Abstract: A river bottom fish control apparatus, which includes a mesh grid netting for providing a substrate for plants and other benthic organism growth and for decreasing turbidity in a body of water. The mesh grid netting includes a flexible plastic having mesh openings and apertures forming flaps located at spaced intervals. The apertures are relatively larger than the mesh openings. The apertures may form crescent-shaped flaps having an apex end and a hinge end and may have a recessed portion removed from the apex end of the flaps or a thin strip removed contiguous to the length of the aperture.