Fish Cleaning Table

This DIY fish cleaning table made a major improvement in the efficiency of the boat. Its primary function is for cleaning salmon, large halibut, lingcod, and other fish, but its value increased because of its built in storage, functionality as a working surface that prevents tackle and items from falling overboard.

Materials

The fish cleaning table is made from a 4×8 sheet of 3/8 HDPE plastic purchased from a plastics manufacturing warehouse. The material is easy to work using common woodworking tools. Cost is about $130.

Dimensions

The fish cleaning table is 62″ wide, 22″ deep, 6″ high at the back and sides and 2″ high across the front. The back rail also has a 2″ overhang. In use we found that the 6″ walls are ideal height, preventing fish from sliding off the table in waves.

Mounting Hardware

The fish cleaning table mounts to the boat using standard scotty rodholder bases. To connect the table to the rodholder mounts, unscrew the rodholder from its fitting and used the fitting and the bolt to attach the table. In this way it can be easily removed from the boat at any time. When the table is removed all that remains on the boat are two rodholder inserts which can be capped or used for fishing. The back of the table is supported by two legs that rest on the boat.

Drain

The drain is made from a standard sink drain connected to a 2″ diameter plastic hose to drain the water and slurry overboard. At first I retained the drain strainer thinking it would prevent tackle from disappearing but found that the drain should be fully opened up so make it easier for fish debris to pass through unobstructed.

Durability

The fish cleaning table is strong enough to support a full load of fish. It has been operated over 400km on water and over 2000km trailering and the scotty mounting hardware has remained secure.

Accessories

The storage containers mounted to the back of the fish cleaning table keep knives ready at hand and provides a good place to store bait scent bottles upright and out of the way which otherwise might leak. Rodholder mounts give extra spots for short term storage of fishing rods.