Catskills, New York
Beaverkill and Willowemoc Fishing Report: June 13, 2026
The Beaverkill is already over the trout-stress line and the Willowemoc is low, so rest these freestones unless you personally confirm clearly cold water.
- Status
- unsafe
- Flow trend
- falling
- Best window
- Rest the freestones unless you personally confirm clearly safe cold water
- Best methods
- temperature check first, wet flies, nymphs
Quick Summary
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc are a temperature-first call today, and the Beaverkill has crossed the trout-stress line. USGS showed the Beaverkill at Cooks Falls at 181 cfs, 1.62 feet, and 68.2 F around 8:45 AM EDT, while the Willowemoc near Livingston Manor was 44.2 cfs, 1.99 feet, and 61.2 F around 8:15 AM EDT. Those flows are physically wadeable in many places, but current Catskills reports say both freestones have been over 70 F during the recent warm spell and ask anglers to refrain from fishing them. Rest these rivers unless you personally confirm clearly cold water, and move to colder tailwater water instead.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Unsafe for routine trout fishing; Beaverkill is over 68 F and Willowemoc has limited low-water margin |
| Flow | 181 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 44.2 cfs at Willowemoc near Livingston Manor |
| Gauge Height | 1.62 feet at Cooks Falls; 1.99 feet near Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 68.2 F at Cooks Falls; 61.2 F near Livingston Manor |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; light rain provided only limited relief in local context |
| Trend | Flows are lower than yesterday morning; temperatures remain the limiting factor |
| Best Window | Rest the freestones unless you personally confirm clearly safe cold water |
| Best Method | Thermometer first; wets, soft hackles, small nymphs, and emergers only during a safe-temperature window |
| Wadeability | Physically good to limited, but trout stress overrides normal wading convenience |
Weather
For Livingston Manor and Roscoe, NY, the National Weather Service forecast calls for sunny skies and a high near 81 F, with northwest wind 5-9 mph. Tonight should be mostly clear with a low around 58 F. No active NWS alerts were posted for the point checked at report time. Sunday's forecast includes a chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms, but today's warm, sunny weather gives the freestones little daytime temperature cushion.
River Notes
The Beaverkill is the problem reach this morning: 68.2 F at Cooks Falls before the heat of the day is already too warm for routine trout fishing. The Willowemoc gauge is cooler, but 44.2 cfs is thin, and low freestone water can warm quickly under sun. Current local Catskills context also asks anglers to give the freestones a break after several days over 70 F. If you still check these rivers, take a stream thermometer, fish only water that is clearly below the stress range, avoid long fights and photos, and leave as soon as temperatures climb.
Hatch Activity
The hatch list is useful for the next safe cool window, not a reason to pressure warm trout water. Blue Winged Olives, sulphurs, Isonychia, Light Cahills, several caddis, spinners, Coffin Flies, and White Wulffs remain part of the Catskills box right now. Match rising fish only after the temperature decision is settled.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sulphur | 14-18 | Relevant in cooler evening windows, but do not chase them in warm water |
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-22 | Best under cloud cover or rain-cooled conditions after temperatures recover |
| Isonychia | 10-12 | Nymphs and wets can work in riffles during genuinely cool water |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Carry for mixed evening mayfly activity when trout can be handled safely |
| Caddis | 14-18 | Pupa, soft hackles, and adults are useful around riffles in safe temperatures |
| Coffin Fly / White Wulff | 8-12 | Evening confidence patterns where larger mayflies or spinner falls are observed |
| Rusty Spinner | 10-18 | Only fish the spinner fall if the water is still safely cool near dark |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Sulphur Comparadun or Sparkle Dun | 14-18 | For a confirmed cool-water hatch window |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun | 18-22 | Use only if fish are rising in safe temperatures |
| Dry | Light Cahill or White Wulff | 10-16 | Evening option after a temperature check |
| Dry | Rusty Spinner | 10-18 | Carry for the last-light fall if the water remains cool enough |
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph | 10-12 | Fish faster riffles only in a safe-temperature window |
| Nymph | Caddis Pupa | 14-18 | Useful below the surface around riffle tails |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail or Small Mayfly Nymph | 14-18 | Good dropper choice for cautious fish |
| Wet | Soft Hackle | 12-16 | Swing through pocket water only while temperatures are safe |
| Other | Stream Thermometer | Not reported | The first tool to use before fishing these freestones today |
Tactics
Do not let modest flows override the water-temperature call. For normal trout fishing, leave the Beaverkill and Willowemoc alone today and move to colder tailwater water instead. If you inspect a small cold-water pocket, check the thermometer before rigging, start only if the water is clearly below the stress range, and keep the session short. If temperatures are marginal or rising, stop fishing rather than trying to force a hatch or spinner-fall window.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 181 cfs | 68.2 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 44.2 cfs | 61.2 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.