Catskills, New York
Beaverkill-Willowemoc Fishing Report: July 13, 2026
The Beaverkill-Willowemoc system is temperature-limited again, with the Beaver Kill already above 68 F during the morning USGS check and a warm sunny day ahead.
- Status
- tough
- Flow trend
- falling
- Best window
- Thermometer-first at dawn only; avoid warm Beaverkill trout water and shift serious trout effort to cold tailwater
- Best methods
- thermometer-first trout fishing, cold tailwater, resting warm freestone trout
Quick Summary
The Beaverkill-Willowemoc report is a caution report, not a green-light trout report. USGS showed the Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls at 161 cfs and 68.5 F during the morning check, with Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor at 32 cfs and 62.8 F. The Beaverkill is already over the usual 68 F trout-stress line before the warmest part of the day, and the Willowemoc is low enough that any trout fishing needs a thermometer and a quick exit plan. For a real trout session, fish cold tailwater instead of pressing these freestones.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Tough and temperature-limited for trout; the Beaver Kill was already above 68 F during the morning USGS check |
| Flow | 161 cfs at Cooks Falls on the Beaver Kill; 32 cfs near Livingston Manor on the Willowemoc |
| Gauge Height | 1.45 feet at Cooks Falls; 1.90 feet near Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 68.5 F on the Beaver Kill and 62.8 F on the Willowemoc during the morning USGS check |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; low summer freestone flow and temperature are the controlling details today |
| Trend | Falling from yesterday morning on both gauges |
| Best Window | Thermometer-first at dawn only; avoid warm Beaverkill trout water and shift serious trout effort to cold tailwater |
| Best Method | Rest warm freestone trout; fish cold release water if you want a dependable trout session |
| Wadeability | Good from a footing standpoint, but temperature controls whether trout fishing is responsible |
Weather
For Roscoe and Livingston Manor, the National Weather Service forecast calls for a high near 83 F, mostly sunny skies, light southwest wind, and a slight chance of showers or thunderstorms after 3 PM. Tonight is forecast mostly clear with a low near 62 F, followed by a hotter Tuesday near 92 F. A warm sunny afternoon can move low freestone water quickly into trout-stress conditions, so do not treat the cooler Willowemoc morning reading as an all-day permission slip.
River Notes
The Beaver Kill is the limiting gauge today. At 68.5 F in the morning, it should be left alone for trout rather than fished through the heat of the day. The Willowemoc was cooler at the gauge, but it is also low, and individual pools can warm faster than the official reading suggests. Current Catskills trout fishing should be built around a thermometer, short sessions only where water is safely below 68 F, and a willingness to move to the West Branch Delaware or another cold release if temperatures climb.
Hatch Activity
The Catskills summer bug list still matters, but today it belongs on cold water, not warm Beaverkill trout. Carry sulphurs, olives, Cahills, Isonychias, tan caddis, yellow sallies, terrestrials, and spinners for cold tailwater or verified safe water. Do not chase risers in water near or above 68 F.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-22 | Relevant on cold tailwater or genuinely cool shaded water; avoid warm freestone pools |
| Sulphur | 16-20 | Better on cold release water today than on warming freestone reaches |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Carry for colder alternatives and mixed evening activity only if water is safe |
| Isonychia | 10-12 | A useful searching bug on cold riffle edges and tailwaters |
| Tan Caddis | 16-18 | Pupa and soft hackles can work where temperatures stay safe |
| Yellow Sally | 14-16 | Worth having for cold, broken water, not warm afternoon freestone pools |
| Ants and Beetles | 14-20 | Good summer bank patterns for cold water |
| Rusty Spinner | 14-20 | Evening freestone use is not recommended unless temperatures are safely below 68 F |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun | 18-22 | Use on cold tailwater or verified cool water only |
| Dry | Sulphur Comparadun or Sparkle Dun | 16-20 | Better on cold release water today |
| Dry | Light Cahill or Parachute Adams | 14-16 | Visible searching dry for colder alternatives, not warm freestone pools |
| Dry | Isonychia Parachute | 10-12 | Prospecting fly where temperatures are safe |
| Dry | Yellow Sally | 14-16 | Cold riffle option when stoneflies are active |
| Dry | Ant or Beetle | 14-20 | Summer bank option for cold water |
| Dry | Rusty Spinner | 14-20 | Only if evening water is verified safely below 68 F |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail or Frenchie | 14-18 | For cold-water alternatives or verified safe water |
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph | 10-12 | Use on cold riffle edges and seams |
| Wet | Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail or Partridge and Yellow | 14-18 | Useful where trout water is cold enough to fish responsibly |
| Nymph | Tan Caddis Pupa | 16-18 | Dropper option for colder water |
Tactics
Take the water temperature before making a cast, and be willing to skip the freestones. The Beaverkill is already past the stress line for trout, so the best tactic there is restraint. If a shaded Willowemoc reach or a cold tributary influence is safely below 68 F, keep the session short, fight fish quickly, skip grip-and-grin photos, and stop as soon as temperatures rise. For normal trout fishing today, the practical move is the West Branch Delaware or another cold tailwater.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 161 cfs | 68.5 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 32 cfs | 62.8 F | USGS 01419500 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS stations 01420500 and 01419500, plus the National Weather Service forecast for the Roscoe and Livingston Manor, 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, regulation, and safety context.