A letter to auger manfacturers...

[thump55]

Please make us a 2.5" diameter auger to use with a cordless drill, and here's why:

Ice fishermen are mobile these days. We search for fish. Most us need gas augers because cordless drill augers don't last long enough, nor do they provide a large enough hole. So we drive our ATV's or trucks to a spot, then get out, lug the auger off the rack or the tailgate, start it, drill, put it back, get the graph, and check the hole for fish/depth/structure, etc. Here on Lake Winnebago, we may travel miles and drill 30 holes before ever even dropping a line.

With a 2.5" auger (just big enough for a transducer to drop in), we can drill and check without even getting off the ATV! It would cut the search time in half. When you find fish, or whatever you're looking for, then break out the gas auger and make some fishing holes. A tiny auger would drill forever on a 24V drill, and it would also be nice to have a small hole right next to your fishing hole for the transducer where it won't get tangled. You can drop a quick search lure down also if you want to jig a bit and see if you can draw anything in.

A 5" Strikemaster hand auger is about $80. You sell these for $50, and they will fly off the shelves. You've discussed sillier ideas at your new product development meetings, I know you have. I'm not even going to make a joke about me being available as an underwear model to showcase this new auger because I want you to take this seriously. We haven't even discussed how much money you will make selling blades, because we both know guys are going to be using this to drill dirt in the summer to put up those pesky volleyball poles that never stay put, or to plant small trees.

Now, get off this forum, you're supposed to be working. Run down to your boss's office and take credit for this cash cow, I don't care. Buy me a beer with your huge bonus check and we'll call it even :)

[Hot Runr Guy]

any chance that a Stihl 2.4" earth auger bit would work?
http://www.warrencountyservice.com/stihl/augers-drills/bt-121-earth-auger

HRG

[biggamefisher]

You do not have to drill a hole......scape the snow away, wet the ice so the transducer signal can pass thru it and ultimately through the ice, voila no hole required......some folks use water if it's not too cold out it won't freeze for a minute or so, I use non-toxic plumbing antifreeze, minimal to no ill effects on the environment......been doing that for many, many years, 100 's of times, hasn't failed me yet.

[REW]

Biggame,
When you are running over the lake that is routinely covered with several feet of snow, it is really not possible to scrape the snow away to get to the ice.

Even when there is little snow, you get a much much much better reading on the graph, when you can drop the transducer all of the way under the ice so that there is 0 ice between you and the bottom of the lake.

REW

[REW]

Here is a 3 inch Echo auger. Put an ice blade on the end of the auger and go drill holes.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100675465&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=100675465&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googlebase-_-D28X-_-100675465&locStoreNum=2803&marketID=101

here is a 2 inch electric auger. I expect that if you talked to the manufacturer, you could get a 2 inch ice blade for the auger.

http://www.wikco.com/rhd.html

Jiffy auger -
http://www.shopwiki.com/_JD02F+%283622%29+-+JIFFY+-+2+Inch+Earth+Auger+Drill+Assembly?o=318640649&s=640956

Here is a 2 1/2 inch auger for your cordless drill:
http://www.bestbudsgarden.com/IBS/SimpleCat/Product/asp/product-id/38000.html

Modify an ice cutting blade to fit on the bottom and you will be set.
If required, you can get a machine shop to make an extension for it if needed.

REW

[Backwater Eddy]

If you wish to do this drill and scout thing, consider this once.

You would need a 4" hole at minimum, so you might as well do the Lazer 5" to be cost and use effective, and lessen weight by lessening junk to tote along...and here is my reasoning why.

A 2" or 3" hole will not be very ducer friendly, and many ducers now are larger to accommodate true multi beam configurations. The Vexilar duel beam is 2.5", new Tri beam ducer is a bit larger yet in width.

Ice under 2 feet, most on ice sonars will shoot through it without the need of a new wet hole...so why bother.

Ice deeper than that, you now will run into the hole size factor coupled with sonar ringing concerns, resulting in bogus sonar reading.

So the larger hole would be best as you must get the ducer down farther in the deeper ice to get a reliable sonar reading for reliable scouting purposes....so we are now back to the 5" hole.

My vote, go with the 5" StikeMaster Lazer. Far simpler and less complications will arise on the ice. The new High amp high Voltage rechargable drills run them with ease too. But this will run you just as much as a new auger in the end, as good drills ain't cheap.

A lot of guys are using the StrikeMaster Electric auger for this same purpose, with the 5" Lazer, and it ends up offering more utility and less end cost. The StrikeMaster 1200 in that configuration would weigh in at 25.5 lbs, and get the job done for you well.

[biggamefisher]

Biggame,
When you are running over the lake that is routinely covered with several feet of snow, it is really not possible to scrape the snow away to get to the ice.

Even when there is little snow, you get a much much much better reading on the graph, when you can drop the transducer all of the way under the ice so that there is 0 ice between you and the bottom of the lake.

REW

Think of what you just said, covered in several feet of snow.....if you plan to stop in that spot, what's the difference????? If you plan to drill a hole there, (several feet of snow and say 3-4 feet of ice), did't know flytes came in 6-7 foot lengths, and even if you pieced together a couple of extensions you would be there for a while. Come on, do you really stop and fish where there are several feet of snow? In my 30 years of fishing experience, and I run and gun all over big lakes up here, Lake Winnipeg being one, never too difficult to find a spot in the immediate area you want to fish that only has a few inches or a foot of snow.....but hey, if you want to fish on top of all the snowdrifts thats up to you! Like I said, I have done this 100's of times, never failed me yet! While I agree, if you want the most detail possible, you need to dunk your ducer', but if you want to find that structure or depth your looking for, shootin' thru ice has never failed me, I do use top line quality units, my Marcum LX-5's shoot thru like the ice was not even there....I have also shot thru with some of the Humminbird portable finders with no problems what so ever......as of late, for the last few years, also been using GPS Chartplotters during the hard water season, the combination of both units prove to be un-stopable in the pursuit of happiness adn finding those perfect spots.

