# Ice auger questions



## grunt_smacker (Sep 7, 2007)

Has anybody used the new adapters that allow you to use a cordless drill and your hand auger to drill their holes in the ice with?
How long do the batteries last?
Would a post hole auger work?

Thanks for any help or info!


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Forget all the headaches that inevitably go with almost all augers and skip to the end game: 



Get an Ion. Period.


Dig up any of Goob's posts on it... they are all dead accurate. Ion is the coolest thing since sliced bread. It always works... always. IDK if anyone has actually ran the battery dead in a day of fishing... I drill dozens of holes and have never gotten down to even 3/4 charge. Hit the reverse button and it will shoot the chips down and out the bottom of the hole like flushing a toilet. 



I love love love my Ion. I fishing is soo much funner now than fighting a hand auger, drill auger or a flooded gasser.




-DallanC


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

I run a DeWalt 20v with 4.5" and 6" Nils augers. This set up is the bee's knees. I can punch +75 holes in 30" ice on a single battery with the 4.5" and at least 50 in 30" ice with the 6". It's light, quiet, and crazy fast. Plus, I also use the drill for my ice anchors for the tent.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

grunt_smacker said:


> Has anybody used the new adapters that allow you to use a cordless drill and your hand auger to drill their holes in the ice with?
> How long do the batteries last?
> Would a post hole auger work?
> 
> Thanks for any help or info!


A buddy has the Nils adapter and it works well for him. The only problem he had was the drill "trigger" once got stuck and was spinning uncontrollably on the ice until he was able to grab it. He sustained a bruise from that incident. The drill lasts an entire day of fishing and overall he likes it.

I have been told that post hole augers are not particularly effective on the ice.

Lastly, the Ion is awesome. That will be my next ice auger.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

grunt_smacker said:


> Has anybody used the new adapters that allow you to use a cordless drill and your hand auger to drill their holes in the ice with?
> How long do the batteries last?
> Would a post hole auger work?
> 
> Thanks for any help or info!


I have an Ion. Best piece of outdoor equipment I own. Very expensive though, especially the batteries (although you can do without a spare).

Funny you should bring this up. I have a 24" long 3" diameter auger bit for drilling holes in dirt. I drilled 75 holes with my 3/8" 12V cordless drill a little while ago and planted tulip bulbs. Kicked butt except in frozen ground. A bit made for dirt has a different angle and cutting blade than a bit for ice. I thought about an ice auger bit for ice fishing then. When I bought the battery-operated auger they were relatively new so I did a lot of surfing the web beforehand. Doing so I ran across a number of youtube videos with guys using battery operated drills on the ice...with mixed results. You may want to look at some of those videos.
.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> I have an Ion.
> .


...you have the new "Ion X" ????

" The all-new 40V 5 amp-hour XC5 Battery increases charge capacity by over 60%, allowing ice anglers to cut up to 1600 inches of ice on a single charge."

You could ice fish for weeks!

I'll give you $100 for the old one


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## grunt_smacker (Sep 7, 2007)

I have seen the ion...maybe in a year or so I can dream of getting one. I have a couple of hand augers. But a couple of guys I work with have been kicking around some ideas other than spending on a gas auger...or even better the electric one.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I've been using a Eskimo 6" gas powered auger now for over 25 years. It starts just fine as long as you do your job and service it prior to putting it into the back of the garage at the end of the season. Keep the blades sharp or replaced when dull along with servicing it and they will give you years of use. 

I don't see the need to buy a electric one or one that uses a drill for whatever cost they are and then have to replace the batteries every couple of years when the gas ones work so well.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

gdog said:


> ...you have the new "Ion X" ????
> 
> " The all-new 40V 5 amp-hour XC5 Battery increases charge capacity by over 60%, allowing ice anglers to cut up to 1600 inches of ice on a single charge."
> 
> ...



