Catskills, New York
Beaverkill-Willowemoc Fishing Report: July 18, 2026
The Beaverkill-Willowemoc remains a warm-water caution report, with low summer flows, the Beaver Kill already near 67 F in the morning, and another high rain and smoke day forecast around Roscoe.
- Status
- tough
- Flow trend
- stable
- Best window
- Thermometer-first at dawn only; move to cold tailwater before freestone temperatures climb
- Best methods
- resting warm freestone trout, thermometer-first trout fishing, cold tailwater
Quick Summary
The Beaverkill-Willowemoc should be treated as a conservation-first trout report again today. USGS showed the Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls at 115 cfs and 67.1 F during the morning check, while the Willowemoc near Livingston Manor was 26.1 cfs and 62.1 F. Those are low summer flows, and the last 24-hour USGS temperature series reached 76.5 F on the Beaver Kill and 73.9 F on the Willowemoc yesterday afternoon. If you fish trout water, check the exact reach with a thermometer at dawn, stop before it approaches 68 F, and make cold tailwater the better plan for a full outing.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Tough and temperature-limited for trout; responsible fishing window is short to nonexistent on the freestones |
| Flow | 115 cfs at Cooks Falls on the Beaver Kill; 26.1 cfs near Livingston Manor on the Willowemoc |
| Gauge Height | 1.16 feet at Cooks Falls; 1.85 feet near Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 67.1 F on the Beaver Kill and 62.1 F on the Willowemoc during the morning USGS check; both gauges exceeded 70 F in the prior afternoon series |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; low summer flow and water temperature are the controlling details |
| Trend | Low and generally stable to slightly falling on the morning gauges |
| Best Window | Thermometer-first at dawn only; move to cold tailwater before freestone temperatures climb |
| Best Method | Do not press warm trout water. Choose cold release water, verified cold tributary-influenced water where legal, or non-trout alternatives |
| 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 77 F with areas of smoke and showers likely, especially from late morning into afternoon. Wind should come from the south at 3 to 8 mph. Tonight is forecast near 57 F with patchy smoke and lingering showers before cooler, sunnier weather Sunday. Rain may help later, but do not count on same-day runoff to make warm trout water safe.
River Notes
The Beaver Kill reading is the warning sign: 67.1 F during the morning check leaves very little margin before trout are stressed. The Willowemoc started cooler, but it is also low and warmed well above the 68 F line yesterday afternoon. Wading may look easy, but easy footing is not the same as good trout conditions. The summer Horton Brook thermal closure on the Beaverkill remains in effect from Iron Bridge at Horton downstream to the first Route 17 overpass, where angling is prohibited July 1 through August 31. Give those refuge fish room.
Hatch Activity
The normal mid-summer Catskills box still includes sulphurs, olives, Isonychias, light Cahills, tan caddis, yellow sallies, terrestrials, and rusty spinners, but today's fly choice is secondary to water temperature. Use these patterns only where trout water is verified cold enough.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-22 | Clouds and showers may help, but fish them only in safe cold water |
| Sulphur | 16-20 | Better matched on cold release water today than warming freestone reaches |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Carry for colder alternatives and evening water only if temperatures remain 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 water temperatures stay safe |
| Yellow Sally | 14-16 | Worth having for cold broken water |
| Ants and Beetles | 14-20 | Good summer bank patterns, but not an excuse to fish warm trout water |
| Rusty Spinner | 14-20 | Skip the freestone spinner game unless water is safely below 68 F |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun | 18-22 | Use on cold tailwater or verified safe water only |
| Dry | Sulphur Comparadun or Sparkle Dun | 16-20 | Better fit for cold release water today |
| Dry | Light Cahill or Parachute Adams | 14-16 | Visible searching dry for colder alternatives |
| 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 for evening water verified below the trout-stress line |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail or Frenchie | 14-18 | For cold-water alternatives or verified safe freestone 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
Make the thermometer the first tool out of the pack. If the river is 68 F or warmer, do not target trout. If a shaded reach is safely colder at dawn, fish lightly, land fish quickly, keep them wet, and leave before the temperature rises. For a normal trout day, drive to cold release water rather than trying to stretch a low freestone through another smoky, showery July afternoon.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 115 cfs | 67.1 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 26.1 cfs | 62.1 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, regulation, method, and safety context.