Select a site that meets the requirements of a site. This site is a good candidate because the fish habitat is good and the fish returns are low in numbers.
A water intake is built out of a piece of pipe capped on top. Drilled with several holes in it and a screen to keep out large foreign objects like rocks and leaves.
Lots of hand digging is needed to get proper grade for laying pipe. For maximum flow it is very important not to have hi/low spots in the pipe line.
Another picture of "ditch" before pipe is laid.
Picture of pipe laid, secured with large rocks to prevent the pipe from shifting in fast currents
This pipe came loose during a winter storm. It wasn't secured well enough. If a section a pipe comes apart from another all water to the RSI will be lost.
This site has been leveled and pipe is installed ready for RSI's. note: the green garbage can is an empty carcass can that will be filled with a few fish and tied onto a log or something secure in the water.
The parts: barrel, inlet and valve on bottom. Outlet on top to be plumbed back into water fish will exit here. Egg trays, lid, and inlet water distributer (white cross drilled with holes).
On the opposite side of the inlet will be a flush valve. When we have had a heavy rain the RSI will get "silty" and we need to flush the silt out.
This is the site up and running. Notice inlet was split to operate 2 RSI's from one water source. The young fish will exit out of the barrel through the upper pipe on their own
This is an RSI awiating egg hatch. Water temperature has alot to do with how fast or slow the eggs will hatch.
Another picture of eggs in an egg tray. We put between 8-10 thousand eggs per tray and stack the trays up 5 deep. Under the trays is substrate for the young fish to mature in for a few weeks.
These eggs will be hatching soon.
Eggs hatched, the fish will feed on their eggsack then they will swim down through the egg trays into the substrate. (Oyster shell works well)
At this particular site the young fish can mature in these 2 small ponds. The longer they stay here the better the survival. Volunteers put a carcass in each pond to feed on. When they run out of feed they go to the stream insearch of food.
Woody debris makes for great habitat. This is good in many ways. It slows water flow and creates hiding areas for fish.
RSI flush system on 3 incubators running together.
Another incubator set up and operated by the Pacific County Anglers members.
