Book Review: The Trout Pool Paradox: The American Lives of Three Rivers by George Black

Pencil sketch by Michael D. Day

Recommended by my friend and fellow fly fisherman, Ted, this is the second George Black book I've read, and it was wonderful. I'm a fan of local history, and this entire book takes place in my home state of Connecticut, centered predominately around three rivers. Black discusses the American industrial revolution around moving, clean, cold water, places where trout thrive. He highlights the often shadowy struggles of stake holders laying claim to the management of such waterways. I was particularly impressed with Black teasing apart the murky line in the trout “conservation” world between stocked waters with invasive trout (such as brown trout) and our wild native brook trout.

​I recently fished an unnamed tributary to one of these rivers, and it was nice reliving part of this book. It was especially rewarding stumbling upon a thriving population of our wild native brook trout that seemed to navigate many challenges over time, from an industrial revolution, to warming water, to competition with predatory, invasive fish.

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