# Best Auger for the $$.



## fishhook

Right now I'm cutting with an old eskimo...i'm talking 25 years old, possibly older. It works fine, especially for how much i fish, but i fear it could be on it's last leg. In your humble opinion's, what is the best auger for the $$ out there? I'm thinking its still a 2hp, 8" eskimo. I have seen them for $230....that looks pretty reasonable to me. After all they are all made with tecumseh engines. Any other opinions?


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## njsimonson

I have Jiffies. I just got a 3 hp 8" Model 30 Stealth. Pretty sweet, punched about 100 holes with it this weekend...not too shabby. Needs to hit that "broken in point."

My old model 30 survived a roll over a little worse for the wear but still worked okay. Just not peak like I wanted.


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## Ron Gilmore

I got to see a lot of different augers this weekend at LOW's. If all that you want to fish with is a 8" hole the 2 hp machines did fine in 28" of ice. Comments I heard where more about the poor design of handles on some of them. Couple of the guys had Shark augers that the handles prevented them from laying the auger down without it getting in snow and causing trouble. With the flooding we had most of them had to drill a hole and set the auger into it. If it was cold this would have been a problem.


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## qwakwhaker883

Just picked up a Strike Master for $225 this weekend.


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## Kantack

I use a strikemaster hand auger... I now have two 3hp arms.


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## Maverick

> I use a strikemaster hand auger... I now have two 3hp arms


LMAO....


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## mallardhunter

:rollin: You might be able to get a good used one somewhere.


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## drjongy

Strikemaster makes a nice 2 HP auger that is light and cuts fast. The only problem is the blades will dull quickly if there is a lot of sand in the ice, and once a Stikemaster dulls, it is very hard to cut with. I bought an extra set of blades and then send the dull ones to get sharpened...problem solved.

I think the weight and speed benefits of the Strikemaster outweigh the blade issue. Val's Cyclery in Minot sharpened and shipped my blades back to me for $11.50.


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## Old Hunter

I was fishing yesterday with a friend that had a brand new Strikemaster. He started with a 9" 3 blade . He was very unhappy with the way it cut. He called the factory and they sent him a new 8" 2 blade flyte. He drilled 15 holes it was a gonner. It had to be grit in the ice. This was a typical small ND lake. The ice did not look dirty but there was enough to take out the blades in 15 holes. Im afraid the design of the blades leaves no room for deviation from the exact plan of operation. If the blades are not perfect in every way the machine will not cut at all. My 10" Lazer was ok for a few holes then it quit cutting. The blades still feel razor sharp but they dont cut. I believe the blades cutting edge gets a little round over(not noticeable to the eye) then they do not cut at all. In support StrikeMaster I must say they are doing everything possible to make this customer happy. They have sent him replacements and keep in contact with him in an attempt solve his problems. They have shown excellent customer service. In the end I believe that curved blades and North Dakota dirt do not mix well. Good Luck


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## goosehtr4life

Old Hunter, you are right, those blades do not last on No. Dak lakes. I purchased a Jiffy two years ago and can cut through anything and everything and have not touched the blades since the day I bought it..

It is cold blooded though...


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## tonyfishmaster

jiffy is the only way to go !!i own a 3.5 jiffy and its been good to me :beer:


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## Goosepride

I use a old Jiffy. It works well. It is cold blooded but it's been through an awful lot and still runs like a champ. I need a new edge for it I think, then it will be perfect.


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## Norm70

I have a good story supporting the 8" jiffy lengend. Last year, I didn't do alot ice fishing. I think i went out once. I left the ice auger at his house one weekend so he could clean it up for me(he is good with small engines) well when i pick it up i find out he had dug about 3 post holes with it!! I was not very happy. Anyway the very next weekend took it out, did not replace the blades and it worked fine. I figure that, that is a pretty tough auger. I still use the auger, It is about 8 years old. Bought at Sodak in aberdeen for 275 bux.


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## sierra03

Haha we use an ice auger for planting holes in the summer for work. We have probably drilled a thousand holes and I bet it is still gonna go strong next year. Sorry I dont know the brand, I just had to tell ya that


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## Ithaca1

Jiffy Model 30 only way to go when you fish Oahe and Sak.


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## seabass

I just bought the Jiffy White lightning model... cheapest (new) Jiffy I could find. I did read one or two neg. reports on it in this forum, but I bought it anyway. The handles are solid, as is the throttle. I don't much care for the way it throws water compared to other two-bladed models I've seen though. But as far as starting and cutting holes, its great... light too.


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## woodpecker

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## mallardhunter

I am still trying to figure out why those are suppose to be so good, i would also like to hear some more reports about them.


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## fox412

I have a two horse Jiffy and it does a good job. The other day though I used a guys 4 blade strikemaster. All I have to say about that is wow. It seems like you just hold the thing upright and it goes. Not cheap though.


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## woodpecker

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## north14

I also have a Jiffy Stealth, cuts like crazy with no down pressure at all. I've owned it for 3 years and have never had to sharpen it.


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## fox412

No mine isn't a stealth its a white lightning it cuts well I bought it this year and have only cut about 40 holes with it so it should be plenty sharp. I am not complaining about the way mine cuts it does a good job. That 4 blade is just so fast and smooth.


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## knoppers

I just got the strikemaster lazer last year, this thing cuts holes very fast, with no downward pressure. my old auger was a jiffy 3.5 hp 10 inch ton of weight. I bought the strikemaster for the lighter weight and better cutting speed, since I carry my auger often, and drill many holes. the old jiffy would always cut slow with loads of downward pressure, but it seemed to always work for me. in fact the jiffy bailed me out on the first ice of the year. somehow my strikemaster flooded out in the truck on the way to the lake place, I had my jiffy in storage there in the shed. it never ran for two years, and never been run out of gas, but I put in some new fuel, and this thing started right up, I was impressed. but I still would recomed the strikemaster.


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