Shacks and Augers

So just as this past spring when I got back into fishing now it’s time to get out on the ice again after many years.
I have a 6×8 suitcase style house, love having a floor but not very portable. I like the Otter houses, the 650 lodge. Can’t shell out the $$$ for the 1200.
As far as augers the new four stroke Honda strikemaster looks pretty good and light but up there in price. I’ve seen the Strikemaster Magnum is still around(my old one that I can’t get started)
What about Eskimo augers? should I be afraid of the quality with the lower price?

I’m sure it’s kind of a Ford-Chevy thing but just looking for feedback on the products that are out there.
If anyone is upgrading I might be interested in buying second hand stuff.
Thanks for the help everyone!

Honestly, while researching last winter I never really did find many bad reviews on the eskimo augers. Only thing I saw that was “bad” was that they cut slower and are heavier.

I’m going to pick one up this fall for sure, tired of drilling by hand!

I own a clam but can admit the otter blows it out of water. Just can’t justify switching yet for the $.

Scott go to L&M in PR. I know you have been there. Best price on augers

Del, I saw that. The house I’ve been looking at is $879 at Cabelas,$799 at Gander and $599 at L&M! I seem to be there all the time when I’m at the cabin, love that place! They have the Strikemaster with the Honda four stroke ten inch for $569 and free shipping.

I have a Eskimo auger and the eskimo 949i and I love the pop up! I wish I bought the strikemaster auger! strikemaster is a lot faster. The Eskimo you just let the weight of the machine do the work. It has started everytime I used it so I can’t complain that much. L&M is my favourite store! the one in PR

Yeah, the hub style looks good too, lots of room and light. Pretty warm with a heater?

Buy yourself some good outerwear like a snowsuit and quality boots, you won’t need a shack or heater or all the crap that goes with it, now that I just saved you big $$$ from that purchase you can take that money and upgrade your rods and locator and auger. Since my snosuit purchase 8 years ago I enjoy the great outdoors ice fishing without dragging all that stuff along, I sold my two man flip over because I just didn’t use it or want to drag it, even out of the back of my truck. A small tub will hold everything I need for a day on the ice, I can walk in anywhere on early season ice or areas that have limited access. Or drive later in the season, I am much more mobile in any situation. I can observe others fishing and catching. I tend to be more social in community holes with like minded fishers and thus learn more about the body of water I am on, techniques, jigs etc. Skip the shack and open up your horizons!

I am also looking at upgrading this season. so trying to decide otter vs the new clam legend!! I love my strikemaster lazer mag. easy to start and drills holes with ease. check into the new clam augers as well , they look just like the strikemaster!! even has the same gear ratio 40:!

I was on fishhook last year and it was -5 out and I was down to sweatpants and a long sleeve t-shirt. The hub is extremely light weight and is easy to carry and stay nice and warm!

I couldn’t vote because they all have good products. I have 3 ice shacks. 1, 2 and 3 man depending on situation and how far I have to pull it.

I got a nice Eskimo ice shack for sale in the classifieds

Completely agree with bigpike on this one. A good ice suit is as good as a shack for me, I personally use the Ice Armor Extreme and love it. However I do still pull along a single man flip over shack which doubles as a sled to hold the gear, but the main reason I still keep it is for a wind break for tying jigs on days when it is extremely windy. Nothing worse than trying to tie a miniscule jig on 2 lb line that is blowing all over the place. So there is a time and place for shacks IMO.

I paid 500$ for my winter suit and that’s not counting boots hat and gloves. I paid 229$ for my Eskimo hub. The hub is way warmer then my ice armor suit.

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I paid 500$ for my winter suit and that’s not counting boots hat and gloves. I paid 229$ for my Eskimo hub. The hub is way warmer then my ice armor suit.

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Yeah, I need some sort of shelter, I’m not into it to the point I’ll just sit on a bucket.

Nothing beats a 1 man shack for the run-n-gunner. I can toss everything in there and go. I leave it at “base camp” and go search for fish. If the fish are moving a lot I forget about it and pick it up on my way out. If they are pretty stationary and just a matter of finding them, it takes maybe 30 seconds to run over and grab my 1 man. Then another 5 seconds to flip it over. Instant shelter, but more importantly for the places I fish CONCEALMENT! If you don’t hide what you are doing you will have everybody and their brother drilling holes next to you.