.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Holy Crap!! :shock: $400-$600 for a ION Auger?????????????? I can buy a ton of gas, and drill a 10" hole with my Jiffy. Don't care about the weight, at least the Snowmobile doesn't.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

A gas Jiffy Pro4 X-Treme Ice Drill is currently $509.99 - $529.99 at Cabelas, so whats your point? I wore out my gas Eskimo, it was super hard to start even with a rebuilt carb, leaked fuel... and getting the stink off after drilling a few holes in the tent.


If someone has a gaser and it works then fine, keep using it. If someone is in the market for a new one, the electric ones definitely outpreform (IMO) the gasers, for roughly the same price.


As for replacement batteries, I'll let people know if mine ever goes bad. But there are plenty of videos on youtube showing how to replace the 18650 cells for less than $20 for most of these "battery packs". Lots of videos now showing how to convert the old lead based drill batteries over to LithIon now too (I need to do that on one of my old drills). So I think replacement batteries are a non-issue.




-DallanC


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

A gas operated ice auger is the spawn of the devil. The happiest days of my life are when I threw those POS in the dumpster.


.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

A post from 2013:

I've been using a gasoline powered ice auger since 1977 and I'm done with them; had enough of the no-starting SOBs. Good bye, good riddance, see ya later alligator. I will quit ice fishing before I will pull on another rope starter in order to drill a hole in the ice. They are the spawn of the devil.

So I got an ION electric ice auger!!









No more gas, no 2-cycle oil, no mixing, no spills, no fumes.
No mo gas cans
No mo pulling on a rope starter
No mo Seafoam or Sta Bil
No mo annual draining the fuel tank
No mo annual changing of the fuel pump diaphragm 
No mo small engine repair bills
No mo carburetor kits
No mo carrying an owner's manual and a tool kit
No mo noise

Made by the same company that markets Eskimo augers and equipment, their advertisement claims:
40 holes in 24" of ice on a single charge
NO COMBUSTION ENGINE
Charges in 2 hrs
No catch design for a clean bottom hole 
22 lbs, 21 lbs without the shaft extension; 60% less weight than most gasoline-powered 
See: http://www.ioniceaugers.com/

So I've used the thing twice, drilled 30-32 holes in 24" of ice and the battery gauge shows 2 out of 3 lights of power left. Yesterday it was 20°, today it was 7° when I left the ice. The Ion drills faster than any of my gas-powered augers did. The internet reviews say the lithium ion batteries are temperature sensitive (seems dumb) so I kept the battery in the house between trips.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

This is the sound an ION ice auger makes:








.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I can drill a hole in 24" of ice with the ION using one hand. My 6 year old granddaughter has to use both hands though.

24" of ice in about 16 seconds, one hand:


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I pulled on ice auger rope starters for over 40 years and just look at me:


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

taxidermist said:


> Holy Crap!! :shock: $400-$600 for a ION Auger?????????????? I can buy a ton of gas, and drill a 10" hole with my Jiffy. Don't care about the weight, at least the Snowmobile doesn't.


Ah, ha, ha, ho, ho, hee, hee

If they ever make an electric battery-operated snowmobile I'll buy one. All my equipment at Goober Estates is battery-operated; lawn mower, snow blower, tiller, chain saws, pole trimmers, grass trimmers, garden tiller, sidewalk edger....more.

No mo combustion engines with rope starters.

Uh...I had a Jiffy and an Eskimo auger. I liked the Eskimo better; the box I carried with tools and parts was smaller for the Eskimo than the Jiffy.
.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

I'll have to take a video the next time I'm on the ice. I tried going out yesterday but the wife was all, "no freaking way with all the earthquakes still going on." 

She was not convinced by my counterargument about why we have a great life insurance policy on me.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I've had my Jiffy for more than 10 + years now and it starts and runs perfect. You take care of your equipment and it takes care of you. 


I've purchased many items that "wont start", or, "leaks gas when you fill it". Made a few pennies getting it running and selling it. 


I'm not saying battery augers are junk. Just think it's a lot of money for an ugly green drill. If my Jiffy dies, I'll just quit Ice Fishing, and sit by the Wood Stove, and play with the Grandkids.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

taxidermist said:


> I'm not saying battery augers are junk. Just think it's a lot of money for an ugly green drill. If my Jiffy dies, I'll just quit Ice Fishing, and sit by the Wood Stove, and play with the Grandkids.


