Beaverkill and Willowemoc Fishing Report: July 22, 2026

Quick Summary

The Beaverkill and Willowemoc have better water than yesterday, but they are not a casual wade-everywhere setup. USGS showed the Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls at 709 cfs, 3.12 feet, and 63.3 F, while Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor was 199 cfs, 2.64 feet, and 61.0 F during the morning refresh. Those flows are sharply higher after storms, and current Delaware-system context says the Beaverkill came up quite a bit. Treat this as a fair, selective freestone opportunity if clarity is acceptable, and keep the thermometer in use as the day warms.

Conditions Snapshot

Field	Value
Status	Fair. Cooler temperatures and stronger flows help trout, but high post-storm water, clarity uncertainty, and limited wading keep the rating moderate
Flow	709 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 199 cfs on Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor
Gauge Height	3.12 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.64 feet near Livingston Manor
Water Temp	63.3 F at Cooks Falls; 61.0 F on Willowemoc Creek during the morning USGS refresh
Clarity	Not reported by official gauges; current local context indicates the Beaverkill and lower East Branch rose substantially after storms
Trend	Rising sharply from yesterday morning after rain
Best Window	Late morning through afternoon only where the water stays clear and temperatures remain below the trout caution line
Best Method	Dry flies and wets in softer riffle edges if fish look up; heavier nymphs only where safe and clear enough
Wadeability	Limited. Avoid pushy mid-channel wading, blind crossings, and any water that is still rising or coloring

Weather

For Roscoe and Livingston Manor, the National Weather Service forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with a high near 73 F, west wind 6 to 10 mph, and gusts as high as 21 mph. Tonight should be mostly clear with patchy fog late and a low around 47 F. The cooler air helps the freestones, but wind can make small dry-fly work touchy on open pools.

River Notes

The rain helped temperatures and flow, but it also changed wading risk. The Beaverkill at Cooks Falls jumped from 141 cfs yesterday morning to 709 cfs during this morning's check, and the Willowemoc rose from 33.2 cfs to 199 cfs. Those are meaningful changes on freestone water. Fish from the bank or very close edge water until the hydrograph settles, and check clarity before committing to a section. The Horton Brook thermal regulation remains in place on the Beaverkill from Iron Bridge at Horton downstream to the first Route 17 overpass, where angling is prohibited July 1 through August 31. Outside that closed reach, handle trout quickly and stop if water temperatures approach 68 F later in the day.

Hatch Activity

Official gauges do not report hatches. Recent Catskill source context and current Delaware-system reporting point to Blue Winged Olives, sulphurs, tan caddis, Light Cahills, Isonychias, and rusty spinners in the summer mix. With the rivers up, softer edges, side seams, and pocket-water shelves are more practical than broad flat-water presentations.

Hatch	Size	Notes
Blue Winged Olive	16-22	Good small mayfly to carry after damp weather and in shaded glides
Sulphur	16-20	Summer mayfly option where water temperature stays safe
Tan Caddis	16-20	Pupa, soft hackles, and adults can work around riffles and pocket water
Light Cahill	14-16	Useful pale dry for evening and broken water
Isonychia	10-12	Larger searching profile for riffle edges and faster seams
Rusty Spinner	14-20	Possible at last light if wind lays down and flows stabilize
Ants and Beetles	14-20	Bank-side summer backup when hatch activity is scattered

Recommended Flies

Category	Fly	Size	Notes
Dry	BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun	18-22	Small olive option for shaded slicks and softer seams
Dry	Sulphur Sparkle Dun or Comparadun	16-20	Fish only where trout temperatures remain safe
Dry	Elk Hair Caddis or X-Caddis	16-20	Skate or dead drift along riffle edges
Dry	Light Cahill Parachute	14-16	Visible pale searching dry
Dry	Isonychia Parachute	10-12	Larger searching dry for pocket water
Dry	Ant or Beetle	14-20	Work tight to banks and overhanging grass
Wet	Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail or Soft Hackle Hare's Ear	14-18	Swing through riffle tails when surface feeding is inconsistent
Nymph	Pheasant Tail or Frenchie	14-18	Light-to-moderate rig for safe edge seams
Nymph	Isonychia Nymph	10-12	Useful larger nymph in fast, oxygenated water
Nymph	Tan Caddis Pupa	16-18	Drop below a dry or swing as a wet in pocket water

Tactics

Start by checking the hydrograph, then the actual edge you plan to fish. If the water is still climbing, stained, or pushing hard against the bank, move or wait. Where clarity is good, fish softer inside bends, riffle shoulders, and bankside seams instead of trying to cross. A buoyant dry with a small wet or nymph dropper is a good first search rig; switch to a single dry only when fish show. Keep sessions short, re-check temperature through the day, and respect the Horton Brook thermal closure.

Gauge Links

Gauge	Flow	Temp	Link
BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY	709 cfs	63.3 F	USGS 01420500
WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY	199 cfs	61.0 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, method, access, and safety context.