Catskills, New York
Beaverkill and Willowemoc Fishing Report: June 12, 2026
The Beaverkill is already over 70 F this morning and the Willowemoc is warming, so this is a trout-rest day for the freestones despite modest fishable flows.
- Status
- unsafe
- Flow trend
- rising
- Best window
- Skip trout fishing until water temperatures cool
- Best methods
- Not recommended for trout today
Quick Summary
This is a conservation-first report for the Beaverkill and Willowemoc. USGS showed the Beaverkill at Cooks Falls at 201 cfs, 1.66 feet, and 71.1 F around 7:45 AM EDT; the Willowemoc near Livingston Manor was 45.7 cfs, 2.00 feet, and 63.7 F around 7:15 AM EDT. The flows are not the main problem, but the Beaverkill temperature is already unsafe for trout and the hot, stormy forecast gives the Willowemoc little margin. Skip trout fishing on these freestones today and look to cold tailwater water instead.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Unsafe for trout on the Beaverkill; Willowemoc is marginal and warming |
| Flow | 201 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 45.7 cfs at Willowemoc near Livingston Manor |
| Gauge Height | 1.66 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.00 feet near Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 71.1 F at Cooks Falls; 63.7 F near Livingston Manor |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges |
| Trend | Flows are slightly up from yesterday morning after storms, but still low-to-moderate; temperatures are the limiting factor |
| Best Window | Skip trout fishing until water temperatures cool |
| Best Method | Not recommended for trout today |
| Wadeability | Physically wadeable in many places, but the warm-water trout stress makes fishing a poor choice |
Weather
For the Livingston Manor and Roscoe area, the National Weather Service forecast calls for a high near 85 F, partly sunny skies, northwest wind around 3 to 7 mph, and showers and thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Tonight should clear after early storm chances, with a low near 56 F. The storms may add some flow, but they do not make warm trout water safe in the moment; wait for sustained cooling and check a thermometer before returning to the freestones.
River Notes
The Beaverkill reading at Cooks Falls is already above the usual 68 F trout-stress line early in the day. That is enough to mark the Beaverkill as unsafe for trout fishing even though 201 cfs would normally be a manageable flow. The Willowemoc is cooler at the gauge, but 45.7 cfs is thin enough that the forecast heat can move temperatures quickly through the day. Current Catskills and Delaware-system local context also warns that the freestones have been warm, with the cold tailwaters as the better option. If you are set on fishing, choose cold release water elsewhere rather than pressuring these fish.
Hatch Activity
The hatch list remains useful for planning the next cool window, but it should not be treated as a reason to fish warm trout water today. Sulphurs, olives, Isonychia, blue sedge caddis, gray caddis, lingering March Browns, Gray Fox, and spinners are all relevant in the Catskills box when water temperatures allow.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Invaria Sulphur | 14-16 | Plan for future cooler afternoons and evenings, not warm-water trout fishing today |
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-20 | Useful in clouds and rain-cooled periods after water temperatures recover |
| Isonychia | 10-12 | Nymphs and wets can be effective in faster riffles during safe temperature windows |
| Blue Sedge / Gray Caddis | 14-16 | Carry pupa, soft hackles, and adult caddis for riffles and evenings when conditions cool |
| March Brown / Gray Fox | 12-14 | Lingering larger mayflies; match only when observed |
| Rusty Spinner | 10-18 | Evening pattern for future safe-temperature windows |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Sulphur Comparadun or Sparkle Dun | 14-16 | For the next cool window, not for the warm Beaverkill today |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun | 18-20 | Carry for cloudy, cooler water after temperatures recover |
| Dry | Rusty Spinner | 10-18 | Use only if water temperatures are safely below stress levels near dark |
| Dry | Blue Sedge or Tan Caddis Adult | 14-16 | Future evening/riffle option when trout can be handled safely |
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph | 10-12 | For faster riffles during cooler conditions |
| Nymph | Caddis Pupa | 14-18 | Useful after water temperatures recover |
| Wet | Soft Hackle | 12-16 | Swing in riffles during a future cool, fishable window |
| Other | Thermometer | Not reported | The most important item before returning to these freestones |
Tactics
Do not build today's plan around finding one more trout on the Beaverkill. At 71.1 F early, trout recover poorly after being played and handled, and afternoon heat will not help. The Willowemoc may look tempting because the gauge is cooler, but low flow and an 85 F forecast mean temperatures can climb fast; it is better to rest it unless you personally confirm safe water and quit well before 68 F. For a trout day, move to colder release-influenced water and keep storms in view.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 201 cfs | 71.1 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 45.7 cfs | 63.7 F | USGS 01419500 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS stations 01420500 and 01419500, plus the National Weather Service forecast and alerts for the Livingston Manor and Roscoe, NY area. This report is an original Custom FlyBox summary based on current official gauge and weather data, with local public conditions reports reviewed separately for hatch, access, and method context.