How to Build Your Own Fish Cleaning Table

Originally published in 2013, this post was updated in October 2026 with refreshed photos, printable plans and additional building details for our custom boat fish cleaning table.

This DIY fish cleaning table made a major improvement in the efficiency of our boat. Its primary purpose is cleaning salmon, large halibut, lingcod and other fish, but we quickly found it useful for much more. The built-in storage keeps knives and tackle organized, and the large work surface helps prevent gear from falling overboard.

Materials

The fish cleaning table is made from a 4 × 8 sheet of 3/8-inch HDPE plastic purchased from a plastics manufacturing warehouse. I chose 3/8-inch HDPE to reduce the weight of the removable table, which is important on a boat. The material is easy to work with using common woodworking tools. If additional strength is more important than weight, 1/2-inch HDPE would also be worth considering and is just as easy to work with.

Dimensions

The fish cleaning table is 62 inches wide and 22 inches deep. The side pieces were cut from 12 × 22-inch pieces of HDPE, with the finished table measuring 6 inches high across the back and 2 inches high across the front. The back rail also has a 2-inch overhang. In use, I found the raised sides were high enough to help keep fish and gear on the table in waves without getting in the way while cleaning fish.

These dimensions worked well for my boat, but they can easily be adjusted to suit a different stern layout. The width and depth of the table can be changed, and the mounting brackets can be positioned wherever they need to be for the individual boat.

I cut all of the pieces from a single 4 × 8 sheet of 3/8-inch HDPE. The main pieces are the 62 × 22-inch table top, 6 × 62-inch back, two 2 × 62-inch strips, and two 12 × 22-inch side pieces. I pre-drilled the holes before fastening the table together with 2-inch #8 stainless-steel screws.

Mounting Hardware

The fish cleaning table mounts to the boat using standard Scotty rod-holder bases. I removed the rod holders from two fittings and used the fittings and bolts to attach the table. This makes the entire table easy to remove from the boat when it isn’t needed. With the table removed, only the two rod-holder bases remain, which can be capped or used normally for fishing. Two painted wooden 2×2 legs are bolted to the back of the table and rest on the rear deck to support the back edge.

Drain

The drain is made from a standard sink drain connected to a 2-inch-diameter plastic hose that carries water and fish debris overboard. I cut the opening with a hole saw and secured the hose to the drain with a hose clamp. I initially kept the drain strainer in place because I thought it would prevent tackle from disappearing down the drain. In practice, I found it was better to leave the drain fully open so fish debris could pass through without plugging it.

Durability

The fish cleaning table is still in use more than a decade after I built it and has been one of the most useful additions to the boat. It has handled years of fishing trips, fish cleaning, bait preparation and general use around the stern. The 3/8-inch HDPE has also kept the removable table relatively light and easy to take on and off the boat when needed.

Accessories

The storage containers mounted to the back of the fish cleaning table keep knives, fishhooks and other small fishing gear ready at hand and provide a good place to store bait scent bottles upright and out of the way, where they are less likely to leak. I originally installed the extra Scotty rod-holder mounts so they could also be used for fishing rods. After using the table, however, I decided it wasn’t strong enough for the mounts to safely handle the force of a fish strike. Currently, one Scotty mount is fitted with a rod holder that secures the water hose, while the other rod-holder positions are unused. We continue to consider other accessories from the Scotty line, such as cupholders or a mount for a stern-mounted fish finder.

Fish Cleaning Table in Action

The fish cleaning table has proven its value on our salmon and halibut fishing trips. We have had it full of salmon, filleted 50 lb lingcod and halibut, processed bait for crab and prawn traps, rigged tackle, and prepared lunches. For more on processing your catch, see the FishinBC.COM How to Fillet Your Salmon or Halibut with Less Waste.

Your Turn: What Is Your Fish Cleaning Setup?

Want to build one for your boat? Download the plans for the FishinBC.COM DIY Fish Cleaning Table (PDF), including the table dimensions and 4 × 8 HDPE cut layout.

Do you use a permanent cleaning station or a removable table on your boat? If you’ve built something similar or have questions about this design, let us know in the comments below.