Best Brushless drill for ice augers

Looking at retiring my strikemaster gas powered auger and go with the new lite flight and a cordless drill. Any recommendations as to a brush-less drill that has worked well and reliable in cold weather?

Thanks and good fishing to all.

If you haven't got your new lite flight yet, I recently got one through cabelas and it did not have the updated adapter(gets wobbly). Emailed strikemaster and they sent one out in a couple days

Milwaukee M18

Hockeyguy I bought one of those 6ah knockoff batteries for my DeWalt from Amazon.  It's worked well so far.  The Youtube channel Wisconsin Fisherman did a video recently about charging up your batteries before winter arrives and he had one of the same ones I have.  I've seen them on Project Farm's Youtube channel as well.  Some of the knock-off's aren't worth it, but the one I got so far so good.  I have two 5 ah batteries that came with the drill and I bought the 6 ah to use with the chainsaw.

Thanks for the responses!  I really had no intention of taking the 1.5s out on the ice, btw. I know those are nowhere near strong enough. Now I just need to look for some deals!

I saw some knock off 20v batteries, but none were supposedly compatible with the DCD996. Not sure what the model of tool has to do with the battery, but I'm not going to risk my drill to find out. Pretty amazing the cost difference, though. Two packs of 6 ah batteries are less than what one Dewalt battery costs lol.

hockeyguy,get the 8's.I have the 6" lazer on the same set up as you.I can get roughly 25-26 holes in 16-18" of ice on the 5ah.batteries.Leave the 1.5's in the basement.

I should edit my post as well.  I'm fishing mostly the Madison chain of lakes, which on average the ice gets about 12-15 inches thick at its greatest.  Some years a little more, many years (lately especially) a little less.  At around 12 inches of ice I get 40-50 holes with my 8 inch Lazer auger, clam plate, and a Dewalt 5 ah battery.

Really a personal preference and depends entirely on how many holes you want the ability to drill. 

You have to take ice depth into consideration, no way anyone is getting 40 holes mid winter in northern WI during a normal season. Bago gets pretty thick too most years. With my 5.5" kdrill I get ~15 holes at 20" of ice with my 5ah battery (I estimate ~300" of ice) and around 25 holes with my 8ah battery (~400-500"). I don't leave the house without 21-29ah worth of battery, most guys on here will say that is overkill but I've used up all my batteries more than once in a half days outing. I would guess a 5.5" kdrill would be similar to an 8" smooth blade auger bit as far as power use, but really have no idea. 

Cheapest authentic Milwaukee batteries are on ebay, BTW. 

EDIT - these numbers are with a milwaukee 2703 drill, it might be different for Dewalt, missed that detail in your question. 

Hockeyguy, I get about 40-50 holes with a 5 ah battery with using the Dewalt dcd991 and an 8 inch auger. I always bring the second battery with me but have never needed it.  If the 8 ah isn't much more money then I'd get it, otherwise just use your 4 ah and bring the 1.5 ah with as a spare and see how long it lasts for you.

Just  got my Clam plate delivered today. Got a Dewalt 996 and a 8" Strikemaster hand auger. Currently only have a 4 ah (and two 1.5s), so looking to load up sufficiently. With the 8" auger, what would be the best option? Would 6 ah batteries be good enough? Or would it be better to go big with 8 ah? I fish Winnebago mostly, so when I go out I usually hop around and poke a number of holes, usually three at a time. And would really like to get up north this winter and swiss cheese a couple lakes. 

The Dewalt 980 is a brush motor drill, the 990 series is brushless.  I have the 991, which has the same torque as the 996 but doesn't have the hammer option. I don't think they make the 980 anymore.  From what I've read, you it's best to have a brushless motor because they don't burn the motor up as much.  This will be my 5th year with the Dewalt DCD 991 paired with a Clam plate and I love it.  I have a 5 inch, 6 inch, and 8 inch Lazer augers that I use with it, all depending on what I'm fishing for and the thickness of ice.  I tend to use the 5 inch more at last ice when the ice is still thick but I don't have to worry about the hole freezing over.  The 6 inch is my favorite.  Drills through 18 inches of ice like butter!  I raced my friend last year who had a Flite paired with a Rigid he got from Home Depot and in 15 inches of ice I was 2 seconds faster than he was.  He still loves his flite better because he can sharpen the blades himself...to each their own!