2010 | Modern Ice Fishing Gear

Jiffy Stealth Pro 4 Model 40 Propane Powered Ice Auger Review

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When it comes to ice fishing gear, perhaps nothing has caused as much consternation over the years that gas powered ice augers. Now let's not bag on the gas powered ice auger too badly, it has afforded quite a bit of moving and shaking and spurred the modern ice fishing revolution with its ability to punch many holes in a relatively short period of time. That said, there are many reasons that people are moving in droves over to electric ice augers in droves and now with the release of the propane ice augers it is hard to find them on the shelves. So how about we roll up our sleeves and take a look at this propane powered god of the ice.

First take aways from the Jiffy Stealth Propane Ice Auger

When you take your first look at the auger it is readily apparent that this is a large auger. When you lift it up, you have an even greater sense of what I am talking about. This thing is heavy folks, there is no other way about it. Compared to gas ice augers it is simply a beast. I am even talking more than those old school Jiffy Model 30 augers. Enough about the weight those, it has a great look and the thing fires right up.

Key Advantages of the Jiffy Propane Ice Auger

Let's delve into what makes this unit so intriguing for people. First and foremost, the propane fuel source is a great option. Especially for those people that have dealt with carb problems on their gas augers. The unit uses the 1 lb propane cylinders that many people use for their portable propane heaters. Once it runs out simply add another, which makes it a better option for the run and gun modern ice angler than a battery powered electric ice auger that can only cut 30-50 holes on a single charge. One of the other key benefits is the lack of exhaust. We have all had our share of walking around smelling like a snowmobiler from punching holes with a gas auger. Even worse when you needed to cut holes inside your permanent ice fishing house. All of that is gone with the propane auger. The other noticeable feature that is great on these units is the quiet operation. Compared to a gas auger it is night and day.

Key Disadvantages of the Jiffy Propane Ice Auger

First and foremost it has to be the cost of these things. Not only are they expensive to purchase on the front end, the propane costs are going to be high. Estimates vary and the thickness of ice obviously is a huge factor, but I have heard these things burn through propane. Given each cylinder costs about $2.50 the costs are likely to be 4-8x the cost of using gasoline. Even the non oxygenated premium gas! Another thing we have all witnessed with our propane heaters is the penchant propane has to freeze in cold temperatures (hello, we are ice fishing, cold is a standard feature of this sport).

Final Recommendation of the Jiffy Pro 4 Model 40 Propane Auger

Too early in the game for me to purchase the first propane auger on the market. Sure it has several plusses, but the minuses (especially price and propane cost) will keep me away for now.

What are your thoughts on the new Jiffy Propane Ice Auger?

Easy Bite Ice Fishing Spring Bobber Review

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One of the newer products on the ice fishing scene is the Easy Bite spring bobber. For those that read my blog it is quite evident that I have a series love for spring bobbers and is a deadly combination when ice fishing panfish. I especially like to use the spring bobbers when ice fishing crappie, as they tend to bite gently and even hit up on the lure. Without a spring bobber you just simply are not going to see these bites and you will be missing fish. There are several spring bobbers on the market today, some work great (I'm a big fan of the St. Croix legend spring bobbers), while most fall far short of the target. This review is meant to help you understand the positives and negatives of the Easy Bite spring bobber.

Positive features of the Easy Bite Ice Fishing Spring Bobber

I'll start out with the positives as there are several. First and foremost, this is a one stop shop, everything you need to attach this to your rod and start catching crappies is in the package (my biggest pet peeve with the St. Croix spring bobbers is unless you want to drop $50 on their legend rod you need to go to 3 different stores to create them on your favorite rods!). A second major positive is the ability to detect light bites. This thing worked amazingly well for those real light biters you encounter on the hard water. Without this ultra sensitive piece of ice fishing gear you are going to catch a lot fewer fish. Another positive I liked was that you can detach a part of the bobber while in storage and not have to untie your lure. A huge plus as when it is time to fish, no need to screw around tieing on another lure. A final positive I noted was that the bobber is resilient and able to handle the rigors of winter fishing. I could see this being a staple in peoples ice fishing arsenal for many year.

Negatives of the Easy Bite Ice Fishing Spring Bobber

I think the first and foremost thing that people would view as a negative is the price. At around $10 these are about the most expensive spring bobbers out there. That said, besides the St. Croix bobber I haven't seen one that is comparable. A second negative for me was that the installation was not as straight forward as I would have liked. Thankfully it didn't involve any tools to do, so I would file this under a minor one time inconvenience. The final negative I noticed was the difficulty in adjusting the bobber to ensure that neutral spot. You need to twist and turn as you are moving it back and forth to find that happy medium.

Final Verdict on the Easy Bite Spring Bobber?

I would give it a thumbs up. I probably still prefer the St. Croix bobber system, but that is most likely due to my years of successful use of them. The price is a bit more than other spring bobbers on the market (or you can find ways to make your own), but I feel the quality materials, ability to last a long time and the ultra sensitive nature of the product warrant the price.

What are your experiences with the Easy Bite Spring Bobber?