after buying power auger do many keep hand auger?

[mrpike1973]

hi got a power auger finally. do most of you use a hand one much after getting a power auger. i dont have a hand one i have thought about getting one would i use it much. i mostly spear or tip up fish. i would think first ice but usually in 2 weeks your ready for a power one any thoughts

[leech~~]

I kept my hand one as a back up for about 15 years and have never needed to use it! Anyone want to buy it!

[reinhard1]

some of the new 4 stroke power augers are nice and light and not as cumbersome as my Eskimo 10 in. early ice i only use my hand auger, and later of course it's the power auger. one day i will get one of those lighter power augers but i will still have the hand auger for early ice. foot travel so i travel light on early ice. when i first started ice fishing all i used was a chisel, man how time fly's. good luck.

[KidMoe]

I definitely kept my hand auger and i keep it in the truck all winter. Since i bought my auger i haven't needed it. However, in previous years other people I've been fishing with had their auger go done with a broken recoil, lost shaft bolt, gummed carb, etc. if you drive any distance to a lake it's good insurance for me.

[reinhard1]

yes i had a bolt come off my blade on my power auger last year. did not bring my hand auger along. fortunatly Leech was there and he had some spare bolts and nuts and thankfully they fit. from that point on i bring it along just in case. good luck.

[MinnGuy]

I made the mistake of not bringing the power auger in the house after using in freezing rain. The next day I tried to use the auger but the linkage was frozen solid. It's always nice to have a backup. And they aren't worth much if you try to sell it. Cheap insurance.

[tonkapat]

I've got a nils so as long as I bring the handle with I'm good. I use the hand auger most of the year. Rarely burn up more than a tank of gas in a season.

[McGurk]

I have a 6" Lazer hand auger that I will not part with. I do have a 7" Eskimo that could go away though...

[Finlander]

I have a Strikemaster Lazer 6" hand auger that I use exclusivley for first ice as I want to be a quiet as possible during first ice. Also it's nice and light when you have to walk a long distance. I always have a hand auger with along with a chisel! No need for a noisy power auger during first ice!

[CrappieAttitude]

I have a Strikemaster Lazer 6" hand auger that I use exclusivley for first ice as I want to be a quiet as possible during first ice. Also it's nice and light when you have to walk a long distance. I always have a hand auger with along with a chisel! No need for a noisy power auger during first ice!

+1

[TruthWalleyes]

I keep my hand auger for a rainy day. On trips up to mille lacs or long drives i will always bring my hand auger as an "IN CASE"...I'd hate to do all the driving and not be able to drill at least one hole...before going to fix the gas auger

[toughguy]

I have a Strikemaster Lazer 6" hand auger that I use exclusivley for first ice as I want to be a quiet as possible during first ice. Also it's nice and light when you have to walk a long distance. I always have a hand auger with along with a chisel! No need for a noisy power auger during first ice!

+2

I've fished the BWCA in the winter a few times. Gotta leave the power auger back at home if you go there.

[Lund79]

I do have a 7" Eskimo that could go away though...

I might be interested in the Eskimo. Can you send me a pm with info on the unit and how much you would be asking. Thanks!

[silverbulletguy]

I debating on picking up a 6" Nils hand auger just for early ice. After I got a 8" Strikemaster power auger I left the hand auger up at the in-laws hoping to get them into ice fishing a little. And so I'd have a way to drill holes if needed. I just wish the Nils wasn't so spendy.

[Esox_Magnum]

Nils here to but only once tryed it hand cranking and then only to prove to my partner my 8" was faster than his 5" Lazer.... I was right 3 times....

[RuddyDuck]

I keep the hand auger for early ice. After it is 8"'s or so then I use the power auger.

[panfishpounder00]

6" & under i use the jiffy ice spud. after that i strictly use my jiffy power auger.. with a good sharp ice spud/chisel, you shouldnt need an auger style... i've even used my spud up into 8" of ice and no prob...

[jdog]

yes keep the hand auger i once went on a trip with a buddy and we both had power augers that worked great till we got to the lake then they both took a [PoorWordUsage] luckily someone seen our bad luck and gave us a hand but since that day my piece of [PoorWordUsage] mora but reliable auger has not left my side

[panfishpounder00]

wait... so is the mora a piece of #$%#@? or was it an Eskimo that you both used...? LOL! i only say this cause i used to run those augers and after a stingray and shark, they both failed misserabley!! i since have gone to jiffy! dont mean to make this a brand war!....... strikemaster... transmission issues!! .. in fact, last year i went on a work outing and the guy who "hosted it" is tony roach's cousin and gary roach's nephew.. anyways.. strikemaster sponsored! a co-worker looked at my new jiffy stealth and said " i want one" he said "no! the stikemaster is better!! it cuts faster!!... but i did have to get warranty work done due to the tranny gears stripping out!".... mmmm.. then why would you go with a strikemaster i said!... he shut-up after that!..... jiffy might be a bit heavier but built like the old school cars/trucks!! reliable!!

[Rippinlip]

Gave my hand auger away a few years ago to a new fisherman, have regretted it since. Not the part of helping out a new fisherman, that was great, but I will be purchasing a new hand one this year.

Kind of stinks hauling out a power auger for 3-6" of new ice.

[BLACKJACK]

I've kept my 5 inch hand auger for early ice, but once I break out the Strikemaster at about 6 inches of ice, the hand auger stays home.

[TravP]

wait... so is the mora a piece of #$%#@? or was it an Eskimo that you both used...? LOL! i only say this cause i used to run those augers and after a stingray and shark, they both failed misserabley!! i since have gone to jiffy! dont mean to make this a brand war!....... strikemaster... transmission issues!! .. in fact, last year i went on a work outing and the guy who "hosted it" is tony roach's cousin and gary roach's nephew.. anyways.. strikemaster sponsored! a co-worker looked at my new jiffy stealth and said " i want one" he said "no! the stikemaster is better!! it cuts faster!!... but i did have to get warranty work done due to the tranny gears stripping out!".... mmmm.. then why would you go with a strikemaster i said!... he shut-up after that!..... jiffy might be a bit heavier but built like the old school cars/trucks!! reliable!!

Lol, the new Jiffy's have plastic gearcases. Have fun with that tank.

[surflizard]

I have used hand augers on eary ice, punching holes with the chisel on 3" of ice still gives me the Willies to this day ! I just recently found the new Normarch 6" Micro hand auger and Even though I have only tried it on Block ice, I will say that the reviews were right, it chews thru 8"of ice in 4 cranks ! At $94 dollars and replacement blades only $29 dollars, it was a much better option then paying extra money on the nils and having to wait on some Prebuy deal ?

[rugbymn]

I have a Strikemaster Lazer 6" hand auger that I use exclusivley for first ice as I want to be a quiet as possible during first ice. Also it's nice and light when you have to walk a long distance. I always have a hand auger with along with a chisel! No need for a noisy power auger during first ice!

Same here. I use mine for first ice and that's about it. I keep it in my truck the rest of the winter for a back up.

[CrappieAttitude]

One thing about having along a hand auger just in case, is it will always start and you will be guarenteed to be fishing. Maybe not running and gunning as much, but you will be able to fish. Kinda hard to do anything without a hole in the ice.

CA