Or just go with someone that has one of those fancy green electric ones.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

ION:
No more gas, no 2-cycle oil, no mixing, no spills, no fumes.
No mo gas cans
No mo pulling on a rope starter
No mo Seafoam or Sta Bil
No mo annual draining the fuel tank
No mo annual changing of the fuel pump diaphragm twice each year 
No mo small engine repair bills
No mo carburetor kits
No mo carrying an owner’s manual and a tool kit
No mo noise


uh...top of the page


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

taxidermist said:


> I've had my Jiffy for more than 10 + years now and it starts and runs perfect. You take care of your equipment and it takes care of you.
> 
> I've purchased many items that "wont start", or, "leaks gas when you fill it". Made a few pennies getting it running and selling it.
> 
> I'm not saying battery augers are junk. Just think it's a lot of money for an ugly green drill. If my Jiffy dies, I'll just quit Ice Fishing, and sit by the Wood Stove, and play with the Grandkids.


Yeah them thar autimotive-majiggers are pretty ugly too. Take care of yet horse right and she'll last you a couple decades. When she dies I'll probably just never go out adventurin anymore


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

My neighbor just shakes his head at me when I do my fall maintence on all of my 2stroke engine equipped equipment. Besides my ice auger it includes three chain saws a weed wacker and a leaf blower. Two of the chain saws are pushing 45 years and one is over 30. The weed wacker is 20 and the leaf blower is 15. All of them will start within two or three pulls of the starter rope except for the newest chain saw and that one is so cold blooded that I feel like putting a intake heater on it, but it usually fires off within 10 pulls. 

My Eskimo ice auger will fire up in 2 pulls, and I have won bets with it on how many pulls of the starter rope it takes while out on the ice. 

My neighbor keeps telling me that none of them owe me a thing and that I should just start replacing them, but why replace something that isn't broken?


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Critter said:


> My neighbor just shakes his head at me when I do my fall maintence on all of my 2stroke engine equipped equipment. Besides my ice auger it includes three chain saws a weed wacker and a leaf blower. Two of the chain saws are pushing 45 years and one is over 30. The weed wacker is 20 and the leaf blower is 15. All of them will start within two or three pulls of the starter rope except for the newest chain saw and that one is so cold blooded that I feel like putting a intake heater on it, but it usually fires off within 10 pulls.
> 
> My Eskimo ice auger will fire up in 2 pulls, and I have won bets with it on how many pulls of the starter rope it takes while out on the ice.
> 
> My neighbor keeps telling me that none of them owe me a thing and that I should just start replacing them, but why replace something that isn't broken?


All of my battery-operated equipment starts in 0 pulls. And my dad can beat up your dad.

.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Just had an idea...……… I could take the "massy" on the ice, use the PTO and drill a hole faster than ANY auger. Huh?????????????? 


Nobody is beating anyone up...……-O,-


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

taxidermist said:


> Just had an idea...&#8230;&#8230;&#8230; I could take the "massy" on the ice, use the PTO and drill a hole faster than ANY auger. Huh??????????????
> 
> Nobody is beating anyone up...&#8230;&#8230;-O,-


Hey, what's a "massy"?

.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I'll throw my ION on my tan leather my back seat and it may ride there for a couple months...no dirt, no grime.

before:


after:


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Both small engine repair shops in Evingston went out of business when I went to all battery-operated equipment.


.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)




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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

*off track*



grunt_smacker said:


> Has anybody used the new adapters that allow you to use a cordless drill and your hand auger to drill their holes in the ice with?
> How long do the batteries last?
> Would a post hole auger work?
> 
> Thanks for any help or info!


Geeze, sorry I got a little off track.

I suggest just going out on the ice and helping those fellas pull on their starting ropes. If you get one of those augers running I'm sure they'll drill some holes for ya.
.


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

I have a great gas auger that starts every time, it has never given me any problems and I love it. 

