How to drill a hole through thick ice with an ice auger bit?

4th August 2021


	How to drill a hole through thick ice with an ice auger bit?


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			Drilling holes through ice with an auger bit is similar in principle to drilling a hole through wood.

			You will need to attach an ice auger adaptor to your drill driver, then connect your auger bit securely.

			To attach your adaptor, follow the instructions that were provided with it. It should attach to the drill chuck (in the same way as a drill bit would), and the fabric loop should run around the back of the tool, secured against the handle for extra support. For more information on how to attach a drill bit to a drill chuck, see: Cordless Drill Drivers

			Step 1 – Take up a secure stance You will need to make sure you stand with your feet slightly apart so that you have a solid base. Lean slightly forward so that you can brace the drill driver against your body, but don’t lean on the auger.

			The reason for this is that ice augers operate under a lot of torque, meaning that the drill driver will push back against you as the hole is drilled. If you are not securely braced, you could end up running laps around your auger bit, frantically trying to hold on to it while it sits in the ice, not doing very much!

			Step 2 – Drill until you hit water Activate your drill and allow it to do its work. You should not need to apply a lot of downward pressure.

			You will know when the hole is complete when you hear a splash, as the auger bit hits water. Keep running your bit for a few more revolutions to make sure you have properly penetrated the ice.

			Step 3 – Sluice out ice shavings While your auger bit is submerged, run it in reverse for a second or two before pulling it out of the bore hole. This will flush out any slush from the flighting underwater, rather than pulling it all back out onto the surface of the ice.

			You are now ready to start fishing!

			Remember that you should only be drilling through thick ice (around 400mm or 16″ at least) otherwise you and all of your expensive equipment could end up taking a very cold swim!