The Black

When you step into the slightly tannish-colored Black, you step back in time, and you lose cell service.  Which is a good thing. It's a bit of a drive through twisting, dirt and two-track roads, but deep in the heart of the Pigeon River Country, the Black offers some wonderful brook trout fishing.  Of all the rivers, the Black provides the most number of strikes due to the sheer volume of brook trout in the river and to the fact that it receives very little fishing pressure.  However, the casting can be tricky with all the overhanging tag alders.  Interestingly, the Black varies greatly.  You may be at the top of your waders in a tag alder channel with zero room to cast, and 50 yards upstream be standing in ankle deep gravel with the river so wide it allows for a full back cast.  If you don't mind bush-whacking to get in and out of the river, the Black is a great place to fish.  The fun thing about a trip to the Black is you can keep hopping in and out of the truck, exploring spot after spot.  There are too many of them to explore in one day.  Some offer easy entry to the river.  Others require significant hiking.