Quantitative sampling of the fish populations at four sites in Montezuma Creek and at one site in a reference stream, Verdure Creek (VD-1), was conducted by electrofishing with one Smith-Root backpack electrofisher in August 1995 and 1996. Qualitative fish sampling at six sites in the Montezuma Creek watershed was conducted by electrofishing and/or seining.

Quantitative and qualitative surveys of sites on Montezuma Creek failed to find fish at sites above the section of stream that flows through Montezuma Canyon.

The qualitative survey of lower Montezuma Creek, found only one species of fish, the speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus). The dace were found in the canyon, about 2 km upstream of the confluence with Verdure Creek, down past the confluence and were quite common.

The quantitative survey in Verdure Creek in 1995 found only one species of fish, the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). A total of 16 trout were captured with an average density of 0.05 fish/m². The trout had a total biomass of 5.11 g/m² with specimens ranging from 14.7 to 30.4 cm in total length. Sampling in 1996 did not find any fish.