[5] The river supports populations of Chinook and coho salmon, steelhead, cutthroat trout, and lamprey.

[6] Fishing in Oregon, a sportfishing guide, describes the river as "a beautiful wild trout stream".

[4] Degraded in past decades by logging, splash dams, and in-stream debris removal, the stream has been chosen for restoration.

[6] Using grant money from the state, the Partnership for Umpqua Rivers has been placing thousands of boulders in the streambed to improve the spawning, rearing, and refugia habitat for fish.

[6] The named tributaries of the West Fork Smith River from source to mouth are Gold, Beaver, Moore, Crane, and Coon creeks.