Ice Augers

[fishtank]

Hey all,

I am currently in the market to buy a new power auger, but wanted to hear from personal experiences. What did, or what would you look for when buying a new one? Right now I'm leaning toward the Jiffy 3 H.P. 8". I do mainly panfish, but will also set tip -ups when going after pike. Ocasionally, I will also be hunting for the 'eyes.

I have heard from a few that have bought a 2 h.p. auger, and they had wished they would have gone with the 3 right away. I've read all the articles on the Nils Master on FM, but I'd rather see unbiassed opinions from users that have gone seasons and know the pro's and con's of their specific auger of choice.

[prophet]

sold my 3 hp jiffy 10 inch for a strikemaster 2hp 8 inch

couldnt be happier,jiffy was too much weight to be mobile

didnt really need the 10 inch hole anyway,3 yrs on the strikemaster,starts 2nd or 3rd pull

[Sergeant Slabber]

I also have an 8" Strikemaster. I've had it for probably 7-8 years now and have never had one single problem with it. Love it!

[sachem longrifle]

I used a gas powered auger last season for the first time. No more hand augers for me

[hanson]

fishtank-

Honestly, I would steer entirely clear of a 3hp auger unless you are going with a 10" auger bit and plan on augering lots of holes through 3-4' of ice. 3hp is just overkill with the new styles of blades on the market right now- including Strikemasters Lazer blades and the Jiffy Stealth system.

I personally use a Strikemaster Lazer Express 8". This will be my 4th winter with this auger now and see no reason to switch at this point. It is a 2hp model. Its plenty fast, faster than anything else out on the market besides the NilsMaster.

My auger has been through alot and has punched a ton of holes. I surely wouldn't hesitate to buy another auger from Strikemaster.

[LocalGuide]

I have a Eskimo Z51 8" Turbo that I bought last year when it came out.

I love the thing. There are lots of pro's in the eskimo augers compared to anyother brand I think. But then again its my view on it.

The one thing I like about it is they have BOTH the primer and choke feature on it for quick and easy starting.

Its a chainsaw Ardisam engine instead of a Tecumseh like strikemaster and jiffy. The chainsaw style engine runs around 8,000 RPM's which is also higher than other brands.

They have a see though gas tank and a very nice non leak breathable cap.

One other thing is you can lay this auger down on the ice and it will still run. Where as other brands tend to kill once that happens.

There are probably some more points that I am missing here but overall I like my auger and it does the job perfectly!

[sachem longrifle]

I also have a 2 hp 8 inch and it works fine for me. no complaints as of yet. By the way, hello to all here. I am new to this forum and hope to pick up some good tips and talk

[fishtank]

Hello and welcome Longrifle.

Everybody has some great input thanks! It sound like I've just been convinced to a 2 hp from Strikemaster. This is what I love about this forum. You have honest answers that you can't get from any Store, Magazine, or Commercial. I'll have to post my decision once I make the purchase. I should have it by the weekend.

[Bob_D]

I had a 3hp Jify before I got purchased my Nils Master.....eeeerrrr...I mean before my wife got it for me for X-mas. I will never switch back to a chipper auger. If you planning on doing any "run and gun" type of fishing it's the only way to go. Light, fast, and cuts like a hot knife through butter. To be honest....I did not believe the claims before I got mine. After I drilled my first hole with it, nobody was going to take it away from me. I bet I drilled 150 holes that first day I had it, just because to was a blast to use. I can't say enough good things about the Nils.

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

Jiffy 2-hp Stealth in 8". Love it.

[SteveWilson]

I have an Eskimo 43cc (bit under 2hp) 8" Shark that works just fine for me and it's a whole lot lighter that a 3hp 10"

[IcePro]

I am a diehard Jiffy user and there is no need to go with the 3hp engine with a 8" drill. The 2hp engine has more than enough power. The 2hp is easier starting in the cold. Do not listen to the Strike Master auger runs better than a Jiffy debate. They both use the same 2hp engine.

I would look at the Jiffy Stealth "STX" witha 8" drill assembly. 3 year warranty on the blade and 2 year warranty on the gear box. No other auger gives you this stong of a warranty.

[KidWalleye]

2 h.p Strikemaster 8", 6 years old and runs like new. Also got the ten inch blade afterwards and now it is collecting dust in the garage.

[Northlander]

Had a 3 horse Jiffy and it worked great but was a PIG. HEAVY and cutting a lot of holes was a lot of work. I now have the Nilsmaster as well and love it. Super light and super fast. Best auger I have ever used and I have used them all. Well not the new strikemaster light 4 stroke.

