Ice Augers - The Switch From Gas to Electric

Electric ice augers have been the craze of the winter fishing market for the past decade or more, but recent advances in batteries have accelerated that surge.  Following national trends in everything from home and garden tools to our vehicles, there are definitely some things to like about electric-powered ice augers.  Gas, oil, and everything that goes along with carbureted small engines can be messy and troublesome, but electric is no silver bullet and can come with its own complications.  Like any tool, there are scenarios where it shines, and like any discipline, few products can serve all purposes equally well.  After running many models of both electric and gas-powered augers, here’s some rationale to what I plan to run and why.

Gas augers have longevity on their side.  The engineering concepts have been tested, tried, and re-created to serve about any interest an ice-angler would ever need, and more importantly, the mistakes attributed to poor design have been for the most part weeded-out.  De-compression valves make them easier to crank, pre-mixed gas and oil combinations make them easier to fuel, and laser-sharp curved blades make them cut faster by shaving ice rather than pulverizing it like the chipper models of old. 

Still, anything with gas can leak, flood, or otherwise create issues when subjected to the conditions we as ice-anglers put our augers through.  Not to mention, the burning of said gas, especially in confined areas like a fish-house is alone enough for many people to consider the switch to electric.  The upside to gas however, is that it’s a very efficient power source when compared to our current electric offerings, meaning if you’re drilling lots of holes through thick ice, electric batteries may not get you as many holes punched as your gas auger once did.  At the end of the day, that may or may not be a deal-breaker for anglers that fish well into the late-ice period when extensions are often needed for the northern portions of the ice-belt.  Though it’s a small percentage of ice anglers, for the dedicated hole-hopper who punches more than 100 holes in a sitting through thick ice, stick with gas for the time being.  

Lithium battery technology has carried electric augers much futher in recent years, with faster charging and more importantly, longer battery life that simply leads to more holes in thicker ice.  For the exclusive hard-house angler who punches a handful of holes in a shelter, then maybe a few tip-up holes outside, about any electric will do and I see few reasons to own a gas auger.  That’s a strong statement I never thought I’d utter, but after a few years of electric auger use under my belt, I’ve found the market to be full of great options to serve that need.

Decisions on gas vs. electric are much more difficult for ‘tweeners like myself.  For early ice, I’m roaming the shallows and punching lots of holes, which eventually gives way to more portable house fishing and then mid-winter drop-down or permanent shelter fishing.  As ice grows thicker and fishing gets tougher, especially on the big walleye and perch factories of the north, success is often predicated on drilling many holes and actively finding fish.  Then, the late-ice period hits with fewer holes needed, better fishing found, but thicker ice encountered. 

While it would be difficult to select one auger to excel in all of those scenarios, I’ve seen and tested enough to know that the top-end Lithium powered electric augers can serve nearly all of my ice fishing needs.  For that reason, I’m throwing in on the electric craze myself and running a 40V version as my primary auger for this ice season.  It’s been a long-time coming, yet I’ve been reticent to switch until now because of the sheer number of holes I drill in an average ice outing.  I’ll still tote a gas auger on the handful of occasions I’m ice trolling late season up on Mille Lacs, Lake of the Woods, Upper Red Lake, or Winnipeg, but those are relatively rare scenarios to the way most people fish on most lakes.

I’m not talking about cordless drills with adapter kits or the electric versions which utilize a 12V lead-acid battery.  These units have their place, but to truly cover all of your bases for an entire season on ice, I’m talking about a dedicated ice auger with an affixed high voltage, high amperage, Lithium power source.  The kind that’ll drill 100 holes per charge, be exhaust-free inside or out, and make ice chips fly with the push of a button.  These units are as light or lighter than the comparable gas version, and the cutting power doesn’t make you wish you had your old auger back. 

If you’ve been torn between the performance of gas and the many benefits of electric, a few new offerings on the electric side of the market may provide you the impetus to switch as well.  While I know that the technology will get better and better, allowing me to eventually have all of my cake and eat it too, the benefits of electric have now grown too great to sit it out another year.    

The Greatest Hunting and Fishing Buddies

I’ve been blessed with some really great hunting and fishing buddies over the years.  Very few of them complain, all but a handful are typically better behaved than I am, and most are pretty talented outdoorsmen in their own right.  As I grow older, I’ve had to bear the occasional loss of one of them, and it’s always difficult to come to grips with the thought that you’ll never share another day in the boat, or a morning in the turkey blind.  Yet places in time and even material things can also have this affect on us, as a certain farmpond will never be as good as it was during a late-May of my youth, and no shotgun will ever hold the same importance as the Winchester 1300 pump my dad gave me. 

