What an experience, auger with extension getting stuck in the ice.

[FishingRebel]

Over the weekend, I was on Lake Mille Lacs, I had to use an extension for my auger on one area of Mille Lacs. Long story short, my auger with the extension on it got stuck right before it broke through the ice. It woudlnt drill anymore when I pressed the clutch. I also could not take the auger out of the ice hole it drilled already. It was literally "stuck" for a while. I then had to lift it up and down while pushing down and seeing if it will drill through the bottom ice. Finally, it broke through the ice and I was able to take out my auger out. What an experience.. . Anything like this ever happened to anybody and what did you do to get it out?

[Cheetah]

Mine likes to go through but not break out the bottom fully and I have to work it a bit to make it clear out the bottom of the hole completely. Never had it get completely stuck though. I use a 7" with the Strikemaster lazer blades.

[icecastle]

Had 2 extentions on out on LOW few years back come close to stuck.Had to drill about 10"then pull out to kleen hole.Had to do this till broke through

[Esox_Magnum]

Nils puts a transmission lock on their units, lock it in and turn it out. Has only happened twice to me both times hit a crack I didn't see befor drilling. When I owned Strikemasters it happend a few times a year, worst case a pipe wrench to back it out or hope a buddy was around to drill a hole around it to get it free again.

[tonkapat]

I hardly ever have to use the transmission lock on the nils. But it can be a lifesaver.

[Finlander]

Mine was doing the same thing on Mille Lacs. Just when you get to start breaking thru, kinda hold or lift up the auger so you don't take as big of bite of ice when going thru. That way when you start to go thru, ice ice you are trying to go thru won't be as thick lessining the chance of the auger getting stuck.

[CaptainMusky]

Make sure all bolts are tight. Blades, bit and extension. I had some problems and then noticed my auger bolt was loose. Tightened it up and havent had any issues since. With them loose the cut isnt very clean and it will bind up.

[slipperybob]

The only similar thing I've experienced had been warm temps above 32 degress and all the ice shavings are a heavy slush. Sometimes you don't break through the bottom and the drill is stuck in the weight. Sometimes it's just as you break bottom and the water makes a slow sludge slush that stops the auger from drilling. I had to help someone lift up their auger and it was like lifting up 500 lbs of weight. But once you bring it up, there's like nothing holdin hit down.

[Castinski]

Had the same problem in one spot on Mille Lacs last month. The break we were fishing just happened to be on an old ice heave. The bottom of the ice was very broken up and even after we got the hole drilled, there would still be an angled piece left at the bottom. Like you, we just wrenched on it to get it out trying not to bend the shaft in the process.

[MNice]

Neat idea with a trans lock. A pipe wrench to back out the auger may be the ticket.

[Ed Carlson]

The deeper the ice, the more frequently you must clear the hole of chips and the heavy slush we see this season. If you do not, the added stress will bind up a auger flight and lock you down tight.

If the ice shifts and binds up the auger flight, that is another nightmare completely, and very rarely seen. Yet it may and then it is an auger in a ice vise, and one may never extract it or it gets crushed.

Binding under the weight of the slush is the most common culprit. Clear often, and you should be good.

[leech~~]

It also doesn't help if you drill down at an angle. I was out on Mil Lacs with an extension as well last weekend and having some of the same issues but like Ed said pulling up and clearing the ice chips out of the hole during the long drill down will help at the end as well.

[Surface Tension]

Yep, when the ice is that thick taking the extra precaution to clear the chips every so often is cheap insurance that you won't bind.

Like said back it out with a pipe wrench or lock the transmission and back it out.

What if you don't have either? Take a rope, long scarf, or the like and wrap it around the drill a couple times and tie the ends together. Find a stick or something and put it between the knot and drill and twist the stick till it tightens up. Now you can turn the drill to back it out of the hole.

[herefish101]

Be extra careful to drill a strait hole, my buddy bound his up and it was because when he started drilling his auger was tilted a little, par way down he noticed he was drilling crooked so he straitened it up. When it punched through it screwed itself down because now it was wedged in the hole, we were able to get it free turning it backwards by hand, but it was still a major pain in the butt.

[MidCoast]

Yep, when the ice is that thick taking the extra precaution to clear the chips every so often is cheap insurance that you won't bind.

Like said back it out with a pipe wrench or lock the transmission and back it out.

What if you don't have either? Take a rope, long scarf, or the like and wrap it around the drill a couple times and tie the ends together. Find a stick or something and put it between the knot and drill and twist the stick till it tightens up. Now you can turn the drill to back it out of the hole.

Do you need to turn the auger engine off to prevent any kind of damage to the engine if it doesnt have a transmission lock before you turn the auger free with a pipe wrench? I would assume you would turn it counterclockwise since the auger drills clockwise. I have a Solo Lazer Pro, and it doesnt have a transmission lock I believe.

[Surface Tension]

Turn the engine off. Turn counter clockwise for a SM, Nils, and Eskimo. Clockwise for a Jiffy. This will back it out of the hole.

[tsande00]

I had this happen one time and afterward I checked the bolt on the auger shaft - It was so loose I could darn near turn it with my fingers. Haven't had a problem since.

[CaptainMusky]

I had this happen one time and afterward I checked the bolt on the auger shaft - It was so loose I could darn near turn it with my fingers. Haven't had a problem since.

Same thing I found too hence the reason I suggested checking it. Especially since this person has an extension it is really possible that something wasnt tightened up enough.

Seems dumb, but sometimes its the simple things that mess with us.

[Twins Guy]

I picked up a used nils and tanaka powerhead but dont see the tranny lock. Is it just found on newer units or am I looking in the wrong place?

[Esox_Magnum]

The tranny lock came out on the 2007/2008 modles maybe??

[MidCoast]

I will try a pipe wrench next time. I hope it won't be too hard to turn it with a wrench.

[McGurk]

Just how stuck are you getting this? First thing is turn it off. If you do not have a transmission lock, remove the powerhead from the auger assembly. Now that you have some of the weight off, try again to free it by turning by hand. If that still does not work, run something through the bolt holes (12" of 1/4" steel rod, maybe?) and use that like a T-handle. Just make sure it's snug enough in the hole to not chew up the threads.

[The Grebe]

Done that once, my first time up to Red Lake....really had to fight that auger to get it out! That hasn't happened again!

Prevention is the best cure...even if you don"t have an extention on the auger, later in the season when the ice is at it's thickest and you are up to the gear case, scour the ice shavings out of the hole periodically while you are drilling, only takes a split second. Just lift the auger with the motor reving and throw the chips out of the hole before breaking through...might save you alot of time and effort later!