We have a small table for cleaning fish at the resort, but we don’t have a grinder. Thus, it’s the responsibility of the fishermen and women to bag the fish remains and dispose of them accordingly. However, there is now an alternative available just three miles down the road.

After many years of planning, a new, free, public fish cleaning station is being built on the north side of Lake Macatawa in Holland, Michigan. Scheduled completion date is late May, and it is expected to cost $158,000.

The site is located across the street from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources boat launch and west of Anchorage Marina, 1800 Ottawa Beach Road. The fish cleaning station will be operated and maintained by Holland State Park and will be available to all visitors.

The 20-foot-by-20-foot building will include four cleaning stations and a $20,000 grinder — a device that emulsifies fish remains so they can be handled by the local sewer system. Local tradesmen and material suppliers are donating time and items to the construction of the station.

Construction is planned to begin when the frost is out of the ground this coming April and completed by the end of May, 2009.

Here are some renderings of the proposed building:

My father and grandfather and I all went out on the Rudy Gene this morning. We headed out at 6am and ended up going 2 for 5 with all our fish being taken in 80 foot of water. Lead core was hot and I believe all two fish that were boated were taken on Blue Dolphins, one a regular size and the other a magnum. We also had a fish on a white fish catcher with green fly. We trolled quite fast at 3 to 3.4 mph. Water temps were about 65 degree, up significantly from a week or so ago. The steelies were were jumping all over the place, sometimes before we even had the pole in our hands! It was a great time!

Here is a pic!