So it was when I dropped off my old 1998 Tacoma to its new owner last week.  Don’t laugh, trucks are as much a part of the experience as any one of your friends or family, and you’ll definitely end up spending more time with them.  271,000 miles worth of time to be exact in the case of this truck.  I got it used more than 15 years ago, and took abuse from the get-go.  Few people I knew drove a "foreign car," let alone a truck, and fewer yet used them like I did.  It was equal parts ATV, farm truck, and highway vehicle, at times heavily leaning more towards the side of off-road exhibition vehicle.  It was safer on ice due to its small size and lighter weight, and I drove it as carelessly as I could, less cautiously than I should.  After all those miles and memories, the same friends and family that once ribbed me have gone through 2 or 3 trucks in the same amount of time.

Neil Young wrote a song about his favorite vehicle, an old Buick of all things, singing: “With your chrome heart shining, in the sun, long may you run.”  Or was it about a girl?  Though likely an unknown metaphor, it’s easy to see why he thought of that old Roadmaster having a heart.  Though we know these are just bolted-together contraptions of steel, plastic, and carpet, they also both share and make memories.  Like the time chasing turkeys on some hill in the pan-handle of Nebraska that the old Tacoma climbed such a steep grade, I felt gravity not just pushing me deep into the seat, but almost up and out of it like an astronaut headed for the Moon.  Or the numerous times it skinnied its way through forest rails, field roads, and ditches after everything from mallards to morels. 

It worked harder than it played, like the time we were building our house when I hooked it up to a few strands of grass-buried barbed wire, only to pull out about 100 yards of old fence-line as that little engine groaned.  Or the time I snapped both leaf springs loading mulch for a spring landscaping session.  I was mean, and it was kind.  No matter how much abuse I applied, it only required some gas weekly, oil annually, and new tires occasionally. 

Much like our own friends and family members, we look back and have our regrets.  My Tacoma was parked outside the last 10 years of its life, and I wish now it would’ve been inside.  Weather-checked tires, peeled paint, and rust give it character, but that’s no way to treat an old friend.  Neither were all the bumps, deep gouges, dents, and dings I carelessly applied over its long-life.  We never made it to collector’s plates together, and I’m the sole reason why. 

Still, when we say goodbye, we realize that goodbye is not forever.  This is especially true in the case of my old truck, as it’s going to an old friend in hills and valleys of Pepin County Wisconsin.  Last I talked to him, he’d already taken it around to all of his coon and coyote-hunting buddies to brag about how little he’ll be getting stuck this winter.  By the time this goes to press, my old truck has become someone’s brand-new-used truck.  Parts of it won’t change, as I requested to have the turkey feathers and molded old turkey beard on the dash remain as permanent fixtures.  At the same time, everything changes, nothing stays the same.  I know it’ll have a new dog box installed in the bed for a good group of respectable hounds, and I’m thinking that the 4WD shifter might be strapped into place from September through April.  It’ll be at home on the dairy farm, hauling calves, feed, and logs whenever called upon. 

So as I say so-long to another old friend, I know again, farewells are never permanent.  Sometimes if we look hard enough, and even more-so when we’re not searching, memories well up all around us.  Those beloved people, the places of our childhood, and the things that have been with us the longest can never truly be forgotten.  They continue on, just as we do, becoming more a part of us than what they meant to us.  No matter where they end up or how they get there, we remember them because we are them. 

Long may you run.

Dedicated to my late parents and the Mike Hernke Family. 

From Now Until Ice-Up

From Now Till Ice-Up

Ice anglers are a nervous bunch it seems from about the time of the whitetail rut, all throughout November.  Even if ice doesn’t come in their neck of the woods until December, it seems we find more ways to worry about getting ready for it than we do once it’s actually here.  While I can’t do anything about ice-formation, I can certainly give you a peek at my pre-ice checklist.  Get the prep-work done, then rest easy until we get some single digits and calm winds.

Auger

Traditionally, gas-powered engines have made this the first item on my checklist.  Should you need a carburetor adjust or other fix, you might be a few weeks out.  Better to work on this one sooner than later, while service center lines are short and turnaround times are quick.  To prep any auger, you first need winter-blend fuels sold in the ice-belt usually anytime in November.  Pre-mix your fuel, or purchase some of the handy pre-mixed gas in a can.  Check your spark plug, auger flighting, and blade sharpness, then turn over the engine.  If you’re choking and adjusting throttle like mad just to get it to fire, think how much harder that’s going to be on a frozen sheet of ice.  Of course, if you’re part of the electric auger crowd, simply test your batteries, blades, and general condition to make sure you’re ready to drill first ice.

