Fish Cleaning - Southern Lake Michigan, Michigan side

[SeaCatMich]

Upon hearing that Holland put in the new fish cleaning station across from the DNR launch ramp, I started launching there a lot the past two years. The ramp is decent and the big lot has plenty of parking. Overall it is a very nice facility.

What I don't understand is why other ports on the south end of the lake don't improve their facilities -- especially as far as fish cleaning facilities. From Muskegon south, the only other town that I know of that has a fish cleaning facility at the public ramp is South Haven.

There are quite a few factors that determine how often I'll go to a specific port. A ramp that is long enough and deep enough to handle my boat is another. Then I factor in whether there are fish there at the time of year for the trip. The last factor is how far is the ramp from the lake. Assuming that I the ramp is big enough to let me launch and it is a viable time at that port to expect to go catch fish, whether there is a fish cleaning facility available is a VERY SIGNIFICANT determining factor in my selection of one port over another.

Muskegon, Grand Haven and Holland are all about the same distance for me to trailer to. In summer I have now decided that Holland gets my business because of the fish cleaning. From mid August on, I would much prefer to go to Muskegon or Grand Haven because those two rivers have a lot more salmon staging than the Black in Holland does. Neither is a "favorite" though because there are no fish cleaning available.

Don't these towns realize how many fishermen that trailer there boats will go to another port because of this? It is especially true if I want to go for more than one day.

Here's a quick run down of the ports from south to north.

• New Buffalo -- good ramp, near lake, no cleaning station
  
• St. Joe -- 2 good ramps, quite a ways from lake & all no wake, no cleaning station (but I hear that the SW Mich Steelheaders are spearheading getting one at the city ramp on the island)
  
• South Haven -- good ramp, long ways up river w/ bridges, fish cleaning
  
• Saugatuck -- 2 facilities... downtown ramp bad w/ poor parking, up river ramp too far from lake, no cleaning downtown... up river ???
  
• Holland -- good ramp, medium distance from lake, best cleaning facility on Lake Michigan
  
• Grand Haven -- good ramp, lonnnng way from lake & all no wake, no fish cleaning
  
• Muskegon -- lots of ramps of varying quality, distance depends on where you launch, no fish cleaning
  ******** Note the difference from here north :) *************
  
• Whitehall/Montague -- good ramp, lonnng way to lake, nice fish cleaning facility but small
  
• Pentwater --Bad ramp, but nice cleaning station.
  
• Ludington -- 2 nice ramps, close to lake, 2 nice fish cleaning facilities (plus if you stay at either city marina, they too have cleaning stations)
  
• Manistee -- great ramps, close to lake, facility isn't great but there is one (needs a grander...can get smelly)
  
• Onekema -- ramp okay, long way to lake, ???
  
• Arcadia -- good ramp, close to lake, no cleaning but close enough Frankfort to drive there
  
• Frankfort -- ramp okay, close to lake, cleaning station good (wish it had a grinder)
  
• Leeland -- ramp small but good, close to lake, ???? (long time since I have been there)
  

[Nailer]

Ryan, The only reason we fish out of Holland is for the cleaning station. We spent a lot of money when we go to Holland also.

I edited your post to update Pentwater.

[tgafish]

What happened to the cleaning station at snug harbor?

[GLF]

Nice post Ryan. Muskegon does have a fish cleaning station, but its at the OTHER end of Muskegon Lake at Fishermans Landing. Great ramps with 3 or 4 docks, plus docks along the channel where you can tie up your boat. You can launch a 30'er there. There fish cleaning station is small.

[GLF]

What happened to the cleaning station at snug harbor?

Its probably still there. I always thought it was shallow back in the bay near the launch and not a good place to launch a 20' boat.

[SeaCatMich]

Nice post Ryan. Muskegon does have a fish cleaning station, but its at the OTHER end of Muskegon Lake at Fishermans Landing. Great ramps with 3 or 4 docks, plus docks along the channel where you can tie up your boat. You can launch a 30'er there. There fish cleaning station is small.

What I heard was that the Fisherman's Landing cleaning facility was only available to those with slips.

If it is available to ramp only users that would be great. How about if I launch at Grand Trunk... since I paid a City Launch fee, can I go to Fisherman's Landing to clean fish?

[ekbelt]

The Holland fish cleaning station was spearheaded by a local group, the DNR agreed to maintain the operations. The money to get it up and runing was from grants and donations. I'm suprised the state doesn't realize the economic impact and just do it on their own. I'm a Holland native and love our port even more now because of the fish cleaning station, it is top notch.

[mriversinco]

Agree with the above mention of Holland. I go almost exclusively there because of the fish cleaning station and I'm sure it brings in plenty of money to the town.

[Nailer]

What I heard was that the Fisherman's Landing cleaning facility was only available to those with slips.

If it is available to ramp only users that would be great. How about if I launch at Grand Trunk... since I paid a City Launch fee, can I go to Fisherman's Landing to clean fish?

I believe the station is open to campers, not necessarily to ramp users.

I also believe you can pay a fee to use it (when the office is open).

[Paulywood]

For $5 you can clean your fish @ Fisherman's Landing if the office is open. There is still a cleaning station @ Snug Harbor (as far as I know) but I can't launch there.

[Priority1]

I launched at Snug Harbor once on some bad local advice. One time is too many as far as I'm concerned. I got hung up on a sand bar and was lucky enough to get off from it without help.

[Tad Pole]

Ive launched out of snug harbor this year,and its no trickier than the launch on white lake,I'm not saying it isnt shallow but if ya take your time its very doable.and the fish cleaning station is still there

[doubleplay]

Ryan - It is true that there is an effort to build a state of the art fish cleaning station just like the one in Holland in St. Joe at the City's ramp on the island. The initiative is being led by the St. Joe Municipal Marina Harbor Authority with support from the City and the Southwest Michigan Steelheaders. A grant to the Great Lakes Fisheries Trust has been requested. If all goes well this station could be constructed in 2013. It will be a big improvement to our port and I hope that many of you who have bypassed St. Joe in the past will reconsider in the future.