Catskills, New York
Beaverkill and Willowemoc Fishing Report: July 5, 2026
The Beaverkill is already too warm for trout, and the Willowemoc is close enough to 68 F that today should be a cold-tailwater or warmwater day instead.
- Status
- unsafe
- Flow trend
- rising
- Best window
- Skip freestone trout fishing; use 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 141 cfs and 74.7 F during the morning check, which is well beyond the 68 F trout-stress line. The Willowemoc near Livingston Manor was 57 cfs and 66.9 F, cooler than yesterday but still too close to the threshold before a warm, stormy afternoon. If you are in the Roscoe area, make the trout plan about a cold tailwater such as the West Branch, or switch to reservoirs, bass, panfish, and other warmwater options.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Unsafe for trout on the Beaverkill; not recommended on the Willowemoc because it is near the trout-stress threshold before the day warms |
| Flow | 141 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 57 cfs at Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor |
| Gauge Height | 1.33 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.07 feet near Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 74.7 F at Cooks Falls; 66.9 F near Livingston Manor during the morning USGS check |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; temperature is the controlling issue even if the water looks clear |
| Trend | Flows are up from yesterday morning, but water temperatures still make these freestones a poor trout choice |
| 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 early fog, a high near 79 F, light east to southeast wind, and showers or thunderstorms becoming likely this afternoon. Rain and storms continue tonight and Monday. Cloud cover can make bugs move, but it does not erase a 74.7 F Beaverkill reading or give the Willowemoc much margin. Lightning and fast local runoff are additional reasons to avoid forcing a freestone trout plan.
River Notes
The Beaverkill temperature settles the decision before fly choice matters. A morning reading in the mid-70s is too warm for responsible catch-and-release trout fishing. The Willowemoc is cooler and has more water than yesterday, but 66.9 F in the morning is close enough to 68 F that afternoon fishing would be a bad bet. Do not use rain, visible rises, or a brief cool period as permission to pressure stressed trout. The better move is to fish cold release water for trout or make the day about warmwater species that handle July temperatures.
Hatch Activity
Catskills summer context still points to sulphurs, small Blue Winged Olives, Isonychias, Light Cahills, caddis, terrestrials, and evening spinners. On the Beaverkill and Willowemoc today, treat that hatch information as regional reference only. Save these trout flies for water that stays safely below the stress threshold.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sulphur | 16-20 | Regionally active; fish it only on cold water that stays safely below the trout-stress line |
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-24 | Clouds and drizzle can 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 |
| Ants and Beetles | 14-18 | Warm-season shaded-bank option for safe cold water or non-trout fishing |
| Rusty Spinner | 14-20 | Last-light option only after a thermometer confirms safe trout water elsewhere |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Sulphur Comparadun or Sparkle Dun | 16-20 | Carry for cold tailwater water, not for the warm Beaverkill today |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun | 18-24 | Small low-light 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 |
| Dry | Ant or Beetle | 14-18 | Good shaded-bank option on safe cold water or for warmwater species |
| 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 treat the Willowemoc as safe just because it is cooler than the Beaverkill. If you are already in Roscoe, redirect to the cold West Branch, another 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 safely cold, and avoid adding pressure to trout that are riding out another July temperature squeeze.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 141 cfs | 74.7 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 57 cfs | 66.9 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.