However, a few of years ago I had about a thousand dollars in Cabela's points and picked up an Ion, I haven't used the gas auger since. I did take it with me the first couple of times I went with the Ion in case it didn't live up to the hype. It is great, every time I go and I see someone pulling on a gas one that won't start or cranking on the hand auger I walk over and offer to drill them a couple of holes.

Anyone interested in a great gas auger?:smile:


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

bowgy said:


> It is great, every time I go and I see someone pulling on a gas one that won't start or cranking on the hand auger I walk over and offer to drill them a couple of holes.


Ya I've drilled quite a few holes for other guys who cant get their gaser to fire up.

Last time out, two guys hiked for an hour and a half through almost knee deep snow to get to the north end of a lake we were fishing on (we'd gone in on snowmobiles), and then asked if they could set up next to us (they saw us landing fish after fish as they approached). I said sure, they then tiredly started getting out their gear out when one started yanking on the pull start of their auger. After a while his buddy started yanking on it... 5 min later I looked at my wife and she nodded so I picked up the ion walked over and cut a couple holes for them right quick.

They were both planning on stopping off at Sportsmans in Heber to look at a Ion on their way back home LOL

-DallanC


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Watching someone pull on a starter rope is no different than watching a ice fisherman walk off of the ice with his Ion auger when he forgot to recharge the batteries. 

If you don't maintain your equipment you are setting yourself up for failure.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Critter said:


> Watching someone pull on a starter rope is no different than watching a ice fisherman walk off of the ice with his Ion auger when he forgot to recharge the batteries.
> 
> If you don't maintain your equipment you are setting yourself up for failure.


Which is why I also bring the handle for the manual portion of my setup with me in case the drill battery dies (never has though...). I did drill a few holes with the manual crank just to see how it was with the Nils. Having done Eskimo manual augers before I was expecting a long workout, but nope. Nils augers are simply life changing!


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

Critter said:


> Watching someone pull on a starter rope is no different than watching a ice fisherman walk off of the ice with his Ion auger when he forgot to recharge the batteries.
> 
> If you don't maintain your equipment you are setting yourself up for failure.


You sir are correct, I put mine on charge the night before, even when the lights show full charge. I have never seen it lower than one light down from full.

I did forget the gas can for my gas auger one time, lucky that someone I knew had some extra gas. Got home and there is the gas can sitting in the driveway, just forgot to put it in the back of the truck while loading everything elseO|*


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

The Ion. Best piece of fishing gear ever!

*Drill baby, drill!*


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Critter said:


> Watching someone pull on a starter rope is no different than watching a ice fisherman walk off of the ice with his Ion auger when he forgot to recharge the batteries.


Wait... is it possible for them to even go dead? I've never seen more than the first light turn off on mine... ever. Maybe Goob has gotten two lights to turn off... apparently he finds it more fun to drill holes than catch fish.

There's an idea for the OP... skip getting an auger all together, just follow Goob around the lake with a hole every 20ft. 

-DallanC


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> Hey, what's a "massy"?
> 
> .


Tractor..... Massy Fergusson.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Well, sounds like I'm set up for ice fishing this year. When Goob and Dallan head out, drop a message to me and I'll tag along and you can drill my hole for fishing. 


When your ice fishing and grab a beverage from the cooler, do you guys hold your pinky finger out to sip, and, put your nose up in the air? 


That's funny, don't care how you drill your hole.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Goob, forgot to ask you...…….. Does that Gall come with ION to keep you warm? If so, I'm buying one.:mrgreen:


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Critter said:


> Watching someone pull on a starter rope is no different than watching a ice fisherman walk off of the ice with his Ion auger when he forgot to recharge the batteries.
> 
> If you don't maintain your equipment you are setting yourself up for failure.


