Beaverkill and Willowemoc Fishing Report: July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

The Beaverkill and Willowemoc are improving from the storm bump, but they still call for careful section choice. USGS showed the Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls at 329 cfs, 2.17 feet, and 62.6 F at the last complete morning reading, while Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor was 85.8 cfs, 2.22 feet, and 58.3 F. That is much friendlier than yesterday's high water, though local Catskills reporting from the latest accessible update still warned that the freestones had been high and stained after storms. Treat the day as fair: fish edges and riffles that are visibly clear, keep a thermometer handy, and respect the Beaverkill's Horton Brook thermal closure.

Conditions Snapshot

Field	Value
Status	Fair. Cooler morning water and falling flows help, but clarity uncertainty, post-storm footing, and thermal rules keep expectations moderate
Flow	329 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 85.8 cfs on Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor
Gauge Height	2.17 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.22 feet near Livingston Manor
Water Temp	62.6 F at Cooks Falls; 58.3 F on Willowemoc Creek during the morning USGS check
Clarity	Not reported by official gauges; latest accessible local context described stain after storms, so verify at the access before fishing
Trend	Falling from yesterday's storm-driven rise
Best Window	Morning into early afternoon where clarity is good and water temperatures stay below 68 F
Best Method	Dry flies and wets in softer riffle edges if fish look up; nymphs only where footing and clarity are safe
Wadeability	Limited. The Willowemoc is more approachable than yesterday, but avoid stained pushy slots, slick rocks, and blind crossings

Weather

For Roscoe and Livingston Manor, the National Weather Service forecast calls for sunny skies with a high near 74 F and northwest wind around 1 to 5 mph. Tonight should be clear with a low around 50 F. That is a helpful weather setup after storms, but bright sun can slow midday dry-fly activity and push freestone temperatures upward, so check actual water temperature through the day.

River Notes

The freestones have moved out of the worst of yesterday's high-water setup, but they are not automatically clean and easy everywhere. The Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls dropped from 709 cfs yesterday morning to a last complete morning value of 329 cfs, and the Willowemoc dropped from 199 cfs to 85.8 cfs. That falling trend makes fishing more realistic, especially along edges, riffle shoulders, and pocket-water shelves. The safety and ethics constraint remains summer trout temperature: stop targeting trout if your thermometer approaches 68 F. 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.

Hatch Activity

Official gauges do not report hatches. Recent Catskill source context continues to point to Blue Winged Olives, sulphurs, tan caddis, Light Cahills, Isonychias, and rusty spinners in the summer mix. With flows falling but clarity still worth checking, prioritize bugs that fish well in broken water before trying long flat-pool 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 flows stabilize and wind stays light
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 and riffle shoulders
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 with a clarity and temperature check at the access, not with a blind commitment to one pool. If the river is still stained or pushing harder than it looks from the bank, stay on the edges or move to a safer reach. Where the water is clear enough, search riffle shoulders with an Isonychia dry-dropper, swing soft hackles through tailouts, or fish a modest nymph rig along inside seams. Switch to a single dry only after you see fish working. Keep sessions short as the sun gets higher, re-check temperature often, and stay out of the Horton Brook closed reach.

Gauge Links

Gauge	Flow	Temp	Link
BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY	329 cfs	62.6 F	USGS 01420500
WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY	85.8 cfs	58.3 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.