How to Build a DIY Fish and Game Cleaning Station Reading Time: 5 minutes

A fish and game cleaning table makes the job easier

By Daniel J. Felsher, as told to John N. Felsher

Being the son of an outdoor writer, Daniel J. Felsher began hunting and fishing at a very early age and frequently accompanied me on many adventures. Always handy with tools, Daniel now serves on active duty with the U.S. Navy. – John N. Felsher

Why I Built My Own Cleaning Station

A man in overalls stands behind an outdoor wooden Fish cleaning station with a sink, smiling in a fenced backyard on a sunny day.

The idea for a fish and game cleaning station sprang from pure necessity. Growing up, Dad said that if I wanted to bring home fish and game to eat, I needed to learn how to clean it, so he taught me. As we both grew older, cleaning the catch became primarily my job.

I used to dig a hole in the backyard to bury the parts we didn’t eat. I squatted over the hole to clean our catch on a simple cutting board. Sometimes I used the top of an ice chest, but I still had to squat down or kneel. As I got older, kneeling got rougher on my knees.

Designing for an Ergonomic Setup

I wanted something large, rugged, and mobile that could handle a variety of cleaning jobs from a comfortable standing position. Also, I wanted something mobile with access to water, so I could wash the meat without risking dropping it on the way to the kitchen.

I looked around at various stores and saw some good ideas, but none really fit all my needs. So I decided to build exactly what I wanted. For the design, I borrowed ideas from several different cleaning tables I saw in stores and added my own touches to create a customized ergonomic cleaning station.

Building the Frame, Sink, and Cutting Surfaces

Outdoor wooden Fish cleaning station workbench with a built-in sink, faucet, garden hose, and cutting board, set in a fenced yard.

First, the materials. For the basic construction, I used 2x4s and bought a cheap plastic sink. You could save a little money by using an old sink someone else threw out. For a backyard fish and game cleaning station, it doesn’t need to be new or fancy.

On one side, I added a big cutting board for fish. I attached a clamp to the board to hold slimy fish by the tail while I cut on them. Meanwhile, on the other side, I put a stout chopping block for larger, tougher game. I use this when chopping off anything too big or too tough for a fillet knife.

For the sink, I built a box around it out of 2x4s. The sink free-floats in the table, so I can lift it out and clean it as necessary. Then I built the legs and beefed up the chopping block side. I added a couple of 2x4s to the cutting board side so the board would fit.

Solving the Plumbing

Someone’s using a knife to scale and clean a Salmon at a fish cleaning station on a wooden table, holding the fish with a clamp.

The most difficult part of building a cleaning station is the plumbing. I couldn’t find anything specific to my needs, so I decided to make everything out of PVC pipe and flexible 3/4-inch rubber hose. The sink has a connection for a water hose, but I haven’t permanently plumbed it into running water. When I need water, I connect the garden hose to the sink and rinse everything off.

I let the water run directly through the hole at the bottom of the sink, but you could build a simple drain system to route the rinse water where you want it instead. I also mounted a hook on the cutting board side to hang a waste bucket – I toss anything I don’t want into it for disposal later. You could also place a bucket or a garbage can lined with a trash bag under the hole to catch all the scraps.

Built to Last and Easy to Move

Overall, this cleaning station is a solid piece of construction that weighs about 200 pounds. I’m a big guy, and I can stand on one side of it without it tipping over.

To move that weight easily, use a pair of large wheels, such as one from a wheelbarrow or lawnmower, attached to the bottom of the legs on one side. Add two caster-type wheels, which turn 360 degrees, to the other end. That way, you’re able to move the cleaning station around like an outdoor grill.

Someone in camouflage overalls stands on a wooden table with a sink, using it as a fish cleaning station, in a fenced backyard on a sunny day.

I learned my lesson about the wheels when I used four casters, which made the cleaning station much harder to move around because the casters turn independently. Now I can place the cleaning station wherever I like in my new yard and hook it up to a garden hose. Then I’m quickly ready to stand up and clean game or fish. The entire project took about five hours to build.

If you have any questions about making your own home fish and game cleaning station, email Dan at danielfelsher@gmail.com.

Materials You’ll Need

  • 1 sink (plastic is best) with faucet and spout
  • 1 large cutting board, 1/4-inch thick
  • 2 large wheels and 2 casters
  • 1 spring-loaded metal clamp
  • 12 pressure-treated 2x4x8s
  • 5 feet of 1-inch diameter PVC pipe
  • 1 PVC adapter for a garden hose
  • 1 can PVC glue
  • 2 feet of 3/4-inch flexible rubber hose
  • 1 tube clear silicone
  • 1 threaded adapter for flexible hose
  • 1 PVC adapter for flexible hose
  • 3 conduit clamps
  • 2 hose clamps (3/4-inch flexible hose)
  • 5 pounds of 2.5-inch wood screws
  • 1 pound of 1-inch wood screws

Step-by-Step Instructions

A wooden outdoor workbench doubles as a Bass cleaning station, with a white sink, cutting board, knife, and green garden hose by the backyard fence. It’s perfect for cleaning up after you fish.
  1. Build a frame around the base of the sink out of 2x4s. Don’t build the frame too tight – the sink should slide in and out of the frame easily.
  2. Screw two 60-inch 2x4s to the front and back of the sink frame. Attach a 2×4 to the sides to make a bigger frame.
  3. Attach the legs of the station to each corner of the frame (the length is up to you). For stability, attach 2x4s to the inside of each leg as braces. If desired, attach the casters or wheels.
  4. On one side of the frame, attach the large cutting board. Use additional 2x4s as needed so the cutting board fits correctly, then secure each corner with 1-inch screws. Attach the metal clamp to the cutting board on the side closest to the sink – this will serve as a fish holder.
  5. On the side opposite the cutting board, attach 2x4s running widthwise on the inside of the frame. Once the braces are complete, screw 2x4s to the top of the frame and braces. This serves as a chopping block.
  6. Assemble the PVC fittings, starting with the garden hose attachment. Glue the garden hose attachment to the end of the pipe. Measure the distance to under the sink, cut the pipe, and glue on a PVC-to-flexible-hose adapter. If needed, secure the pipe to the frame or braces with conduit clamps.
  7. Bore a hole in the back of the frame under the water hookup. Wrap the sink threads with Teflon tape and secure the threaded adapter to the sink. Measure the distance between the two adapters and cut the flexible hose to size. Line the brass fittings with clear silicone, taking care not to plug the opening, and attach the flexible hose to both the pipe and the sink. Let the silicone and glue dry before running any water through the cleaning station.

Did you ever buy or build a fish and game cleaning table? Would you do anything differently from what Daniel did here? Let us know in the comments.

The post How to Build a DIY Fish and Game Cleaning Station appeared first on FishingBooker Blog.

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