Catskills, New York
Beaverkill and Willowemoc Fishing Report: July 6, 2026
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc remain a skip for trout, with high water, a Flood Watch, heavy rain potential, and freestone temperatures too close to the trout-stress line.
- 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 933 cfs and 65.8 F, with the Willowemoc near Livingston Manor at 163 cfs and 63.9 F during the 9 AM refresh. The latest National Weather Service forecast now includes a Flood Watch through Tuesday morning and 1 to 2 inches of possible new rainfall today near Roscoe and Livingston Manor. The rain has helped flow, but it has also made the freestones high, storm-sensitive, and too close to the 68 F trout-stress line for a responsible trout recommendation. If you are in the Roscoe area, redirect to a cold tailwater such as the West Branch, or make the day about reservoirs, bass, panfish, and other warmwater options.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Unsafe for trout as a practical recommendation because flows are high, heavy rain is possible, a Flood Watch is active, and morning water temperatures leave little room before the day warms |
| Flow | 933 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 163 cfs at Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor |
| Gauge Height | 3.51 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.52 feet near Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 65.8 F at Cooks Falls; 63.9 F near Livingston Manor during the 9 AM USGS refresh |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; rain and sharp flow increases make clarity uncertain and likely variable by reach |
| Trend | Still far above yesterday morning, with Beaver Kill easing slightly from the 8 AM check but more rain forecast |
| Best Window | Not recommended for trout today |
| Best Method | Skip freestone trout fishing; use cold tailwater alternatives or warmwater species instead |
| Wadeability | Unsafe to poor. High freestone water, a Flood Watch, heavy rain potential, and thunderstorms make wading a bad risk |
Weather
For Roscoe and Livingston Manor, the National Weather Service forecast calls for showers and thunderstorms, a high near 68 F, east wind around 7 mph, and a 90 percent chance of precipitation. New rainfall of 1 to 2 inches is possible today, with additional shower chances tonight and Tuesday. A Flood Watch is in effect through Tuesday morning. Cooler air helps compared with the recent heat, but lightning, fresh runoff, debris, cutoff risk, and pushy water are the controlling safety issues. This is not a day to force a freestone trout plan.
River Notes
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc changed materially overnight, but not into a clean green-light situation. The Beaver Kill remained high at 933 cfs at Cooks Falls during the 9 AM refresh, and the Willowemoc was still well above recent low summer levels. Delaware River Club's current report noted that the East Branch and Beaverkill drainages were hit by more rain, flows were up quite a bit, and the Beaverkill, lower East Branch, and Mainstem were starting close to or over 70 F. Morning USGS temperatures at the Beaverkill and Willowemoc gauges were cooler than that local broader-system note, but 65.8 F on a rainy morning is still close enough to 68 F that afternoon trout fishing would be a poor call if the water warms or fish are already stressed from recent heat.
Hatch Activity
Catskills summer context still includes sulphurs, small Blue Winged Olives, Isonychias, Light Cahills, caddis, terrestrials, and evening spinners. Treat this as regional reference only for today. On the Beaverkill and Willowemoc, high rising water, thunderstorms, and trout-temperature risk matter more than matching the hatch.
| 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 rain can help activity, but temperature and flow still control the trout decision |
| Isonychia | 10-12 | Useful on colder, safer riffle water away from the high freestones today |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Evening possibility only on alternate cold water with safe access |
| Tan Caddis | 16-20 | Pupa and soft hackles remain good searching choices where temperatures and flows 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 and wading check confirm 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 high warm freestone water today |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun | 18-24 | Small low-light option where temperatures and flows 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 safety and 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 unsafe freestone water |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail or Frenchie | 14-18 | Mayfly nymph for tailwater seams and pocket water that remains cold |
| Nymph | Caddis Pupa | 16-18 | Use on safer alternatives where wading and temperatures are acceptable |
| Other | Stream Thermometer | Not reported | Required in this stretch of summer; stop targeting trout whenever water approaches 68 F |
Tactics
Do not wade into the Beaverkill or Willowemoc just because the rain added water. Rising freestone flows can hide soft edges, push debris, and cut off exits quickly, and the forecast keeps thunderstorms in play. If you are already in Roscoe, make a conservative move to the cold West Branch, another tailwater, reservoir edges, or warmwater species. If you inspect any trout water yourself, check both temperature and wading safety before rigging, then stop before 68 F. Recent heat plus today's runoff is enough reason to give these fish a break.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 933 cfs | 65.8 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 163 cfs | 63.9 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, clarity, and trout-temperature safety context.