[seeds]

The Marcum's shoot thru ALL different kinds of ice as if it's not there?

When there's 4" of ice,then we get 1' of heavy snow on top,the ice is junk for my Marcum to shoot thru for the entire winter. All those air bubbles in the ice make any readings clutttered,unreliable,or I just plain don't get a reading.

I bring two thermos's of hot saltwater for shooting thru ice with the Marcum. My Vex's 'ducer shoots thru "dry" ice better than the Marcum. - I need at least something to wet the surface for the Marcum but I prefer to fish with the it. If I didn't plan on searching I improvise but I only have so much spit. I end up using little splashes of coffee.

I've thought of the same thing as the original poster,but if I have to,I just cut holes big enough to fish thru. I walleye fish a little deeper than they do on 'Bago,and it's common to mark fish on those deep humps that will bite.....Cut,check,drop a rap...

As to the deep snow?...It might not be as important as on 'Bago,but where I fish,a difference of 10' to the side can make a huge difference. "Humps" can be essentially wide,slightly higher spots in a rocky spine. You've got to be right on the spot.

These are fish that spend the day hunkered-down on structure,and the nights roaming open water chasing cisco. They're not feeding aggressively. You've got to put a bait right in their bedroom,next to the bed for them to take a bite.

[Backwater Eddy]

Any air trapped in the ice, or severely chattered ice with air in the cracks, will make any efforts to shoot through and achieve a clean reliable return signal difficult, unreliable, or impossible.

Clean ice is key to pull it off, up to 2'. Any sign of white ice, forget it...bust out the drill right off, and save yourself time dink'n around.

Higher power really does not help anything either, it can work against you. The LP Mode in a Vexilar actually does better for this as the sonar is less prone to splatter and defuse the sonar signal passing back and forth.

That is why your getting a better read with the "Dry Ducer" on the ice. Pulse rate is a significant factor as is a properly balanced bandwidth to push it and receive a usable reading through the ice.

The new Vexilar FL-22 will have some enhanced capability's when it comes to ice penatration because of the new methodolidy of managing banwith calibration and pulse rate.

But white Ice, will always be the joy killer to shoot through ice, it's a given.

[Backwater Eddy]

Any air trapped in the ice, or severely chattered ice with air in the cracks, will make any efforts to shoot through and achieve a clean reliable return signal difficult, unreliable, or impossible.

Clean ice is key to pull it off, up to 2'. Any sign of white ice, forget it...bust out the drill right off, and save yourself time dink'n around.

Higher power really does not help anything either, it can work against you. The LP Mode in a Vexilar actually does better for this as the sonar is less prone to splatter and defuse the sonar signal passing back and forth.

That is why your getting a better read with the "Dry Ducer" on the ice. Pulse rate is a significant factor as is a properly balanced bandwidth to push it and receive a usable reading through the ice.

The new Vexilar FL-22 will have some enhanced capability's when it comes to ice penetration because of the new methodology of managing bandwidth calibration and pulse rate.

But Contaminated or White Ice, will always be the joy killer to shoot through ice, it's a given.

[biggamefisher]

While I agree, if your looking for specific structure, gettn' it wet is your best bet, and I did forget to mention the difficulty getting thru white ice or ice with lot's of air trapped in it, it still has never really deterred me much. As far as looking for specific structure, GPS Chartplotting is pretty darn good way to not punch too many holes.

[thump55]

Thanks for the comments. I have compared readings from a hole, and with my transducer wetted on top of the ice, and they are not the same. Yes, I can get the depth, but weeds, timber, and fish do not show as clearly.

REW, I appreciate those suggestions. I have tried unsuccessfully to modify a 2-1/2" dirt auger already. I'm afraid I need the expert manufacturers to design this baby. Like most folks here, I don't have the time or the money to fix the problem myself, but just enough time to complain about it on the internet :)

Eddy- I actually have a 5" Strikemaster that I use on a cordless already, and it takes too long, and doesn't get enough holes to use it as a search tool. My 'ducer is small, so a 2-1/2" would be perfect, but I see your point about the new, bigger transducers not fitting. I'm not sure what you mean by sonar ringing...if my 'ducer is below the bottom of the ice, it will read just fine.

Maybe it's a dumb idea, and I'm the only one who would buy one.

[stumper1300]

I use my 4 inch lazer to do this, Not sure if Nils still makes them,but they used to have a 4.5 inch that would be great on a drill!!

[Suzuki]

I think you guys got off on a tangent. Your talking sonar. Lets get back to the need for holes.

This would work very well for me on first ice. This lasts from 2-3 weeks and we are smack dab in the middle of it here. I start out using a spud then go to hand auger. A drill application could work very well from 2-6 inches which is exactly where I am at now.
Who sonars through the ice to determine every hole!!?? Once Im on the spot I pop a lot of holes then I am done and the fish can settle down. This idea would work well for me for a short period of time each season until ice thickness warrants bringing out the big auger.