Choosing The Right Ice Fishing Auger

December 12, 2023

It would be easy to say we don’t need a lot of the fishing equipment that we buy and use. When it comes to ice fishing though, an auger is not one of those. While we can all agree that we need an ice fishing auger, choosing just the right one can be difficult. Here are some factors to consider before purchasing your next ice auger.

Power Ice Augers Vs. Hand Ice Augers

Fuel Powered Ice Augers Vs. Electric Ice Augers

What Size Auger Hole Do I Need?

What's The Difference Between Curved Vs Chipper Auger Blades

Power Ice Augers VS. Hand Ice Augers

The obvious answer - power augers will cut faster than a hand auger, but weight and cost vary significantly. When consistently cutting in less than 6" of ice during early or late season fishing, a hand auger is all you need. Carrying just a hand powered ice fishing auger lets you significantly cut the weight you have to carry. The caveat with hand augers is that you need one with good, sharp blades, such as the Strikemaster Lazer Series. Even the best hand auger blades will dull out in time though, and regularly changing the auger blades will make for much less work and significantly faster cutting times.

The definition of a power auger is quite a bit different than it was even just a decade ago. Traditionally, a power auger meant you had a 2-stroke gas engine. That was your only option. Today, power augers can have powerheads that are 2-stroke, 4-stroke, propane, and even electric. Let's take a look at the pros and cons of these different types of power augers.

Fuel Powered Ice Augers VS. Electric Ice Augers

2-Stroke And 4-Stroke Gas Powered Augers

There's about a 95% chance your Dad's power auger was a 2-stroke motor. 2-stroke power augers cut through three feet of ice with ease and are a much better option than a hand powered ice fishing auger when dealing with thick ice conditions. For a short period, auger manufacturers started to make 4-stroke augers to eliminate the annoying need to mix oil and gas. 4-strokes didn't take off though, they were heavy and difficult to start in the cold. If you were to check the shelves in today's market you'd be hard pressed to find a 2-stroke or 4-stroke power auger.

Propane Powered Augers

In my opinion, the most used power augers that require fuel today are not gas models, but instead ones run by propane. The issues with dealing with gas, smoke, and keeping gas augers running after long periods of no use made them less desirable. Propane seems to work more trouble-free and it's easier to carry extra bottles and not worry about bad gas. In super cold environments, the small feeder lines in propane augers have had some issues in the past. Keeping both the power head and the propane out of the cold when not in use helps dramatically.

Electric Ice Augers

While I will be the first one to tell you that electric cars are not on my list of must-haves, an electric auger is. The technology has been around long enough that they have hit the point where you can even turn a 10’’ auger bit in thick ice without worry. The advancements have come so far that industry-leading StrikeMaster augers don’t even offer a gas model any longer, just electric. Take the options below for example.

Electric augers are also perfect for use in a wheelhouse or any enclosed shack where fumes could pose a problem. Additional factors such as quietness and having the confidence that it will work in harsh winter conditions are a big deal. Make sure to take care of the batteries and keep them warm when not in use to extend their life. In extreme cold, a soft-sided cooler with hand warmer packs will significantly increase run time and reliability. If you're planning a multi-day fishing trip or need to drill hundreds of holes in a day, extra batteries and power stations are also available and recommended.

This electric StrikeMaster Ice Auger makes short work of feet of solid ice

Modified Hand Augers

When drilling with auger bits of 6’’ or less a hand drill modified auger is also a good option. All you need is the 18v or higher, brushless, hand-held drill from the toolbox and the StrikeMaster Lite-Flite Lazer listed below and you're in business. For those of us who don’t like to break a sweat, this option can replace a hand ice auger when less ice needs to be drilled through. When it does get thicker a traditional auger is just much easier on the wrists and back in my opinion and offers more power and quicker cutting ability.

What Size Auger Hole Do I Need?

The size of the auger hole you require will determine what power type of ice fishing auger you'll need. Larger holes in the 8’’ and 10’’ range are best suited for a gas or electric power head. The torque and extra amount of material that they move makes drilling large diameter holes much easier. When you get to the very popular 6’’ hole size, the options are more open. When it comes down to it you want the smallest size hole that you can easily get the fish you are targeting through. The larger the hole the more juice or sweat equity you will require to get through and the fewer the holes you are likely to drill. Don’t just consider the size of the fish you are catching when determining the hole size you select either. Many of the trophy perch chasers I know use an 8’’ hole to avoid hooking lures, especially treble hooks, on the bottom of the ice. Thick ice and deep snow can make getting fish into the bottom of the hole feel like you are threading a needle in the dark.

For most panfish applications, a 4" or 6" hole will suffice. Unless you're chasing true giants and want to play it safe.

For chasing trophy walleye, you'll want an 8" or 10" hole

What's The Difference Between Curved VS Chipper Auger Blades?

Different manufacturers have different-looking blades, but when it comes down to it, they mostly can be put in two categories, curved and chipper. Curved blades are those found on nearly all of the hand auger models, as they cut into the ice. These same styles are also very popular on power or electric models. The key with curved blades is to make sure that they are very sharp. There are methods and ways to sharpen them, but in all practicality, much like sharpening a fish hook, it helps but is never the same. Having an extra set of blades on hand is always a smart move since items frozen within the ice such as sticks or sand can quickly dull blades. Make sure to get them prior to the start of the season, as this always seems to be an empty peg item once the lakes are covered.

Chipper blades do just what they say and they chip the ice away and typically only feature a large serrated blade on one side of the auger shaft. This style needs to be used on a powered head of some type as they require a little more downward pressure to do the scraping versus cutting. One advantage of a chipper-style blade is that they are much better at reopening old holes without jumping around. Attempting this with most curved blades means a tougher cut if at all and dulling blades quickly.

Remember this article when shopping for your next ice auger!

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