Help on buying first gas auger

[Pary]

I'm getting ready to buy my very first auger and the probelm is i don't know much about them. So if anyone can help guide me that would be great. Pros n cons. Don't want to spend more then $400 if i don't have too. Thinking bout just getting a used one but not to sure. Tia.

[looneyducer]

I was in your boat last year. I ended up buying a Strikemaster. It's a good auger and all, but I have to say I wish I would have ponied up another bill and a half and bought a Nils. Now that's an auger.

[09ultra]

Augers have come along way.I prefer the jiffy it is just alittle bit heavier than others but I have always had good luck with them.I have bought 1 brand new and (gave to my son) and I bought a used one on hsolist for myself and they are both great.Years ago I had a strike master and it never seem to drill holes well,Like I said they have all come along way over the years.

[fdr01]

i 2nd the nils,i have a strikemaster and am/have not been satified,plus the nils is like 2 augers in one cause you get the hand crank

[Coach1310]

I think to get the best "custom fit" for you, consider a few things:

1. How you fish?...do you drill lots and lots of holes or just a couple in the house and that is it...if you drill lots of holes, durability, weight and cutting speed are important

2. What kind of fish do you fish for....panfish, walleye, pike etc...this will help you decide how big of a auger you need..panfish 8" is plenty, but if you are tackling the toothy critters on a regular basis a 10" might be nice

3. Brands?? You will hear lots and lots of praise for Nils and Strikemaster.... I personally have a Strikemaster and am happy with it. Good luck with your search.

[cat-man]

i have two jiffy's one is probably 20yrs old still runs great and i bought a 10" stealth last year built to last worth ever penny.

[Pary]

i just fish for crappies and walleye. just need to drill a couple in the house n maybe a couple more if i need to move.

[793bob]

i just bought a new auger today and it was a strikemaster because thats what my dealer carried.i did alot of reading the past week on the augers.both jiffy and strikemaster use the same engine.people seem to love either one and these two seem to be at the top of the list. i think the jiffy doesn't have as much plastic on it compared to the strikemaster.i wouldn't buy an eskimo again.

[MLee]

I just picked up a strikemaster lazer 224 that was a demo from last year. The motor was ran a few times and the auger was brand new. I paid $290 for the set up at D Rock in New Brighton. If you want a mag 2000 it will be $225 and a lazer will be $270.

[Sandmannd]

If you don't mind used, you can get a good one for under 2 hundred on this site or craig's list.

[pathogen]

I think you'll find that people are probably just as passionate about their choice of auger as they are about their choice of flasher. My personal preference is for a Jiffy, I've had one for 25 years and it's never let me down. In that time it has always started on the first or second pull, I've had it in for a tune up once, and replaced the chipper blade for the first time last year. I cut a lot of holes, but am careful where I drill. If you are planning on opening old holes or reaming out a partially frozen hole, you will find a chipper blade is the only way to go. The only real down-side to my Jiffy is that it is heavier than a lot of brands. But the dependability and durability of it makes it worthwhile. Good luck to you in whatever you choose!

[jtm]

I've got a strikmaster and relly like it. But the downside of it is that they are horrible for redrilling holes in the house, especially if there is only an inch or two of ice. Other than that I've hadit for four years and have not had any probs

[CrappieAttitude]

Your going to definately hear pros, cons for everything. People who have had bad experiences in one particular brand will say negative things regarding that brand. You will hear good things about both as well.

Nils is defanately the leader of the pack, but not essential especially if this will be your first gas auger. I personally have a strikemaster Lazermag express 8" and have had really good luck with it.

You will have to make your own decision on what you feel is a priority for you and what your budget can handle. If you fish out of a perm or a portable may have an impact on what you get as well. Chipper blades are easier to reopen holes with for permanant house fishing, but are a little slower. Both Jiffy and Strikemaster are good augers, and either one of them would be better than hand crankin.

Another thing to consider is the reputation that the company has on customer service. I have heard nothing but great things about strikemaster when it comes to that area. All I know is that if I am purchasing something, I want to know that the company has my back when it comes to servicing or questions I may have.

Good luck with the search, once you decide on a brand, the next question you will be faced with is what size do you want to get.

CA

[SDbowhunter]

I have a strikemaster mag 2000 in 10" it is slow but requires no effort drilling holes. The nice thing about it being slow is it does not throw ice chip all over the floor of a wheel house. Most jiffys make a huge mess cause thier RPMS are so fast. I dont like the plastic handles but it runs like a champ. For the price its a good auger and would recommend to anyone on a budget.

[stifler51]

I have a Strikemaster 224 and love it. havent had any problems cept the pull string knot coming undone but thats a simple fix and i improved it so it wont happen again.

FYI its the only gas auger ive owned but...