Shelter

This comes next on my list as I want to make sure I have time to assess any items that may be broken, torn, or otherwise not functional.  Then I still have ample time to replace items or add new ones like a light bar, cargo nets, hooks, etc.  Were you sick of the bottom of your portable shelter sled holding snow and water last year?  Consider drilling small holes at the back end of the sled in the bottom of the runner wells.  That way, as your gear warms and dries, simply prop up the front part of your shelter to allow water to drain out.

Electronics

A quick look at your battery and its condition, as well as general operation of the unit itself completes the trifecta of your big-ticket item pre-ice checklist.  Look for a shifting screen, poorly lit marks, loose knobs, frayed cables, or loose connections.  All of these issues can be carry-overs from the year prior and will make the new year on ice that much more difficult.  Again, customer service waits are very short right now, but will be long when everyone breaks out their flasher for the first time of the new season.  Stay ahead of the curve and be ready to fish when others aren’t.

Outerwear and Boots

This could be one of the most overlooked areas to prep for all ice anglers.  Especially early ice, you’re often fishing outside of a shelter or at least roaming the open ice to check for safety.  Consider a floating bib and jacket combination that’s designed for the ice, and line its pockets with everything you’ll need.  Headlamps, bait-pucks, hand-towels, measuring tapes, superline scissors, GPS, and forceps all fit inside the pockets of my on-ice outerwear.  Boots are a subject unto themselves, but make sure yours don’t leak, and consider equipping them with ice cleats for slick first ice.

One of the most overlooked aspects of pre-ice prep, is getting your Outerwear and what you put in it, squared away.  

 Tackle

I start with putting fresh line on every ice reel I own.  It’s cheap insurance, and tiny 500 series reel spools are made to create memory in ice line.  Make sure that reels are firmly taped and/or seated on rod seats, and that everything fits into your transportation tote or rod-box of choice.  Consider how you’ll fish, where, and for what species.  Go through the scenarios of what species you’ll likely fish for and where.  Configure your storage solutions accordingly.  For me, it’s Ziploc bags for small jigs and plastics, individually labeled and sorted, then stuffed into a tackle bag.  For hard baits and spoons, I run a series of small boxes that I can separate easily and keep on my person only what I need.  Rarely do I bring everything, but I’m still striving for the perfect solution as we all are.  Regarding bait, consider buying in bulk, as I’ll typically buy 1000 euros at a time then dip ice pucks into that stock as necessary to refill.  If they’re left outside to freeze or otherwise die, you haven’t lost it all and you need to restock less often.

Lastly, and this is the fun part, gather all of your ice tackle in a single location, spread them out on the floor and admire how large the pile has become.  Make sure to do so in the absence of your significant other, or you’ll likely be prevented from ever adding to it again.  Go through old baits, replace hooks as needed and more than anything, take good inventory on what needs re-stocking.  Be honest with yourself.  This is a difficult task.  Work new baits and lures into the rotation, but do so sparingly, and then, only in a few selected colors and sizes.  Instead, focus on your staples, and make sure you have plenty multiples of them.  The worst thing you can do when shopping for lures is to buy a smattering of one each in various lure types.  Instead, do your research and know your fishing style, then make educated and targeted purchases in multiples of the colors and sizes of baits you know you’ll make use of this winter.  While it can be more expensive, you’re far more likely to have what you need when using this system.  I’ve more recently been a fan of shopping for these items online, mostly because I can order these multiples with greater ease, and typically the stock is virtually limitless.  Still, whether online or in-store, supply can be sold thin if you wait too long.  This is especially true for brand new lures and baits that get a good amount of press.   

From here, you’re more prepared than the vast majority of your ice-fishing brethren, and for good reason, first ice can be the best fishing of the year.  So fill your deer tags, get some fresh winter blend fuel in that ice auger, and wait until mother nature gives us the icy layer we need to walk on water.

Permanent DIY Fish-House Do's and Don'ts

Permanent DIY Fish-house Do’s and Don’ts

It’s the time of year when ice heads across northern climates start thinking of their winter plans.  Maybe it’s the onward march of the calendar towards fall, or maybe it’s just that ice can be a comforting thought when the mercury is stuck in the 80’s and 90’s.  Whatever the reason, people now are building their own permanent shelters, or remodeling old ones, including myself.  A buddy and I are converting an enclosed single axle trailer into a makeshift summer and winter threat that will both haul over tar, and sit on top of ice.  This article then is aimed at the do-it-yourself (DIY) crowd, such that hopefully you can take our mistakes and learn from them!

