Catskills, New York
Beaverkill and Willowemoc Fishing Report: June 23, 2026
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc improved after rain, with better flows and cooler morning water, but they are still thermometer-first freestones.
- Status
- fair
- Flow trend
- stable
- Best window
- Morning through early afternoon while water remains cool; keep checking temperature and stop near 68 F
- Best methods
- temperature check first, nymphs, wet flies, dry flies
Quick Summary
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc are improved from yesterday, but they still need a thermometer-first approach. USGS showed the Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls at 236 cfs and about 61.0 F, while the Willowemoc near Livingston Manor was 53.6 cfs and about 59.2 F during the late-morning check. Local Catskills reporting noted that rain brought the freestones up a touch while leaving them clear and wadeable, with cooler morning temperatures opening some opportunity. Fish the cool part of the day, keep the session efficient, and stop targeting trout if readings move toward 68 F.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Fair; flows and morning temperatures improved, but these are still warming freestones that require repeated thermometer checks |
| Flow | 236 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 53.6 cfs at Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor |
| Gauge Height | 1.82 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.05 feet near Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 61.0 F at Cooks Falls; 59.2 F near Livingston Manor |
| Clarity | Local public reporting described the freestones as clear and wadeable after yesterday's rain; official gauges do not report clarity |
| Trend | Stable to slightly falling over the six-hour USGS check; Beaver Kill held near 236 cfs and Willowemoc eased from 55.3 to 53.6 cfs |
| Best Window | Morning through early afternoon while temperatures remain safely below the trout stress range; avoid extending the session if the water warms |
| Best Method | Nymphs and wet flies through riffles while waiting for hatch activity; dries only for visible fish in confirmed cool water |
| Wadeability | Limited but workable; move quietly, avoid trampling skinny holding water, and keep fish handling short |
Weather
For Roscoe and Livingston Manor, the National Weather Service forecast calls for cloudy skies, a high near 70 F, north wind around 7 mph, and a low precipitation chance. Cloud cover helps keep the freestones from heating as fast as they would under full sun, but a 70 F air temperature can still move smaller water upward through the afternoon. Tonight should be mostly cloudy with a low near 52 F.
River Notes
Yesterday's rain helped the Beaverkill-Willowemoc system without turning it into a high-water problem. The Beaverkill has more cushion than it did during the low-water stretch, and the Willowemoc is still small but no longer as thin as yesterday's 30 cfs reading. That is enough to make the freestones worth considering during a cool window, not enough to ignore trout temperature stress. Carry a thermometer, fish fast oxygenated water first, and be willing to leave for the West Branch or another cold tailwater once the reading climbs.
Hatch Activity
Current Catskills context points to Isonychia nymphs, sulphurs, Blue Winged Olives, Cahills, caddis, and spinners. Morning nymphing has been productive while waiting for hatches, and wet flies through riffles fit the improved but still technical freestone conditions.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sulphur | 14-18 | Carry emergers, duns, and spinners, but fish them only while water stays cool |
| Blue Winged Olive | 16-22 | Cloud cover can help small olives in riffles and shaded seams |
| Isonychia | 10-12 | Nymphs are active through the system; a good searching choice in fast water |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Possible during afternoon or evening hatch activity if water temperature allows |
| Caddis | 14-18 | Pupa and soft hackles are useful before adults draw steady rises |
| Rusty Spinner | 10-20 | Evening option only if the stream remains safely cool |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Sulphur Comparadun or Sparkle Dun | 14-18 | For visible risers in cool water |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun | 16-22 | Useful under clouds in soft seams and tailouts |
| Dry | Light Cahill Parachute | 14-16 | Carry for larger pale mayflies if fish are up |
| Dry | Rusty Spinner | 10-20 | Last-light option only after a temperature check |
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph | 10-12 | Primary searching nymph in riffles and broken water |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail or Frenchie | 14-18 | Compact mayfly dropper for clear-water trout |
| Nymph | Caddis Pupa | 14-18 | Dead drift or swing through riffle tails |
| Wet | Soft Hackle or Flymph | 12-16 | Swing through fast water while bugs are active |
| Other | Stream Thermometer | Not reported | Check before fishing and again as the day warms |
Tactics
Start with a thermometer, not a fly change. If the water is safely below 68 F, cover riffles, pocket water, and shaded seams with an Isonychia nymph, caddis pupa, or soft hackle. Keep leaders long enough for the clear water and make the first cast count; better flows do not make these fish careless. If bugs start and fish rise, switch to a single dry or an emerger behind a dry, but keep fights short and stop fishing if the water warms into the trout stress range.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 236 cfs | 61.0 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 53.6 cfs | 59.2 F | USGS 01419500 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS stations 01420500 and 01419500, plus the National Weather Service forecast 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, clarity, access, and method context.