My buddy that i fish with a lot has had Jiffys and by the "s" i mean plural. First one he got wouldnt idle, retured, second one ran super ruff, retured, third one got a stealth, run ok but really loud, so loud u can hear it what seems like miles away and take 5-10 mins to warm up. If u try to use it before then it'll die 3ins into the ice. I can already have all the holes drilled before he even gets one done.

IMHO id go with a strikemaster

[juggs]

I bought my first gas auger a couple winters ago. Decided to spend the extra money and went with a Nils Master and I don't regret it. It cuts extremely fast, is very light and portable, and has a longer shaft than the standard auger so you never need an extension unless you fish above the Arctic circle. It also converts to a hand auger which is great for early/late ice. Just detatch the motor, attach the handle and you have that much less weight to drag around. I went with the six incher because I fish mostly panfish and don't need or want a big hole but they come in an eight inch also. Highly recommended.

[Dragonsm]

My first auger I owned was a Jiffy Model 30, and it was a good auger that never let me down.(though it was a little on the heavy side) However, last year I decided to upgrade and pass on my Jiffy to someone else starting out ice fishing and I picked up a Lazer 224 from D-Rock. Lighter than the model 30 (though it is a 2hp vs. a 3hp) and it also is a great auger that I don't have any complaints about. One thing about the units that D-Rock is selling is, they are basically brand new...(used maybe to drill a 100 or so holes) and at least for me, he started a few different powerheads, picked out the best one, tweaked it right there and sent me on my way with a new 224 auger. It's definitely cuts down on the price, plus I also liked the fact that break in was basically done, and I was able to hear it run and have him tweak it to get it to run the best rather than myself trying to do that out of the box....(did I mention it was a lot cheaper too... ) The motors (2hp and 3hp)on top of the augers are all basically the same between most of the brands...(nils being an exception) Now it gets down to personal preference. D-Rock was great if you get the chance to stop in there, and from what I hear....Strikemaster customer service is great...though I haven't used them yet and hopefully I don't.

Whatever you choose, if the auger you buy comes with that dumb little all metal gas cap, upgrade that. My bro-in-law fights that cap all the time from closing shut and wonders why his auger doesn't run. I tell him, 10 bucks for a new gas cap and it will run great....

Good luck in your choice!

Steve

[magnum mike]

This is another example of Ford vs. Chevy or Cat vs. Polaris. I have owned 2 Jiffy's over 25 years of fishing and they are rock solid. They are heavy, they aren't as fast as some of the others but they ALWAYS run. Mine gets hard use and has been bounced around for 100's of miles on the ice and still cuts like a champ.

By the way - POLARIS stands for - Pull Off Lake And Repair In Summer.

[TimBuck2]

I bought my first auger last year, and opted for the Strike Lite. It was either that or the Nils. I went with the Lite for the simple fact that you don't have to mix Oil/Gas. Low emissions so it doesn't smoke up the permanent, and it's quiet. I did have an issue with the synthetic bit, but StrikMaster allowed me to trade it off for a 224 bit. Their customer service bought a lifelong supporter in me.

TB2

[zamboni]

I, too, bought a Strikemaster StrikeLite. I don't have any issues with the plastic flighting, however. I love it, it's a great auger, quiet as all get out, people actually look when you are drilling holes, wondering why your auger isn't throwing off smoke signals and why it's so quiet. I waited until towards the end of last years ice, and got it $100 off

[TTfromBlaine]

For sure man check out D-rock, they are good people and know there stuff, I picked up a lazer shaft for my mag with new blades plus he threw in the old blades that were like new and bought it to slab fest last year, while not quite as fast a Nils it does blow through the ice.

ICE DOG 1 out

[dilleyo]

As long as you keep the blades sharp and covered when not using them, any auger should do just fine. As far as long term goes, I have no clue. I have a strikemaster (not sure of the model, it doesn't state any) and bought it used, but it didn't start for me. I took it to D-Rock in New Brighton and $40 later, she runs like a champ. I've had it for 3 years now and have not had a single problem with it (knock on wood). If you go with Strikemaster, they have a local place you can bring in into with any questions (in Big Lake), and the Jiffy, I'm not so sure. I also have a fishin' buddy that has had his Jiffy for 3 years and hasn't had any problems with his either, so it looks as if I'm no help.

[Pary]

I've never heard of d-rock in new brighton can someone point me in that direction???

[MLee]

D-Rock Center

(651) 639-0446

175 Old Highway 8 SW New Brighton, MN 55112-7743

Quote:

---

I've never heard of d-rock in new brighton can someone point me in that direction???

---

[Sandmannd]

I was looking at some today. Do you think you are better off going with a chip bit or the lazer bit? I'm not sure which way to go. One guy was telling me the lazer doesn't hold up as well, but you get a lot more speed out of it.