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I am also looking at upgrading this season. so trying to decide otter vs the new clam legend!! I love my strikemaster lazer mag. easy to start and drills holes with ease. check into the new clam augers as well , they look just like the strikemaster!! even has the same gear ratio 40:!

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I got the new Legend and the new Edge Auger and will be running both this year. the Legend is nice because it is light enough to be pulled by hand and the overall size is more like a 1 1/2 man house instead of a 1 man house. I like my legend because I can stand up in it and not have to be bending over in it. the Edge auger will be a nice addition for me too. the features it has will make it last a long time (that said, all brands will last if you take care of them right). I fore see great things to come from Clam in the area of augers in the years to come.

Which house are you looking at that’s only $599 at L&M?? I’m looking at selling my clam to get an otter.

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Which house are you looking at that’s only $599 at L&M?? I’m looking at selling my clam to get an otter.

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650 Lodge

I’ve got an Eskimo Mako 8 inch auger and never had a problem with it. I think it cuts great. It is a little heavy. How fast do you need to cut? My brother’s 10 inch Magnum is horribly slow. 1 blade and 10 inches. I’ve also got a Eastman 4-man Ice Cube hub. 2 person comfortably. Its warm with a Heater/Cooker burning usually on low. I can fish in shirt sleeves.

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I’ve got an Eskimo Mako 8 inch auger and never had a problem with it. I think it cuts great. It is a little heavy. How fast do you need to cut? My brother’s 10 inch Magnum is horribly slow. 1 blade and 10 inches. I’ve also got a Eastman 4-man Ice Cube hub. 2 person comfortably. Its warm with a Heater/Cooker burning usually on low. I can fish in shirt sleeves.

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First of all, I just had a good laugh picturing Ron Burgundy ice fishing wearing one of those big furry russian hats
I’m starting to sway toward the hub style. It would be good for when the kids come with(ages 22 & 24) I suppose you’re kind of commited to the spot once it’s anchored but GPS will hopefully help with that. You could still pop other holes to fish. I’ve started lobbying for it but I,m getting a little more resistance than I anticipated! I got a new boat and graph last spring so it’s going to take some strong closing skills, especially with Christmas coming up. I need to have a meeting with the kids and go for the three pronged attack.
Play the family time card.

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the Legend is nice because it is light enough to be pulled by hand and the overall size is more like a 1 1/2 man house instead of a 1 man house.

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Monticat Geek-

So you could fish 2 out of your Legend if you needed to?

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So you could fish 2 out of your Legend if you needed to?

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it would be tight for two adults(could do it but I don’t recommend it) in there but like in my case it would work for me and my 7 year old son when I take him. if I was to fish two adults in a similar size house I would go with the full thermal Nanook. it is not as tall but still nice. I have fished with my brother in law out of his and there was plenty of room for the two of us. the Nanook only weighs 15 pounds more then the Legend so it can still be pulled by hand.

My experience on the ice has taught me to be fairly mobile. It all depends on what you want to get out of your experience on the ice. If your into ice trolling a good one man like the clam legend thermal or the x1 thermal will keep you warm when its not so nice. If you drill holes like i do don’t even consider a slow auger like a jiffy or an eskimo. I ice troll and move around sometimes drilling 200 holes in a day. You begin to appreciate a faster auger in that situation because its fast but also less fatiguing to drill. I run a strikemaster now but am considering a new clam. The better transmission on the clam caught my eye. Lots of great choices out there just depends on your fishing style.

I have a Jiffy pro-4 and love it. It cuts well and always starts, plus NO gas to spill. I have a Clam Nanook, a Clam command post and a 1 man clam packer shack thanks to a fellow IDO’er who was selling one last year. I love the clam shacks, but i know otter has an awesome product. However, they are just too heavy for me to lift out of the truck by myself. someday when i get a wheeler, i will definitely buy an otter. you can always set up your hub and go “prospecting” if needed and move in no time to find fish. you can always find a cheap one man to pair with a hub for the purpose of searching.

Jiffy Model 30, Clam Scout

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Which house are you looking at that’s only $599 at L&M?? I’m looking at selling my clam to get an otter.

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650 Lodge

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That’s a steal… I would pull the trigger in a second. The 650 is an awesome shack and at that price you can’t go wrong