The Black River flows approximately 50 miles through southeastern North Carolina, beginning in southern Sampson County at the confluence of Great Coharie Creek and Six Runs Creek. From there, it meanders southeast through Sampson, Bladen, and Pender Counties before merging with the Cape Fear River roughly 12 miles north of Wilmington. As a blackwater system, the river is nutrient-poor and more acidic than other freshwater ecosystems, creating a distinctive dark-water appearance. The watershed drains 4,077 square kilometers and encompasses approximately 175 miles of navigable waters at normal flows. The river achieved Outstanding Resource Water designation from the State of North Carolina in 1994, recognizing its exceptional water quality and ecological significance. The Black River has long been recognized as one of the premier fishing waters in the Cape Fear Basin, supporting excellent populations of warmwater game fish and an exceptional redbreast sunfish fishery that draws anglers from throughout the state.