Do’s

The adage “measure twice, cut once” applies here in many senses; perhaps from a construction perspective, but also from a general ice-fishing planning one as well.  Think long and hard about the way you use a hardside ice-shelter in the winter, and especially how you fish out of one.  I prefer to be out on the open ice, but also appreciate and enjoy modern comforts afforded by a well-heated space that offers fixed seating and more room.  Still, if you’re like me, knowing that you’re already confined to a small space on the ice, you’re pulling overtime on thinking of ways to offer as many fish as many looks as possible. 

To me, that means individual anglers jigging from a direction or area that they’re comfortable in, along with a combination of rattle reels and even tip-up’s outside to round out the spread.  Livebait vs. deadbait, deadbait motionless vs. deadbait jigged, etc.,etc. etc.  These are the kinds of fishing experiments you’ll be running inside the house, so you should setup the house for maximum flexibility.  To me that means portable rattle reels that can be interchanged from hole to hole at the drop of a hat.  It also means that depending on how many people you’re fishing with, the amount and configuration of holes used may be drastically different.  If children will be in the house, un-used, or lots of holes spells wet legs and early leave times, so consider covers of some sort.

Heat and the direction or power of heat is always an issue in any house.  It always seems like there’s either too much, or not enough, so invest in low-draw fans that keep the heat off the ceilings and moving around the entire house constantly.  Also be wary of setting lines too close to heat sources, first because of the obvious burn dangers, but also because it’s not very comfortable sitting in front of the furnace on full blast.

Do invest in quality lighting, as most folks get a few incandescent lights, or rope-lights, then call it “good enough” stating, “I can always wear a headlamp after dark.  Go the extra mile, spend the money and buy low-draw LED bulbs or light bars that diffuse light evenly throughout the house.  My experience is that rarely is there enough good light to tie knots, unhook fish, and find the jig you’re looking for.

Also, do spend the time to make your door as wind-tight and well-fit as possible.  The door gets the most abuse in any ice house.  It’s kicked on, swung against the house, and the handle is banged on repeatedly, all while the forces of extreme cold, heat, moisture, and resulting ice make it difficult to work as intended.  Good quality insulated doors are easier now to find, so consider spending more on something that will last.

Don’t’s

I grew up on a farm, and regularly must resist the urge to unleash my inner wire, bail twine, or duct tape fixes.  Perhaps the best advice I could give any DIY’er, is to realize both the limits of your ability, and to recognize a better mousetrap when you see one.  I encourage talented carpenters and woodcrafters to design everything from more efficient shelving, to beautiful wood interiors, rod racks, and even cabinets.  I strongly discourage using 2X4’s and other wood scrap to fashion items such as a door latch.  They make effective and time tested versions of these every day, with many options to fit several budgets.

Case in point would be Fishhouse version 1.0 from last winter.  My friend is an HVAC contractor, and has plentiful tin at his immediate disposal.  Our first hole sleeves then, were metal.  At first, they worked extremely well, and were somewhat disposable with how much ducting he has lying around.  That was until they froze in or the auger blades would nick the edges and practically shred them.  Enter another alternative, the venerable five gallon bucket.  While a great budget option, they offered a sizable “lip” that extended above the floor, creating trip and toe stubbing hazards at every turn.  It doesn’t sound like much, but when you have a house full of ice-holes, and each one of them has this lip, you’re walking real estate becomes far less than you might expect.  Getting the screw down covers with snap-on lids and removable hole sleeves, did not prove to be free like the buckets were, but did offer far more flexibility, comfort, and ease of use.  More importantly, it means our ATV can be driven right on top of the hole covers and we can use the fish-house to also haul.

Lastly, don’t forget to include all of the simple comforts of home.  Racks for drying items, hangers for a pliers, ruler, or jaw spreaders, and small shelves up high for putting food or other items away are some of the last things thought of.  Ideally, for some, it’s best to just fish the house somewhat bare, and then add things on an as-needed basis.  However, if you’re like me, you forget the drill and screwdrivers each time, and end up focusing only on the fishing.  Not a bad thing, as it’s the primary reason you’re out there, but the best permanent houses for fishing are not coincidentally the ones that are best thought-out. 

So You Want to Make a Living in the Fishing Industry?

I was at a friend’s cabin near Hackensack, MN last winter when my cell phone rang.  It was Al Lindner, and Al’s excitement was infectious.  We both talked at length about an idea that’s probably the number one question I get no matter what I do in the fishing industry.  Whether at a seminar, retail event, or via email, people are fascinated by the question, “How Do I Make a Living in the Fishing Industry?” 

