Getting Ready !!!!

[papaperch]

After the big bust last year the dam is ready to break on my energy on ice fishing this year. Got some Jawjackers to try ( new type tip up ) , re-modified my two man Clam , removed the factory seating which added a lot of weight and decided to go wit little fold up stool. Probably saved at least 40 Lbs.

Finally broke down and bought the Nilsmaster Auger in 8 inch. Been drooling over these for years and finally decided to drop the dough for a high cost manual. Could not decide between 8 and 6 as 6 requires lees effort. But after reading all the review I could find seems like the 8 is almost as effortless as the 6.

Soon as weather gets that cold snap will order maggots and waxworms. Hope to be on ice before Xmas this year.

 

[CrappieHappy]

sounds like a good time to me.....

 

[Fatman]

Enjoy the hardwater but I gave up on it the day I went through!! and that was back in the 80's, but I have a guy here in town who brings me some of those ice cold perch and they are yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[quivira kid]

Nice! I just got my maggots and a Custom Jigs and Spins order in the mail last week .... LOVE THIS STUFF!!!

 

[AtticaFish]

Bring it on! Looking at those Jawjackers more, has me wanting at least a pair of them. My homemade job looks like a fart in the wind I spent enough $$$ last season to count for two seasons worth - and never got to walk on water but once on my pond, for a very brief moment!

Hear a lot of talk about the Nilsmaster, can't wait to hear how it works for you. The hand 8" auger i have kicks my butt after half a dozen holes. I honestly did not treat the blades very well when i first got that one - lesson learned. Got a gas auger last year and can't wait to chew up some ice with it!

 

[quivira kid]

My Jiffy Pro 4 doesn't wear me out at all!

 

[AtticaFish]

That a propane model? Have you seen the new Eskimo that runs off a lithium battery? Funniest part is that us youngsters are talking 'power' augers and papaperch is .........older than us......... and pimping his hand auger. Maybe our generation IS too lazy. hahaha!

My Jiffy Pro 4 doesn't wear me out at all!

 

[quivira kid]

Yes, that is the propane model. Two or three pulls TOPS and she purrs like a kitten!

First couple seasons, we used a hand auger. They're just fine if you're making 10 holes or so a day. We like to "run and gun" a lot though..... move around and keep on active fish. Between 4 of us, 50 holes made in a day wouldn't be uncommon! That will make you one tired pup in a hurry!!

 

[Fatman]

Zac - go back to the regular auger you'll need the upper body strength for lifting the stroller, the diaper bag (Moms have everything in there!!!!!LOL) or the baby front pack or when older the backpack

 

[AtticaFish]

Closest i have ever come to 'run & gun' has been dragging around a spud bar and re-opening other peoples holes. I can't wait to be able to hop around more easily with my power auger. I can remember cutting 12 holes one day on a solo trip with my hand auger. Ice was only about 8" thick, but i felt it in my shoulders for the next week!

I also have a new 2 man shelter that has never been on the ice - have set it up several times in the house for the kids though.

 

[Fatman]

In January we have what's called the Yankee Sportsmans classic show and every year Dave Genz gives seminars on ice fishing. Looked at some of the "Fancy" ice fishing shacks he's designed and man put the things out in the woods and you could live in them!!!!!!!!!!! Heck, if I still went out I'd be afraid to put the thing out on the ice!!!!!!! for fear it'd go through.

 

[quivira kid]

Russ, my buddy and I would go hand-over-hand and both use the hand auger at once. It looked a little goofy, but it would allow us to cut a lot of holes with less wear on both of us!

 

[papaperch]

Aw cmon guys I had have a power auger but hate lugging it around. very seldom does Ohio ice get thick enough for a power auger. My old lazer auger the 6 " one has drilled well over a 100 holes a day. I drill until I find fish sometimes it only takes a few holes most days might take 25.

Will say one thing if you see me drilling holes all over the place you will know I have not found them. In open water fishing the old adage goes that 90 % of the fish are only in 10 % of the lake. During ice season I think the percentage goes to 98% of fish are in 2% of the lake.

As for my old age the only concession I made was to use a 4" lazer for most of my fish finding holes. Those 4 inchers really put a hole in the ice fast. even at that I have left many an area that resembled swiss cheese when I left and still got skunked.

 

[papaperch]

Forgot to add if your hand auger is a 6 or 7 inch and it is wearing you out. You

1. Got the wrong kind of auger
2. Your blades need sharpened or you need new ones
3. NEVER bang your auger on the ice for any reason. This ruins your blades almost immediately.
4. You really need to watch an old icer drill if the top three do not apply.

Eight incher and up will wear anybody out.

.

 

[AtticaFish]

Bill - I think i broke all your rules at one point or another before i knew any better. My hand auger is way too big (pretty sure is 8") for the majority of just panfishing i do. But have landed a few cats that would have been a struggle through a 6" hole. Banged the heck out of it when i first got it, including trying to bust through the last inch or so in frustration. I also tried to put as much weight down on the handle as i could thinking it would drill faster that way. Lots of stupid things have i done - but that was all with the first auger that was actually mine - that is how the learning curve works i guess.

- One rule you did not list was DO NOT RE-DRILL OLD HOLES. Did that a lot too before i started using the spud bar for such things.

 

[papaperch]

Ach your right Russ but in my defense if you have lazer auger you can re-drill same hole with no ill effects. I never loan my auger to anyone if I am not sure they know how to drill on ice. I am old enough to remember the old spoon blade augers. Now when they were brand new they drilled ok but if they got the least little rust on the cutting edge they became a chore to work with.

I do not like most of the manual augers out there. The only one that proved workable without too much effort was the Strikemaster Lazer until I got my power auger that was also a Strikemaster. Same company that makes the Mora but the Mora style is a mankiller. No wonder the old timers used to drill 2 holes and sit there all day.

Only reason I got the Nilsmaster is I got it for just south of 100.00 including shipping. I just have to see if all the hype was true. Believe or not I was going to buy all he had left which was 5 and sell them on ebay. I delayed a day and was lucky to get the one I did get. They went super quick.

 

[quivira kid]

I am looking into a 30" or so HT Ice Blue rod for hole hopping. I live and die by the spring bobber, but for hole hopping I think this rod will have a sensitive enough tip to act almost like one. And I should be able to use it to jig for crappies out of the boat for pretty much the same style of fishing.... and they're like 10 or 15 bucks!

 

[Fatman]

Unless some cold air comes down I think you'll still be fishing from shore!!!

 

[AtticaFish]

Bill - Have heard some decent reviews for some of the smaller sized electric augers...... my next investment will most likely be one of them and an extra (or a couple) batteries to go with it. Interested to hear how the Nills auger works.

Zac - i keep looking at the straight line rods that were new-ish last year.... looks like a fly reel on them. I am itching for one of them. I have some spring bobbers (homemade from guitar string) and some rods with out for ripping heavier rigs. The springs work great for crappie but not sure you would need them for the gills. They tap-tap-tap enough, that if you have a good rod, you usually can feel it pretty well. I have a hard time taking my eyes of the flasher anyways.

Doug - Don't worry - we still have plenty of time. :icefish:

 

[quivira kid]

I have one of the Frabill ultralight straight line combos... when the gills are thumping the jig, they are a hoot! Got mine rigged with fly line backing and some 3# Cajun ice line. Lots of fun with a heavy head jig rigged with plastic!