Lithium Ice Drill Dos And Dont's

After doing the research on the best electric ice fishing drill, you’re now the proud owner of a StrikeMaster Lithium Auger. To help you get the best performance and longest lifespan from your investment, here are some important electric ice auger dos and don’ts to follow.

Read the Owner’s Manual - It takes less than 20 minutes to read and you’ll learn crucial information regarding safety, assembly, operation, maintenance and troubleshooting.

Don’t drop the cutting head on the ice - StrikeMaster’s Twin Serrated Stainless Steel Lazer Blades are extremely strong, but not invincible. To keep blades and Lazer Power Point razor-sharp, always gently place the drill’s business end on the ice before drilling; hard knocks risks dulling and damaging blades, leading to poor performance and a financial hit for replacement parts.

Drill safely - Keep feet firmly planted and hold the handles securely while operating the auger. Always keep hands, feet, hair, drawstrings, scarves, hats and loose clothing away from any moving parts on the unit.

Don’t push down - Applying downward pressure when drilling with a StrikeMaster ice auger is a mistake some anglers make. They believe it helps cut holes faster when, in fact, it can be counterproductive. The best approach is safely holding the handles, keeping the auger straight and letting gravity and his ultra-efficient, ice-chewing tool do the work. 

Use the reverse - StrikeMaster’s electric ice fishing drills operate in both forward and reverse. Using reverse is a handy way to free a drill unit that’s become bogged down by heavy slush and snow, which can occur with thick ice conditions. Another trick of the pros for clearing a freshly drilled hole is using reversing to push slush downward and under the ice, cutting down on ice-scoop cleaning duties. 

Keep the battery warm - Removing your auger’s battery and keeping it in a warm, dry location (i.e., inside a jacket pocket, vehicle or a small cooler with a warmer) in between uses during a single outing is ideal from a battery-performance perspective — especially in cold weather conditions.  

Extreme cold warm-up tip - If the battery and auger are not performing correctly, try free spinning the auger out and above ice for 30 to 90 seconds. This sequence warms up the battery and should see the auger begin operating normally. 

Tips for in-season battery charging - Keep the StrikeMaster Lithium-Ion battery fully charged in between daily ice fishing outings in dry, warm area. During short-term storage, the 40v Lithium-Ion battery, for example, can be left on a plugged in the Battery Charging Base (Do not leave it on the charger during long-term storage; more details below).

Before each day’s use - Check bolts and nuts, check for misalignment or binding of moving parts, inspect for breakage of parts and any other condition that may affect operation, and ensure battery pack is fully charged.

Use the blade cover - This protects blades from damage and helps safeguard anglers and equipment from accidents. And with the easy-on-easy-off, hands-free Lite-Flite Lazer Magnetic Snap Cover, there’s no excuse not to keep auger blades covered and out of harm’s way.

Leave sophisticated service to professionals - Tasks beyond basic, routine maintenance outlined in the Owner’s Manual are best performed by a technician or other qualified mechanic.

Always remove battery before auger transport. Installing an auger holder on an ATV or snowmobile is a good option for transporting an ice fishing drill. Tie-downs and bungees are handy for safely securing an auger to and from the lake in a vehicle or truck bed, as well as when travelling with your auger across the hard-water.    

Follow these steps to prepare auger for long-term storage (i.e., not running the unit for more than one month):

• Charge the battery to full and leave it off of the ice auger in a warm, dry place. Do not leave battery on the Battery Charging Base.
• Remove the auger drill unit from the powerhead and apply a thin layer of grease to the driveshaft.
• Clean away all debris from auger and powerhead.
• Store your StrikeMaster ice auger in a dry, moisture-free area.

Keep the above dos and don’ts in mind when using your StrikeMaster’s Lithium Ice Auger during the season, as well as when storing it for longer periods, and you’ll get years of dependable use from your unit.