Ice saw or hand auger?

[Guest]

$100 budget. What would work better an ice saw or a Nils hand auger? Would a lazer hand auger be ok? I fish up to 20" of ice. Looking at 6" auger.

[Iceboy]

I have both, and if you are fishing 20" of ice the Lazer auger is a MUCH better choice. I'd go with a 6" hole. I only use my ice saw for cutting big holes for sight fishing and for cutting spear holes. I wouldn't want to use it to cut multiple holes through 20" of ice, or 12" for that matter - way too much chiseling, since you need a starter hole before you can even start sawing. Just pulled a nice 26" walleye out of Mille Lacs through a 6" hole drilled with a Lazer hand auger - no problem. Any bigger and the drilling gets a bit tough.

Iceboy

[Iceboy]

Plus, you will save $50 buy buying the auger.

[Guest]

It's illeagal to fish through a hole larger than 12" here in Cheeseland Tex.
Unless you plan on getting into Sturgeon spearing on Winnebego a hand auger is what you want. Even then for 10 - 20 bucks there are dudes who will cut you a spearing hole there if you want.

The hand auger is what you want. Nils is one nice auger for sure but the Lazers and Moras will bore holes too. Just not as fast.

What species are you going to fish for most ?
For Walleyes I like an 8" hole or bigger. For Panfish a 5 or 6" is plenty.
If I remeber right you fish Petenwel aina ?
Lots of Walleyes there so I would go for an 8" if I were you.
Was up to Pete the week before last. Got some beauty Crappies off Barnums Bay. Guess they are picking them up all over the place though. NICE Perch too.

[Guest]

Thanks for the help fellas. Geeman, I have a 5" used mora that I've been battling. I scrimped on lots of things so I could get a vexilar. That mora is kicking my butt! I have been doing well out on Petenwell, lots of crappies and a few keeper walleyes. I've been reading alot of old posts and am leaning towards a 6-8" strikemaster lazer.

[Guest]

Ex-Tex , You pick up an auger yet ?
Maybe your blades are shot on the 5" Mora.
I have one 5" ( have had it for years ) and it cuts through ice like butter.
When I started out icefishin years ago I started out with an 8" Mora. Since I liked to panfish and gamefish the 8"er was the way to go until I could afford a 5" auger just for panfish.
I sugest you buy an 8" auger and a new set of blades for the 5. I know it's a bit more money than you want to spend right now but once you've purchased the auger/blades you'll be set for a long time.

I started with an 8" Mora but after backing over it with my Honda DOH ! I bought an 8" Strikemaster Lazer.

Where on Pete have you been fishin ?

[This message has been edited by GEEMAN (edited 01-13-2003).]

[Bobb-o]

i had the same prob with my 7" Mora but i replaced the blades and it cuts like nothing now. went through 22" of ice yesterday in aboot 2 min

[Dano2]

No kidding?
Wow, than my blades must be crap, they feel sharp at the touch, but I have a hell of a time even cuttin through 10".

Me and my buddy were on a lake a couple weeks ago, I think the ice was atleast 16 inches,
it took us about 20 minutes to do 2 holes.
My buddy would crank the thing around while i was on my knees pulling down on it as hard as i could.

Man it sure is nice whn his father inlaw borrows us his power auger which isn't to often.
My buddy makes swiss cheeze out of the lake.'

[Borch]

Throw a thin metal shim on the blade side of the set screws and you get another year out of the blades before you need to replace them. A couple pieces of an aluminum pop/beer can will do in a pinch. Just increases the angle a bit so the blades bite a bit better.

Good Luck!

[Guest]

Picked up some new blades and what a difference Have also been using a borrowed gas auger. Now that I have used a gas auger I have to get one! Won't be able to this year but next winter for sure. Geeman, have been fishing on the river channel by the Lure Bar, 15-18' of water. Using pink or chartreuse angel eyes tipped with a minnow head. Last couple of days have been doing better on smallish fathead minnows on a single green hook. let me know if you're headed up this way and maybe we can hook up. Clayton

[Dano2]

Borch, thanks for the advice, makes great sense, I'll have to give that a try when I go out tuesday night.
thanks

[upnorth]

Dull blades = lotsa work

[Gadgetman]

Hey Dano, why dont you both try grabbing the auger at the same time,hands on top of each others,standing, and you can drill a ton of holes without getting your butt kicked. It also looks better than being down on your knees if you know what I mean....and I think you do

[Dano2]

Heh, heh, I knew i should of thought twice before writing that, lol

I think I'll try the shim idea

[Guest]

I know it sounds stupid, but is is possible to get those Mora blades on upside down. I fixed an auger on the ice for a guy who couldn't get a hole drilled. He had sharpened the blades the night before and put them on bevel side down. You need to make sure that the flat side of the blade is on the ice and the beveled edge is facing up. Good luck!!!

[Guest]

Ex-Texan Yup new blades can make for a whole new auger pretty quickly. I have yet been able to sharpen them MORA blades, and make them work. Some guys can, I can't.

A tip for you Ex-Texan if you plan on shopping for a good used power auger for next ice season.

Wait tell spring, hit the pawn shops, eventually there will be a new auger in, there always are.

About the time college gets out, or during spring break, I see lots of them in the shops.

Odds are good the pawn shop will not want to hang onto them tell next winter, so dicker and you will get a deal.

------------------
Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson..><sUMo>

Backwater Guiding
"Ed on the RED"
(701)-281-2300

[email protected]

http://ed-carlson.fishingbuddy.com

[This message has been edited by Backwater Eddy (edited 01-15-2003).]

[Rick]

Ice Boy,
you don't need a starter hole before using the Ice Saw. It's a chipper/spud-bar as well as an ice saw. I do recommend a hand auger for 20" of ice unless you are spearing.

The ice saw is good for 12" of ice and under by itself.

[Guest]

ExTexan , You've really spoiled yourself now by using a power auger. LOL
Your new Mora blades should have come with a set of shims. Like has been posted already , they are a good idea. Like Eddy , I've never had much luck sharpening my own blades either. Though they would seem sharp they did'nt cut worth diddly. DON'T toss your old blades ! If you can, find a place near you that sharpens auger blades. Some baitshops offer that service for a few bucks. I'm not sure but that baitshop up to Nakoosa sharpens blades I think ?

If I make it up to Pete again I'll let you know. A small gold Zip lure , a number 3 jigging rap in a perch color and a Perch colored Rattle Trap are good lures for Pete.
A few tips on Pete for you.
You may want to try finding the river channel itself now that the water level is being drawn down. The river channel is from 20 to 27 feet deep roughly. Find the channel edge and look for submerged timber and you should find fish ! A hot spots map will help you big time finding the old channel.
Try and avoid the crowds too if you can. Be careful on the ice as it does wierd stuff as they draw the water down.