Sorry to bring this thread back around...just my two cents...to your knowledge box...
I bought an Eskimo Shark 51cc - 8 inch auger from Canadian Tire last year on sale. Best investment I have made in a while. Push the primer bulb till fuel flows through the hose. Choke and it usually starts on the first pull. Keep fingers way from the blades. Wicked sharp even after 100 holes.
Only drawback is the weight when pulling by hand on a sleigh.
In the 70's all I had was a spud.
I also had an 8" Eskimo https://under-the-open-sky.com/best-ice-augers/ for 8 or 9 years back in Wyoming, and it always worked great for me. Just had to change the plugs from time to time, but it was very reliable. When I moved to AK last year, I sold the 8" to a buddy and bought a 10" Eskimo up here. I went with the 1.8 hp Mako (the "cheap one" from Sportsman's). After a couple dozen trips last year, I've got no complaints. It runs reliably, even on the real cold days, and cuts great.
Having gone to a 10", I'll never go back to using an 8". The auger cuts just as fast and easily as my 8" used to (as long as you keep the blades sharp) and I like having the extra room to maneuver a big fish into the hole. Plus, if I'm fishing shallow water I like the extra visibility I get through the bigger hole.
Just some suggestions and one good video from Youtube, that I hope will help.
