I realize there are probably not a lot of people on here that ice fish. However, I thought I would still give it a shot!

I just purchased a new 10" Strikemaster Electric ice auger. I finally retired my gas auger and am looking forward to using me new lithium battery powered auger.

Have any of you used a battery powered auger. I have done a lot of research and have found most people like the battery augers.

I found a deal on a new auger that came with an extra battery. I should be able to drill more that 100 holes between charges (we will see).

Can't help, Jason. I lived in occasional ice fishing country and just used an axe and a strainer. Please post photos of your auger at work!

I have thought about making an adapter for my big Bosch Li-ion hammer drill. That might be an interesting experiment?
C.G.B.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Can't help, Jason. I lived in occasional ice fishing country and just used an axe and a strainer. Please post photos of your augur at work!

Hi Bill:

Send me your email and I will send you pic's of our trip tomorrow. I need to learn how to post pic's!

Jason, the battery powered are the way to go now days. If you live in or near cache valley let me know. My friend made an auger with a car starter motor a few years ago. Would love to show you what a battery can do to ice.

Hi Jeff:

Thanks for the offer! I grew up in Cache Valley and now
live in Rich County (Woodruff).

I already bought a strike master so I am good to go. I was going
to go out tomorrow but everybody bailed on me.

I still will probably make it out Monday or Tuesday. However, we
have so much snow up here that I am not sure my side by side will
make it!!

Looking at hitting Birch Creek or Woodruff reservoir.

I really want to get up to Fkaming Gorge as well.

Ice Fishing is the closest thing I can find, for enjoyment, to hunting!!

Good deal. Hope we get ice on bear lake in time for the cisco run. If you hit the gorge on the ice be careful. Places like lost dog and buckboard can be a little sketchy.

Good luck

Thanks!

Yes, the Gorge is dangerous! We are going to wait a few weeks.

I’m hoping for Bear Lake ice as well. One of my favorite places to fish

I wish SCI was later in the year as I might miss out on the first of the Cisco run. If you head out to the rock pile during the run let me know. Like to come say hi.
Jeff

Jeff:

I will for sure. I will also give you a cisco report when we go. We started long lining last summer and really enjoyed it. Definitely need to go get some cisco.

I love fishing the rock pile. I have GPS coords for a spot on the rock pile that is usually loaded with white fish, and an occasional cutthroat.

I will definitely let you know when we go.

Great! Thanks

Finally made it out!

I went to a small lake here in Northern Utah and took my 16 and 22 year old sons. My wife also decided to make the trip.

There is a lot of snow up here and there was no way to get to the lake on my side by side. Since I don’t own a snowmobile, we walked. It was long and steep. When we made it to the lake, there were several pockets of slush which made walking tough at time.

We tend to go in comfort and therefore pack a lit of gear. We paid for this on the way back (more on this later).

Here was our gear list:
6 man ice tent (pop up)
2 ice rods for each of us
Electric ice auger
4 camp chairs
1 Mister heater
1 fish camera
1 humming bird flasher
3 small duffel bags filled with fishin tackle
and other odds and ends.

I was really excited to try the new battery powered electric
auger. I had my doubts about it. It exceeded all my expectations
and drilled as fast (or faster) than my gas auger. I probably drilled
around 20 holes, through 10-12” of ice and it was still going strong.
I bought the larger 10” blade and am glad I did. I will never ever
use a gas powered auger again. No leaking gas, starting in below zero weather?
etc....

We were hoping to catch tiger trout but did not catch any. All fish were foot
(At best) with one cutthroat. It was still a good day and I believe we caught and
released about 15 fish.

My wife and youngest son wanted to leave early and me and the oldest stuck it out until
a few minutes after sunset. Our sled started catching slush and we about killed our selves
off getting back to my truck. I don’t think I’ll be staying up for the new year!

All in all a good day.

Sounds like you had fun. Going with my grandpa today at hyrum dam. It's a cold beast but he wants to go bad.

Nice!

Enjoy every minute with your grandfather.

I grew up in Hyrum and that is where I first started
ice fishing (when Itah first went to year round fishing).

A fishing pole, axe, and a pair of moon boots was about
all I had st the time ha ha..

Good hell what a day it was! If you grew up in hyrum you will know of the places I'm about to talk about.
First off we run alot of ground in between Paradise and Hyrum. We get two control elk tags that go until the end of January. I went down to pick up my grandpa and he asked you got a gun? Sure I said. So we went and fished by the spill bowl as he is 73 has two bad knees and can't walk down by big toe where I like to fish. Did Ok, caught a bunch of second year planters about 16 inches long. Grandpa loves fish and was having a hell of a time. We had just got back to the truck, my dad calls and says there are a bunch of elk by doc grahams. So we bust up the back road to Paradise and there they are. This year my dad and grandpa had the two tags. I pull over by my dad, my grandpa jumps out with my 300 h&h like he's twenty again and those two yahoos head out after them. Well two dead elk later we made it back to Paradise.
One of my greatest days ever. Fished with my grandpa for half a day, watched the old boys put the smack down on two elk, ran up the road to get my wife, my five year old daughter, and my one year old daughter from home. We all got down to our old milk barn to hang and cut up the elk.
If I live to be a hundred I don't think I will ever get a day of fishing like that again. Four generations yappin, laughing, and bitchin over who cleans the fish and who deals with the elk.



Today I love my life.

Wow, what a small world!

My best hunting/Fishing memories are not just of Africa and other places I’ve been, they are of hunting and Fishing in Hyrum- Blacksmith Fork, Hyrum Dam. I know the areas you’re talking about and we used to hunt deer, pheasants, ducks, geese, from the old junk yard (big toe) up to the mouth of the dam.

Sounds like you had a great time and glad you made it out with your family. My Son is at USU and he’s headed out to Hyrum (may have already went).

Glad there are some “locals” on this site ha ha...

The joy of AR. Been in the same valley and never knew each other. Glad your boy is going to school local. If he ever needs anything on my side of the hill let me know.

Thank you Jeff

Jason, just rediscovered the thread. Check PMs.

Jason's photos. I'll let him comment.











And here's the auger at work, if this comes through.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/93930283@N08/vj70SS

Thanks Bill!

If you are ever up this way, you have an invite to go fishing!