Catskills, New York
Beaverkill and Willowemoc Fishing Report: July 1, 2026
The Beaverkill is already above the trout-temperature line this morning, and the low Willowemoc has little margin before another hot afternoon.
- Status
- unsafe
- Flow trend
- stable
- Best window
- Skip freestone trout fishing; choose cold tailwater or warmwater alternatives
- Best methods
- skip warm trout water, cold tailwater alternatives, warmwater options
Quick Summary
Skip the Beaverkill and Willowemoc for trout today. USGS showed the Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls at 118 cfs and 71.1 F during the morning check, which is already well past the 68 F trout-stress threshold. The Willowemoc near Livingston Manor was 35.8 cfs and 64.2 F, but that is still low summer water with a hot forecast ahead. If you want to fish in the Catskills today, choose cold tailwater water, reservoirs, or warmwater species instead of pressuring freestone trout.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Unsafe for trout on the Beaverkill; not recommended on the low Willowemoc because the day will keep heating |
| Flow | 118 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 35.8 cfs at Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor |
| Gauge Height | 1.18 feet at Cooks Falls; 1.93 feet near Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 71.1 F at Cooks Falls; 64.2 F near Livingston Manor during the morning USGS check |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; low clear-looking freestone water can still be too warm for trout |
| Trend | Flows remain low, with water temperature the controlling safety issue |
| Best Window | Not recommended for trout today |
| Best Method | Skip freestone trout fishing; use cold tailwater alternatives or warmwater species instead |
| Wadeability | Physical wading may be possible in places, but trout stress makes fishing these freestones the wrong call |
Weather
For Roscoe and Livingston Manor, the National Weather Service forecast calls for a high near 90 F, mostly sunny conditions early, and a chance of showers and thunderstorms from early afternoon into evening. Heat index values may push into the upper 90s. West wind should stay light to moderate. The heat is the issue: the Beaverkill is already too warm in the morning, and the Willowemoc has little buffer before the hottest part of the day.
River Notes
The Cooks Falls temperature decides this report. A 71.1 F morning reading on the Beaverkill is too warm for responsible catch-and-release trout fishing, and it will not improve during a hot July afternoon. The Willowemoc reading is cooler, but 35.8 cfs is thin water, and fish have limited room to recover after a fight. Do not look for a short technical window just because there are bugs in the air. Move to the cold West Branch or another tailwater if trout are the goal, or switch the plan to bass, panfish, or reservoir edges.
Hatch Activity
Regional Catskills sources still point to a summer mix of sulphurs, Blue Winged Olives, Isonychias, Light Cahills, caddis, dark sedges, and evening spinners. On the Beaverkill and Willowemoc today, those hatches should be treated as a sign of the season, not a reason to target trout in warm or low water. Save the trout box for water that is cold enough to fish responsibly.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sulphur | 16-18 | Regionally active; fish it only on water that remains safely cold |
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-22 | Clouds or showers may help activity, but temperature still controls the trout decision |
| Isonychia | 10-12 | Useful on colder riffle water, not on the warm Beaverkill today |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Evening possibility on alternate cold water |
| Tan Caddis | 16-20 | Pupa and soft hackles remain good searching choices only where temperatures are safe |
| Rusty Spinner | 14-20 | Last-light option after a thermometer confirms safe water elsewhere |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Sulphur Comparadun or Sparkle Dun | 16-18 | Carry for cold tailwater water, not for the warm Beaverkill today |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun | 18-22 | Small cloudy-day option where temperatures stay safe |
| Dry | Light Cahill or White Wulff | 14-16 | Visible evening fly for alternate cold water |
| Dry | Rusty Spinner | 14-20 | Use only after a fresh temperature check on colder water |
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph | 10-12 | Good summer nymph in cold riffles away from stressed freestone trout |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail or Frenchie | 14-18 | Mayfly nymph for tailwater seams and pocket water that remains cold |
| Nymph | Caddis Pupa | 16-18 | Work riffles and pocket water on safer alternatives |
| Other | Stream Thermometer | Not reported | Required in this heat; stop targeting trout whenever water approaches 68 F |
Tactics
Do not fish the Beaverkill for trout today, and do not assume the Willowemoc will hold a safe afternoon window. If you are already in Roscoe, redirect to a cold tailwater, reservoir edges, or warmwater species. If you check any trout water yourself, take the temperature before fishing and keep checking as the day warms. Stop before 68 F, land fish quickly where water is safe, and leave the water immediately if thunderstorms move in.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 118 cfs | 71.1 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 35.8 cfs | 64.2 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, access, method, and trout-temperature safety context.