New indoor fish cleaning station opens in Chamberlain

CHAMBERLAIN, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - There’s a new indoor fish cleaning station in Chamberlain.

Officials from South Dakota Game Fish and Parks (GFP), the City of Chamberlain, and the Chamberlain Explorers Club held the official Ribbon Cutting on Monday at the new Chamberlain enclosed fish cleaning station. It is located at 406 North Main Street in Chamberlain.

The new facility is ADA accessible and includes a new high-capacity fish grinding table, a washing station, a bathroom, heated floors, and air conditioning. Outside the new facility is a photo station with a new sign that states, “Chamberlain, SD - Walleye Capital of the World.”

GFP worked in partnership with the city of Chamberlain to help make the project a reality. The state’s financial support helped aid construction, while the city provided the table, grinder, and labor for the new building.

“We’re proud to partner on projects like this throughout the state that support communities and provide better facilities for sportsmen and women,” GFP said in an official statement.

The cleaning station is designed and built to provide people with a place to clean fish year-round. Chamberlain has previously had an outdoor cleaning station that opened in May and closed in October. This limited availability to dispose of fish for more than half the year.

“This new facility is a welcome and important addition for anglers,” said Chamberlain Mayor Chad Mutziger. “Fishermen come to our community as soon as the ice is out, often in March or April, and if the weather cooperates will fish until early December. We are happy to be a destination for sportsmen, and this new year-round facility provides another reason to visit our community.”

It is conveniently located between two public boat ramps at American Creek Campground and American Creek Marina.

“We are working on additional projects with the city, Game Fish and Parks, and the Explorers Club to provide more access to the outdoors that are ADA accessible,” said Chamberlain City Administrator Mike Lauritsen. “It’s rewarding to be part of community improvements that have multiple parties working toward the same goal. I also want to thank city staff and the 11 local contractors that worked on this project.”