I maintain my equipment, thank you.
No more gas, no 2-cycle oil, no mixing, no spills, no fumes.
No mo gas cans
No mo pulling on a rope starter
No mo Seafoam or Sta Bil
No mo annual draining the fuel tank
No mo annual changing of the fuel pump diaphragm twice each year 
No mo small engine repair bills
No mo carburetor kits
No mo carrying an owner's manual and a tool kit
No mo noise

Top of da page!! Drill Baby Drill


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

taxidermist said:


> Tractor..... Massy Fergusson.


duh

.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

*There's some things I miss about gas augers*



taxidermist said:


> Goob, forgot to ask you...&#8230;&#8230;.. Does that Gall come with ION to keep you warm? If so, I'm buying one.:mrgreen:


Don't know, I'm too old now, but back in the day I made some memories with my old gas auger.



Those were the days.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

DallanC said:


> Wait... is it possible for them to even go dead? I've never seen more than the first light turn off on mine... ever. Maybe Goob has gotten two lights to turn off... apparently he finds it more fun to drill holes than catch fish.
> 
> There's an idea for the OP... skip getting an auger all together, just follow Goob around the lake with a hole every 20ft.
> 
> -DallanC


Uh....every 10 ft.

.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

This thread will prolly go another 10 pages and then I'm starting one on electric vs gas chainsaws.


.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

wyogoob said:


> This thread will prolly go another 10 pages and then I'm starting one on electric vs gas chainsaws.
> 
> .


Then it is electric car vs gas cars, electric 4x4 vs gas 4x4, electric side by side vs gas side by side, etc etc etc.....................................................................

Then we can get into a whole new area of electric stove, fridge, furnace, water heater vs gas ones. We could go on for ever...........................................


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

taxidermist said:


> Well, sounds like I'm set up for ice fishing this year. When Goob and Dallan head out, drop a message to me and I'll tag along and you can drill my hole for fishing.


Anyones welcome at our camp.

We have alot of fun and bring a lot of gear. Snowmobiles, sled for gear... 6man Eskimo tent (6x13ft inside), underwater cameras, fish finder, Big Buddy heater (Generally dont need it but rarely we've had to use it to dry out clothes), usually a tablet with some movies on it, too many fishing poles, too many homemade "jaw jackers", 12pack of beverages, lots of food... its alot of fun.

Depending on snowfall, sometimes its a 12 mile ride on sleds to get to the lake. Last time we went up it was -19F when we unloaded.



> When your ice fishing and grab a beverage from the cooler, do you guys hold your pinky finger out to sip, and, put your nose up in the air?


 I've been known too... especially if I have worm guts on my pinky finger. :mrgreen:

This year I'm going to start carrying my AR15 with me, starting to see the occasional coyote crossing the lake.

-DallanC


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Critter said:


> Then it is electric car vs gas cars, electric 4x4 vs gas 4x4, electric side by side vs gas side by side, etc etc etc.....................................................................
> 
> Then we can get into a whole new area of electric stove, fridge, furnace, water heater vs gas ones. We could go on for ever...........................................


Is that bad?


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

There's always a haze, an inversion thing, over Pineview in the winter - Pollution and global warming from gas augers.


.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Very nice pic. Goob! 


I think we Forum Members need to make a group ice fishing trip somewhere when the hard deck happens. Bring Electric, Gas, hand, chipper, whatever to punch a hole in the ice, and have a great time. We could even "rib" each other some.:grin:


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

taxidermist said:


> Very nice pic. Goob!
> 
> I think we Forum Members need to make a group ice fishing trip somewhere when the hard deck happens. Bring Electric, Gas, hand, chipper, whatever to punch a hole in the ice, and have a great time. We could even "rib" each other some.:grin:


Yeah, we use to do that, the UWN even co-sponsored some kid's ice fishing events back in the day. The last one was in 2012 at Strawberry Reservoir.

Had a couple ice fishing get togethers at Pineview, another at Rockport.....

uh...top of the page


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

I feel like I need to enter this discussion for no other reason than to restore order to the Top of the Page. 

Oh, and I have a gas auger, it works a zillion times better than my old hand augers, and I wish I had the Ion. I don’t ice fish enough anymore to justify buying a new auger. Bummer...the Ion would look great in my new shed!


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