe right? lol
hand augers are great for walking in a long way. or for ice that is around 10" thick or less.. after that it's hard work cutting a hole.. the smaller the auger the less the work.. i used a 4" out in minnisota last year and it went throught the ice fast.. but the hole was to small for a big trout.. for a hand auger here in utah i would go with the 6" inless you and planing on hitting some of the bigger lakes and go for bigger fish.. then i would go with the 8"..
power augers are the best way to go if you like to move around alot and have a need for make many holes in the ice.. it dont get tired and can cut a hole faster than all getout.. abit pricey but worth it when you want to chace fish rather than wait for them..
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I'd go with the 8", smaller holes freeze over faster.
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Fuzzy is right, the smaller the diameter the easier it is to use. An 8" auger has to remove twice as much material as a 6". Personally I feel 6" is adequate for any fish in utah except tiger musky and pike. I've got a mora and have had it for years and like it alot, but I've also used the 6" eskimos from SW and was very impressed with how good they were for the price. There are two style of handles. One has both handles vertically and the other has a round horizontally mounted "button" on the top. I like this style much better, it makes it easier to apply down pressure on the auger. I'm 6'4" tall and it's easier to get leverage to apply down pressure. Shorter people have an easier time with an auger with an adjustable handle so they can shorten it up to get more pressure from the top when starting the hole. That's on more concideration you need to make. If you do decide to sharpen you own blades make sure you only sharpen one bevel of the blade and don't put the standard two bevel like you would with a knife otherwise it won't dig into the ice.
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If the eskimos are the ones I'm thinking about they have, or used to have, both handles that are the same shape. The Strikemaster brand Mora's have a round nob as the top handle. My first ice auger was the eskimo and when the top handle got wet it froze up and broke the handle off. Having the nob on top helps with leverage for drilling even though you don't want to push too hard.
I have tried the Strikemaster Lazer which is a quicker cutting hand auger. It does cut quick if you take care of it. If you even tweek the blades a little it puts them out of sync and they won't cut worth a darn.
I prefer the 8" for a hand auger. If the ice is under a foot I can get down in no time with either Strikemaster auger. If it's over a foot I can still do ok and I don't mind the exercise at all. My scouts like the hand auger because it warms them up when they drill a hole.
Good luck in your pursuit.
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The first one I got was Eskimo and I used it for a lot of years 8in. I would not go any smaller when it gets hard to drill change the blades, I now have a gas auger and it is an Eskimo but shop around I'm not sure witch is better.
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I like Mora brand better than eskimo brand (maybe its the handle style). The Lazer cuts faster than the strikemaster. 8 inches is perfect for a hand auger. Big enough for large trout and not too hard to use. I use mine all season long, even when the ice is 30+ inches. After it gets more than about 8 inches thick we use the two person method where you stand facing each other and both turn the auger. When I am pulling he is pushing and visa versa. You can do 30 inches in about 30 seconds without breaking a sweat. Don't bother sharpening the blades, buy new ones each season for less than 15 buck (money well spent!). just my 2 cents!
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there is more then one eskimo the baracuda is good but the cheap one sucks bad strikemasters rock 6 in is good you can drill 3 to 4 holes right by each other and get up to 12 in if you like but most of the time a 8 in is tons unless you get one of those big bows at strawberry that eon't come up a 8 in hole I had one that would not fit ask cbr
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My advice FH..
Dont go smaller than 6". I have 3 augers. All StrikeMaster's. One foldable 10" arm strong and two Power, an 8" Mag.III and a 10" Lazer. But for basic general use I think a common 6 or 8 inch works great.
I wish I still had my old 4" Swedish Ice Spoon I loaned to my brother but never seen back [mad] . It wasnt an "ice spoon" for scooping slush for an ice hole but rather an auger with a blade was sharped like a spoon. It was Fast & Sweet, easy to keep shape, and I sure miss it!
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Hey guys, thanx for all the good info and tips !
Now one more question - what stores carry these augers and ice bars/chisels and where can I look at them and maybe pick one up for a decent price ?
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I know they carry the eskimo standard and barracuda models at SW. But go with the Mora strikemaster or lazer and you won't be dissapointed. I got mine from James at HFT. Not sure where else they carry them around here. Not sure about the ice bars/chisels...I've never seen one.
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I had one of those "spoon" type ice drills when I lived in South Dakota. As I recall, it was a SNABB drill made in either Sweden or Norway. It was real easy to keep sharp with just a small hand stone & it would really cut. When I got my power drill I gave it away. BIG BOOBOO. It was only a 6" but in thick ice I could drill almost twice as fast as an auger type.
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