[augernaut]

mark up another vote for a 2hp auger. All the manufacturers make good quality augers. I'm partial to the Strikemasters as well. I have an 8" Lazermag. I have not used the Nils, but my auger outcuts everything else on the ice - I have yet to see a Jiffy that I can't blow the doors off of - especially if you factor in the amount of time it takes the typical Jiffy auger to get up and running :-) You will probably be happy with any auger you buy - just DON'T buy a 3hp!!!

[IcePro]

Quote:

---

mark up another vote for a 2hp auger. All the manufacturers make good quality augers. I'm partial to the Strikemasters as well. I have an 8" Lazermag. I have not used the Nils, but my auger outcuts everything else on the ice - I have yet to see a Jiffy that I can't blow the doors off of - especially if you factor in the amount of time it takes the typical Jiffy auger to get up and running :-) You will probably be happy with any auger you buy - just DON'T buy a 3hp!!!

---

Please clarify. Why would it take longer for a Jiffy to get up and running. A 2hp Jiffy and 2hp Strike Master use the same engine. Or did you mean a 3hp Jiffy to a 2hp Strike Master? In this case it is true because a 3hp takes longer to warm up no matter what brand.

Again... Compare Apples to Apples and Oranges to Oranges

[augernaut]

apples to apples - the 2hp Jiffy is carbed/jetted differently I believe, than the Strikemaster- they use the identical Tecumseh engine, yes. I'm no small engine guy, so I can't say for sure. All I know is what I've seen/experienced. Sorry if you are offended by this.

[tashit]

Or forget about the Tecumseh altogether and get an Eskimo!

[McGurk]

I am suprised by the lack of Eskimo chatter; is it the product or lack of users? Priced comparitively, good engines, but not many mentions anywhere. I had my eye on the Shark Z51 until I found a practically new SM mag 2000 for $150. I might be upgrading to a different auger with the same 2hp head if it suits me, though. Good Luck! McGurk

[tashit]

I'm surprised too. There seems to have been quite a few Eskimo owners in previous threads. It can't be a problem with the product, I love my Eskimo! I have a 9" Shark Z51 and it has been great. I had a faulty gas line that Eskimo knew about and replaced it for free and very quickly. It has run great since then and always starts on the first or second pull.

[ryan johnson]

I've owned 2 jiffy 3 h.p 10 inch augers,bolth of them ended up having factory defects in them..aven after they were fixed,they never ran very well.

then I bought a strikemaster and it performed a little bit better,but became tempermental after a while,even after professional tune ups,from seperate people..

then i bought a eskimo shark,we'll lets just say second time out wasn't a charm..The pull cord mechanism broke in nestor falls,a four hour drive away from home..obviosly it shortened our day of fishing.so we headed home..got to tired so we decided to get a room half way home.At about 2 in the morning ,i awoke to the smell of gas in the room..I get up in a haze,and walk over to the auger,pick it up and gas starts pouring all over me.

there is a plastic plug on the side of the tank, that popped off when the gas got warmer and expanded..Great way to wake up.

after argueing with the company for a month,they decided to take back the eskimo..and i bought a normark/husqavarna auger. it has a chainsaw motor that does around 10,000 rpm and only weighs 20 pounds .What a dream,best auger I've evr owned..just a bit pricy though..wish we had a nills dealer up here could have saved my self a few bucks...oh well next time i guess..

[Northlander]

Ryan can you send me a pick of your Auger. I have heard some good things about these but they dont sell them around here that I have seen. [email protected]

[Riverdude]

I have a 2 hp srikemaster lazer, never had a problem and it starts on the first or second pull every time.

[jltimm]

Another satisfied Strikemaster owner here!They make a lightweight auger that is somewhat quiet,light,easy starting,not to mention the lazer cuts extremely fast!I'am really surprised no one mentioned their customer service!It is top notch!If you look up some old posts on this subject from last year you will read plenty on their excellent customer service!

[glendam]

I purchased a Strikemaster 2hp auger last year and after one week the pull start broke. Returned it for the same model (Laser Mag express) got home from the store, put it together and put gas in the tank. Before the thing even started once the choke lever had broke off! Took it apart, boxed it up, and took it back to the store to retun it for the 2hp Jiffy Stealth. I really liked the Strikemaster better because of the lighter weight but I didnt like the fact that the pull start is on the same side as the choke lever. Overall I dont think there is much differance in drilling proformance etc... but I was concerned about this happening in the future, went with the Jiffy only because the pull start is on the other side.