Two-thirds of a mile of the upper West Fork of the Bitterroot River winds through the Alta Ranch. Its sparkling clear, cold water harbors a good population of wild trout. The upper West Fork is considered one of the very best native cutthroat trout streams in Montana. It also holds brook, brown, rainbow and bull trout, and mountain whitefish. It fishes best from the end of spring runoff in June through October.
State regulations require bull trout and cutthroats to be released.
Fly rods are available for daily rental. From the Alta Ranch you can easily reach several larger rivers to fish including the main Bitterroot and Big Hole rivers in Montana and the Selway and Salmon rivers in Idaho. There are also countless streams and mountain lakes throughout the area. Whirling disease is not present here. Rainbows, cutthroats, brookies, browns, and bull trout are abundant.