I was on the bank of the Popo Agie this afternoon, in a pile of brush – studying, and fish-watching, as one does.
I noted a particular little fish who was suspended in the shallows, very still, facing me so that I could watch his mouth and gills. I took his respiration rate. As one does. Breathing as shallowly as the water he lay in, with only 8 BPM, I figured he was going into shock. Already covered in slime, with a cool body temperature, it was clear that the fish was decompensatory and I had little hope. But I jumped in and began rescue breaths anyway.
….four hours later, after having been hauled unconscious, up the twiggy and rocky bank by a classmate, wrung out and sun-dried, I have a bit of advice for you.
Don’t apply WFR skills to fish