Looking to purchase an ice auger for this year's trip.

What do you guys have / use?

Strikemaster 8" Mora is what I use in the BWCA. Cuts fast as long as the blades are sharp. jiffy is my choice as far as power augers go.

quote walllee: "Strikemaster 8" Mora is what I use in the BWCA. Cuts fast as long as the blades are sharp. jiffy is my choice as far as power augers go. "

same thing in a 6". much less effort then an 8". If you drill a lot of holes or go late season with thick ice- big difference.

Been drillin holes with a hand auger for years and always used a Mora. Bought a Nils last year. I'm never gonna cut a hole with a Mora again!! You might not believe it, but the Nils make it fun. Very fast, no heavier, and breaks down in two pieces for packing . Well worth the price IMO.

6" lazer. did the nils and they are awesome when the blades are sharp but i got a little tired of dulling blades and mailing them off to be sharpened. I have a fitting that adapts my lazer to a tanaka powerhead (the same motor sold with nils augers) so when im not in the bwca thats what i use and it absolutely rips!

Nils. The blades will dull and you most likely will have to mail them off but I keep a backup blade and don't mind a little extra work for the performance. I also use it when I'm not in the BWCA, I'm not one of those guys drilling a zillion holes to chase pan fish around all day so it works fine for me.

I have a Lazer. Can't recall if it's 6 inch or maybe 5? I have no experience with others, but was amazed how well and fast it went through.

Hands down the NILS and they have several different sized so if you are not worried about getting a big lake trout through the whole you can bring the smaller one just to get water etc.

quote jake68: "Hands down the NILS and they have several different sized so if you are not worried about getting a big lake trout through the whole you can bring the smaller one just to get water etc."

Only Nils here. I do oil or spray my nils after using for the season and that helps keeping it getting corroded. Going at least three years on one set of blades but do have a backup blades.
Used a Normark for decades and does the job find just tajkes a little longer but very dependable.

My bro in law bought a Nils a couple years ago. Last year on Seagull we were cutting through about 30" of ice. We doubled up on it and could punch a hole in about 15 seconds. Pretty slick auger.

Looking at getting the Nils, High Velocity.

What size? 4.5, 6 or 8 inch is recommended?

I have an 8 and will probably purchase a 6 at some point and use the 6 for most of my trips. The 6 has the obvious benefits of being lighter and cutting through the ice faster and with less effort. If I was going to buy one with my only intention being to bring it on trips I would get a 6.

quote Gadfly: "I have an 8 and will probably purchase a 6 at some point and use the 6 for most of my trips. The 6 has the obvious benefits of being lighter and cutting through the ice faster and with less effort. If I was going to buy one with my only intention being to bring it on trips I would get a 6. "

I have a 8 inch and a 6 inch Nils. The 6 inch one goes so fast you don't even know your cutting ice. I use the 6 inch on lakes for panfish and stream trout lakes. Maybe you would want a 8 inch for lake trout.

There aren't too many lake trout in the BWCA that won't fit up a 6" hole, BUT if you hook one of them you may be sad you didn't go with the 8" auger. Of course you could also drill adjacent 6" holes or use a saw/spud bar to enlarge a 6" hole. Personally I carry 6" because I never catch anything big, the auger is lighter/smaller and the drilling is way easier.

quote tg: "There aren't too many lake trout in the BWCA that won't fit up a 6" hole, BUT if you hook one of them you may be sad you didn't go with the 8" auger. Of course you could also drill adjacent 6" holes or use a saw/spud bar to enlarge a 6" hole. Personally I carry 6" because I never catch anything big, the auger is lighter/smaller and the drilling is way easier."

6 inch will do find in most cases and little bigger hole is nice trying to turn them into the hole when ice is fairly thick.

I do recommend buying it now,many places run out of them as winter goes along.

quote Pinetree: " Maybe you would want a 8 inch for lake trout."

I have to admit this is part of the reason I bought an 8 In the first place. Having a fish on my line that is so big I can't get it through the hole because I wanted to drop a little weight would lead me to true depression. That being said I never catch fish that big so I'm not too worried about it.

Is a Ion battery operated auger illegal in the BW? I’m pretty sure I know the answer. Just curious.

quote PaddlinMadeline: "Is a Ion battery operated auger illegal in the BW? I’m pretty sure I know the answer. Just curious."

I would say definitely yes. Also why would anyone want to carry in a augar that weights 22 pounds and limited holes to drill.

With the 6 inch nils 20 inches in 20 seconds is very possible if not better.30 inches of ice no problem

I found some old threads. I figured they were. Just needed confirmation. Thanks

Ordered the 6 inch Nils from Cabelas. Thanks Guys. With coupons and the sale, got it for $60. DEAL!

quote Kiporby: "Ordered the 6 inch Nils from Cabelas. Thanks Guys. With coupons and the sale, got it for $60. DEAL!"

Get an extra cutting head and you are all set. Nils rock!

6" nils is an amazing auger. Don't get an 8" in slush its to much work. I drill two or three connecting holes with my nils for big fish. The blades on a nils are hardened steel not soft stainless like a lazer. If you take care and don't redrill old holes or dirty ice they will last for years.

First hand experience that the ion is not legal in bwca. It only costed me 185 bucks to figure out that one. Never mind that I just walked in 4 miles and drilled 2 holes before 3 snowmobiles came in behind me. Thanks again DNR for the ticket and packing down the trail for my walk out! Needless to say I have not been back in the winter time!

Mnpat: "6" nils is an amazing auger. Don't get an 8" in slush its to much work. I drill two or three connecting holes with my nils for big fish. The blades on a nils are hardened steel not soft stainless like a lazer. If you take care and don't redrill old holes or dirty ice they will last for years. "

You know have a 6 and a 8 inch nils. I will have to try two connecting holes with the six and see how hard that is?