# ION finally met its match



## jscheel (Sep 3, 2008)

Sunday drilling through confirmed 23" of ice. Somewhere between 25 and 30 8 inch holes and the battery gave up. Overall I am very impressed with this auger and very glad I purchased it. I have never taken the battery off to keep it warm between uses as is recommended and have fished every Saturday and Sunday this winter.


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## mudflapimmc (Dec 19, 2005)

I finally decided to go lithium also. 30+ holes thru 16" of ice before she quit. If my cheap friends would buy their own I wouldn't have to drill that many 
Worth every penny and I also left the battery on it between uses in 15 deg weather. Gonna try to wear it out again this Sunday. :evilsmile


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## Jimw (Jul 8, 2009)

mudflapimmc said:


> I finally decided to go lithium also. 30+ holes thru 16" of ice before she quit. If my cheap friends would buy their own I wouldn't have to drill that many
> Worth every penny and I also left the battery on it between uses in 15 deg weather. Gonna try to wear it out again this Sunday. :evilsmile


That's 480" of ice. A far cry from their 1000" claim..


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## mudflapimmc (Dec 19, 2005)

Jimw said:


> That's 480" of ice. A far cry from their 1000" claim..


I'm sure their "claim", just like all products, is in a certain "comfort environment". I'm happy with it and if I need to drill that many holes to find pan fish or set tip-ups I'm on the wrong lake!!


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## jscheel (Sep 3, 2008)

I think this weekend I will try keeping the battery warm between holes to see if that allows for more.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

mudflapimmc said:


> I'm sure their "claim", just like all products, is in a certain "comfort environment". I'm happy with it and if I need to drill that many holes to find pan fish or set tip-ups I'm on the wrong lake!!


 If you did not have it how many holes would you have drilled by hand?. I don't care what brand it is everything has a limit on what it can do. All I can say is I am glad that I have mine when the ice gets over 2 foot thick


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## mudflapimmc (Dec 19, 2005)

Scout 2 said:


> If you did not have it how many holes would you have drilled by hand?. I don't care what brand it is everything has a limit on what it can do. All I can say is I am glad that I have mine when the ice gets over 2 foot thick


Probably 10 at the most. The rest of my buddy's can drill their own damn holes!!!! lol


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## Jimw (Jul 8, 2009)

I'm just agravated I bought an auger for 500 bucks that does less than half of what they said it would do.


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## Jimw (Jul 8, 2009)

mudflapimmc said:


> I'm sure their "claim", just like all products, is in a certain "comfort environment". I'm happy with it and if I need to drill that many holes to find pan fish or set tip-ups I'm on the wrong lake!!


Just for example a buddy and I went up to the Saginaw river. Each set up we need 3 holes, one for each of us and one for the transducer. We moved 9 times or so (27 holes 16" thick)trying to find fish, didn't shake out so we picked up and left. Showed up at another spot set up and moved 3 times maybe and the damn thing was dead. Time to go home I guess. That maybe OK for some guys, but not for someone that is going to move a lot to find fish. All I'm saying is for guys in the market for one keep that in mind so you don't piss 500 bucks into the wind on something you won't be happy with.


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## mudflapimmc (Dec 19, 2005)

Jimw said:


> Just for example a buddy and I went up to the Saginaw river. Each set up we need 3 holes, one for each of us and one for the transducer. We moved 9 times or so (27 holes 16" thick)trying to find fish, didn't shake out so we picked up and left. Showed up at another spot set up and moved 3 times maybe and the damn thing was dead. Time to go home I guess. That maybe OK for some guys, but not for someone that is going to move a lot to find fish. All I'm saying is for guys in the market for one keep that in mind so you don't piss 500 bucks into the wind on something you won't be happy with.


Agreed. Not for every style of fishing. I'm going to buy an extra battery next year because I plan on putting more time on the ice, but I'm not so excited about $150 for the battery:smile-mad


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

There's a discussion about propane that got side tracked with electric. Maybe this is a good place to push propane! Lots more holes per bottle, quieter than gas, no stink! Downside is it needs to be warmed a little at -15F.


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## Jimw (Jul 8, 2009)

sureshot006 said:


> There's a discussion about propane that got side tracked with electric. Maybe this is a good place to push propane! Lots more holes per bottle, quieter than gas, no stink! Downside is it needs to be warmed a little at -15F.


The bummer is I picked up a jiffy pro 4 before the ion, got it home and could not get it to start. Tested the spark and it was good. But couldn't get it to so much as sputter. Had to return it. Maybe a good power auger just isn't in my cards! Lol


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Jimw said:


> The bummer is I picked up a jiffy pro 4 before the ion, got it home and could not get it to start. Tested the spark and it was good. But couldn't get it to so much as sputter. Had to return it. Maybe a good power auger just isn't in my cards! Lol


Weird... bad regulator would be my guess. Either way its not acceptable for a new $450 auger. I've also heard of ions with bad switches. Just as bad as a gas or propane that won't start.

None of them are perfect. Gotta pick the right one for your fishing needs.


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## Falk (Jan 18, 2005)

I love my Ion. Been using it for three years with no problems. It always starts without pulling anything. No fouled spark plugs or broken recoiler or rope. Been down that road.


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## Sparky23 (Aug 15, 2007)

How is 30 holes impressive i know its a broken record but we have put over 250 through 20" on the ice gator and it was still runningg strong, over 500 through 14" and never slowed down. O and you dont have to keep it warm, we lay it on the ice.


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## taizer (Feb 6, 2009)

I'd expect alot better performance than that. Thats about how much id get on my milwaukee 8" auger. and probably faster, I mena its not even designed to drill ice


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## hawgeye (Mar 3, 2011)

Jimw said:


> The bummer is I picked up a jiffy pro 4 before the ion, got it home and could not get it to start. Tested the spark and it was good. But couldn't get it to so much as sputter. Had to return it. Maybe a good power auger just isn't in my cards! Lol


I have a nice 10" 3 hp jiffy legend, model 30 ill trade you, it would cut all the holes you want. I rarely drill more the a couple holes a trip.


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## mudflapimmc (Dec 19, 2005)

Was out Sunday on 2 different lakes, 30+ holes thru 20" before she tired out.
I'm not saying its the best auger out there but it's light, quiet, and cuts very nice. I'll pick up a spare battery next season then I won't worry too much about making it thru the day.


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## jailbait (Jan 22, 2015)

drill less holes or get a gas auger. Or bring along a hand auger, and drill a few the old fashioned way every now and then.


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## mudflapimmc (Dec 19, 2005)

jailbait said:


> drill less holes or get a gas auger. Or bring along a hand auger, and drill a few the old fashioned way every now and then.


I like to fish different lakes so less holes is not an option. You have to move to find them..... I do keep my hand auger in the truck jic. I bought the power auger to NOT drill by hand


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