Al invited me as one of many in a panel of speakers for a workshop held this fall, which is designed to help answer just that question.  That’s because there’s more than one path to help turn your hobby into a livelihood.  There’s all kinds of roles throughout “fishing,” from marketing specialists, product developers, writers, media personalities, biologists, conservation officers, and many, many more.  Each person’s journey is different, and depending on your skill set, you may be well-suited for several roles but not for others.  While no two paths are the same, here are some nuggets of wisdom that have been shared with me, which I’ve found to be especially true no matter which direction you tread down. 

My start actually came while I was already involved headlong in another natural-resources related career.  I began in the late 1990’s posting on various online fishing forums, sharing advice and being helpful when I could as others had questions.  When I had fishing information to share, I relayed simply those bits that as an angler I would want or be interested in myself.  It wasn’t long before that online writing began to catch the attention of some manufacturers, who in the early years I partnered with because I’d always used their products and believed in them. 

I was young and impetuous, quick-witted but slow-minded.  I made every mistake in the book but maintained my passion for the outdoors through it all, constantly striving to both whet my appetite for hunting and fishing goals I already had of myself, while trying to partner with companies to help fund my addiction.  Call it trial-by-fire or more appropriately, trial-and-error, I mucked my way through the initial years.  I spent the first five of it not really getting paid for any of the writing, online promotional work, or retail events I did, and the next ten doing my best to perform tasks as a business; professionally delivering services while not going backwards financially in the process.       

As for writing, Outdoor News Columnist and legendary writer Gary Clancy was famous for saying, "The most important requirement of being an outdoors writer is having a wife with a good job."  I’d tend to agree with his statements as I’ve pushed for nearly two decades to simply earn a seat at the table.  Which is why money needs to be a motivating factor but not a primary goal in this line of work. 

The fishing industry most certainly isn’t for everyone.  However, if you were the “fishiest” kid among your group of friends or in your whole school, this may be for you.  If all four seasons of the year’s calendar revolved around the next trip, fishing-season, or timely outdoors activity, you may be able to withstand the long hours and sacrifices.  More importantly, if you find yourself already taking existing skills like writing, photography, speaking, sales, and marketing to bear for fishing-related purposes, this just may be your calling.

Let’s get one thing straight however.  Being a skilled angler is not enough, for most jobs in the industry it’s simply a prerequisite.  Very few people get paid to fish, and those that do are either at the pinnacle of their careers or more often are doing so under the pressure of a budget, schedule, or other constraining factors which for most people, makes it no longer resemble the fishing they once knew and loved.  

If you’re a freelancer, you must make the initial capital investment in yourself, with the hopes of eventually growing your thought-leadership such that your voice may be heard.  That capital investment for me was a strong education, and I recommend it to all anglers hoping to someday work in fishing.  Do this while understanding that your expectations should equal your effort, noting that most start-ups no matter the industry don’t turn a profit for the first few years.  Your “business” whatever it may be, will in the early years be funded 95% by you, and 5% by the industry.  Your “business plan” should be to reverse those numbers over a period of time.  During this time it’s common to have a side job or two in order to pay the bills.

Decide what to be, and go be it.  Specialize early on to bring your talents to bear for underserved disciplines, locations, or species.  Know your strengths, but more importantly, your limitations, while building relationships with the companies, brands, andtheir representatives.  Don’t ask for a thing from them until you have forged a strong relationship, and they know you as someone that may be able to help them.  Build your voice through as many avenues as you can, whether it be online, print media, in-person, or all of the above.  All the while, live a clean life, as it’s worth saying that one mistake can destroy credibility, which you should value above all else. 

As Al and I wrapped up our conversation that winter’s day, I couldn’t help but look out over the frozen lake while thinking on all the mistakes, mis-steps, and lost opportunities I had squandered mostly on account of not knowing any better.  If you’re serious about a career in the industry, you owe it to yourself to bone-up on the subject far better than I ever did.  There’s some great books out there, online advice, and this Fishing Career’s workshop coming up.  Whether you decide that it’s for you, or it’s not, I know I’m incredibly thankful for the wisdom passed on-to me, and I’m hoping to pay-it-forward as best I can this October. 

Al and Troy Lindner are hosting the “Fishing Career’s Workshop,” on Saturday October 27th, at Cragun’s Resort in Brainerd, MN.  Go to https://mycampfish.com/products/fishing-careers-workshop to sign-up.  Limited seats available.