Born and orphan in a fish hatchery, Alexander Trout begins life in the streams of Colorado. One day he discovers his species is not native to the area and he begins to wonder where he is from. Seeking wisdom from a wise mentor, Winston Beaver, he establishes that his destiny lies east, beyond a great ocean. With little to go by, he sets out on a dangerous quest to find a mountain seen in his dreams which he believes is his homeland.