Fish cleaning house

[PSU]

Hello Friends

Sounds like it has been a decent winter, but can't wait for open water-hope it will be early this year!

We are planning on having a fish cleaning house (station) built this year on our property. I am curious what the parameters or requirements are on Vermilion such as how far set back from lake, size restrictions, etc? Also, does anyone have a good HSOforum to go to for ideas? We are simply looking for something basic, but certainly functional. I don't know if it makes a difference, but we are on an island centrally located

Any insight would be welcomed!

Andy

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Andy,

I think that if the structure is larger then 100 sq. feet you will need a building permit from Saint Louis county to start with.

Best to contact them first to find out what you can do to avoid any complications.

Cliff

[StillFishin']

Good idea from Cliff to check with the authorities as it may depend on how big you want it.

I can give you some info on my set up which may or not help you but read on if you want.

In my case, I had an exiting structure and ran lake water to it and put in a counter and a small"bar" sink(which I had already). I made the counter higher that the normal height of 36" so I don't have to bend over so much(I think 39"). I have a 48" shop light above it and there is just enough room for two guys to do the cleaning- about 4 ft. Another foot would have better. I hang a "gut bucket" on a nail off the front. The cleaned fillets go into the sink until all fish are cleaned. Then I wash the fish in the sink and toss them into my" cleaned fish containers"(more later), dispose of guts and head up to the cabin to eat or freeze.

The "cleaned fish containers" are two plastic containers one inside the other with the holes punched into the top on so the excess water drains into the lower one. By the time I get up[ to the cabin the fillets are still damp but not swimming in water. I have three sets of these and wash then out in the cabin with soap and water and then set them in "their spot" ready to go back down to the cleaning station the next time I go down. Three sets usually avoids the sometime forget fullness so I don't have to make an other trip to get them.

On the same subject of cleaning fish. Several years ago when I was trolling, I saw two guys sitting out the their dock cleaning their catch and flipping all the guts in the lake. I don't know if this is legal but that's what they did.

Anyone know it this is legal?

[PSU]

Interesting feedback, thanks!

Andy

[B-man715]

Here is a couple pics of a cleaning station I built inside my garage. Might give you a few ideas. The countertop is 2'x6' and the sink 2'x2'.

You could do something similar with a small pavilion built over it or inside a small structure.

As for the guts question, you can't dispose of them in the water in Minnesota. (But I think the BWCA has different rules)

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Still fishin',

Not legal!

Cliff

[TomWehler]

My way: Nice Sharp knives, old slab of cedar for cutting board, top of old picnic table, set look'n west to enjoy sun, old bowl Bonnie kind of gave me after she saw I stole it from kitchen in 1998, five gallon bucket that used to hold herring to rinse everything down.

I be good to go.

Tax man can SUCK IT!

Fish guts go under Canna plants but sometimes on "THE ROCK" for gulls to feast.

Oh yeah!

T.

[PSU]

Thanks for the feedback and pics guys!

[Great Outdoors]

Still fishin',

Not legal!

Cliff

I've never been able to figure out the logic to the "don't put your fish guts in the water" regulation.

What's the difference???

I will guarantee that the carcass of any fish that's born & dies of natural causes in any lake, does not go to Heaven!

[Spalj]

Jimmy. I like your sense of sarcasm I wondered about that regulation myself and suspected the gulls do no have a strong lobby.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

G.O.,

It is a fact that all of the fish parts that go into the water will be eaten by some other critter in very short order!

On the Great Lakes piers when I fished there the fish guts are run through a grinder right on the pier and drop into the water right under the pier. Gone in very short order too!

Cliff

[StillFishin']

What you do and where you put your fish guts is as secretive as your crappie hot spot.

StillFishin'

[Great Outdoors]

Jimmy. I like your sense of sarcasm I wondered about that regulation myself and suspected the gulls do no have a strong lobby.

Actually, they do!

They dump directly into the lakes on a daily basis, and have yet to be cited for failure to use a Forest Service approved latrine!

[Cliff Wagenbach]

What you do and where you put your fish guts is as secretive as your crappie hot spot.

StillFishin'

[Spalj]

Funny!

[PSU]

Hello Again Friends:

I spoke to a neighbor who will be building the fish cleaning hut on our property. He is checking with the appropriate authorities on any regulations per St. Louis County. I checked a neighbors cleaning house and it was fantastic, an 8 x 10 unit, but I think it may be too big for our single family needs as he owns a resort with perhaps multiple fisherman cleaning at the same time. I want probably a 6 x 8 foot cleaning hut with a hose, sink, and a light with probably an exterior wood base up to three feet high and then screens to the top of the hut.

Silly question, but I cant find examples or blueprints anywhere on the internet to send to my neighbor. Anyone have any ideas or perhaps pictures of their own fish cleaning hut of a similar size?

Thanks in advance!

Andy

 

 

[SkunkedAgain]

I could send you pictures of my cutting board mounted on an older ironing board, but I don't think that's what you were looking for. Good luck

Edited May 14, 2015 by SkunkedAgain

[PSU]

Laughing, thanks Skunked

[Nix769]

Up to 120 sq. ft. with no permit I believe.