My gas one failed me when i needed her most last trip ... Looking at this Ion electric auger but reading reviews of battery's freezing and not worth the $$$. Any thoughts or reviews from people who have one?
Ice Fishing
Ion Elec Ice Auger
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I have had my 12 volt ice auger for about 10 years. I use a 7" augur because I fish mainly for crappies. Was thinking I might get a new one this year.
I can get 35 or more holes with 2' of ice. An extra batter gets me another 35.
I got smart years ago. I drill one hole, fill a bucket of water from it, and drill about a half inch hole. Pour some water in it and drop the transducer in it. Once I start finding fish, I drill holes in that area.
Good luck fishing.
Big Musky, what's better the customer saying gee I wish you had a 10", or a customer saying I bought this 10" as a package and I'm not happy with it. As a Pro Staff I don't get to see margin management nor do I need to.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, if there was a product liabilty issue, surely would have been seen by now. Ion is the number one selling auger for the past couple of years, if you don't like it don't buy it.
Hey guys I've been absent on Lake Link lately and did not see these posts or I would have responded sooner. I am on the Eskimo / Ion Pro Staff. Long post below, but worth the read.
The Ion is designed, manufactured and assembled by Ardisam out of Cumberland WI. Ardisam does a lot more than design and manufacture Ice Augers anf Fish Houses. They have their own team on design and manufacturing engineers. They have put many hours and dollars of research and development into the design of the Ion Auger. There is more to just taking a battery operated power head and attaching an auger bit to it. For example there is the angle of the blades to ensure that you can get optimum cut from them. If you look at any twin blade auger and feel the blades, one is always going to be sharper than the other. That is because on a welded auger bit it is tough to get the exact angle on both baldes. Ion addressed that this year with the cast head on the new IonX augers. The black head of the auger is cast allowing a perfect angle to the blades each and every time ensuring that you are getting an optimum cut from those blades.
Wishing that we had a 10" from the factory. I am there too. But in reality, the Ion was designed around an 8" auger for again optimum cutting. The customers said we want a 10". They came out with the 10" as an add on. They didn't start selling the 10's out of the gate because the 10" is really for the guy that has a wheel house or a permanent shack. Everyday Joe does not want or need the 10" A 10" auger is pushing 60% more slush than an 8" bit which is a lot. Ion did not want the guy with the pop-up shack takign his 10" out and trying to drill 25 holes a day in 3' of ice. He would be unhappy.
Chop-Chop you said that you weren't impressed with the design of the Ion auger head. You should take a look at the new Cast head, it should really shine.
Da Panfish Punisher, you she be really happy with your purchase. Keep in mind that you have bought the best selling Ice Auger for the last two years over any company's sales.
As always guys if you have Eskimo / Ion questions feel free to IM me. If you are at any of the Ice Shows this fall look me up, or IM me and ask if I will be at the show or something.
"Geeez, I really don't like to do this as I know it might start an argument, but I call a big BS on Ulbian...
The last two years I had days where I was drilling through approximately 3500 inches of ice in one day and that's still more than double what the new ION is advertised as being able to cut through on one charge."
When you do the math it adds up quickly. 200 holes through 17.5 inches of ice gets you to 3500. Last year we had that and it was a warmer winter. The year before there was more ice and a longer season.
Me thinks you missed the qualifier in my comment. I did not say I drill 200 or so holes each time out. I stated "I had days..." Those days an ION or any other electric drill would've been limiting. Enough of those instances occur where, even though the electric augers are intriguing, they just wouldn't suit my needs.
Billy baru made mention of Mendota...yep...that's one place where I've punched a crap ton of holes...you have to stay moving out there looking for the needle in the haystack. How do you cover water? you drill a bunch of holes and keep drilling until you find what you are looking for.
The other scenario is attacking bodies of water that receive little if any pressure with 4 or so guys. My approach is to start searching in areas about the size of a football field. So if you drill a hole every 30 feet and make a grid out of it, on a football field right there you have 50 holes. Skimming every hole is stupid and a waste of time. Send one guy off punching holes and the others checking with electronics. Skim the holes you are going to fish. Don't find what you are looking for? Keep searching until you do. What's a bigger waste of time? Drilling 15 holes that are dead and going home empty handed or covering a bunch of water drilling holes until you find what you are looking for? I'll take the latter. Sure...it might seem excessive to some but my preference is to find where the fish are at instead of waiting for them to come to me.
perch chaser, you mentioend slightly older and above average fisherman I think (or at least like to think) that I am in that boat too. I hear you on spending $650 buck on a auger. The Gen 1 version is a bit less. However what I like most about this auger is it only weighs 22 lbs. That is great.
Getting older and being a slightly above average ice angler, excluding early and late ice, I find it hard to justify spending $650 +tax on an auger and extra battery. The way weather patterns are now a days you're lucky to be able to use any conventional power augers more then 3 months out of a season. JMO
I think you hit the nail on the head Ifishwi. Sure, there are those that will drill a lot of holes and the ION might not be the right choice, but for the "practical" ice angler, the ION is going to make them very happy. And, kind of to your point, you are right about the ice thickness not always being so bad-depending on where someone is fishing and the time of winter.... I guess of all the anglers I've met through the years on the ice, and there are hundreds, I can't clearly think of one situation where the guy couldn't have used an ION and done what he needed to do. But, as stated in a few posts, there are cases where the ION won't do what someone needs, just too many holes for the battery life of an ION, but there is a huge market for what an ION can and will do and I think the battery powered auger will be the most common power auger sold in stores within the next 10 years. I can't help but think of the gas one uses for 200 holes, plus the weight carrying a heavier auger around.....every pound counts in those cases. But, yeah, the ION batteries will run out, where a gas auger, when it does, is a lot easier to keep going in those situations. But, personally, I'd get a second ION battery. Just slip it on and go. Especially now with the improved battery. Time will tell how the gas ones do on the market. If you can keep your auger going for 30 years ifishwi, I'd keep doing what you are doing.
Ifishwi. You should enter a team extreme tournament and watch. I used to fish ice team tourneys. Started to see the guys who literally drill all day, usually in areas that were unfished prior, would typically come out near the top every time. It happens and can pay off big if you have the energy and drive to do it.
Displaying 41 to 50 of 88 posts
