Catskills, New York
Beaverkill-Willowemoc Fishing Report: August 3, 2026
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc are still high and rising after rain, with the Beaverkill pushing higher by the 9 AM check, thunderstorms in the forecast, and the Horton Brook thermal closure still in effect.
- Status
- tough
- Flow trend
- rising
- Best window
- Only a cautious morning edge-water check before storms; skip if water is off-color or still rising
- Best methods
- streamers, nymphs, wet flies
Quick Summary
The Beaverkill-Willowemoc report is a safety-first Catskills call today. USGS showed the Beaverkill at 1,650 cfs and 63.7 F at Cooks Falls, while the Willowemoc was 474 cfs and 63.0 F near Livingston Manor during the 9 AM report check. The Beaverkill moved materially higher after the 8 AM pass, the Willowemoc kept edging up, and the National Weather Service forecast keeps showers and thunderstorms in play through early afternoon. Experienced anglers may find a short edge-water streamer or nymph window if clarity allows, but most wading should wait for the freestones to drop and clear.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Tough. High, rising freestone flows and storms outweigh otherwise acceptable morning water temperatures |
| Flow | 1,650 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 474 cfs at Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor |
| Gauge Height | 4.39 feet at Cooks Falls; 3.20 feet at Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 63.7 F at Cooks Falls; 63.0 F at Livingston Manor |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; sharp rises after rain mean stain and debris are possible |
| Trend | Rising sharply over the prior 24 hours on both gauges |
| Best Window | Only a cautious morning check from the bank or very soft edges before thunderstorms build |
| Best Method | Streamers, wet flies, and nymphs in soft edge water if clarity is fishable |
| Wadeability | Unsafe on most main-channel water. Do not push crossings at these levels |
Weather
For Livingston Manor, the National Weather Service forecast calls for showers and thunderstorms before 2 PM, then a lower storm chance into midafternoon. The high is near 76 F with west wind around 5 to 9 mph. Rainfall amounts are forecast around a tenth to a quarter inch, with locally higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Lightning, fresh runoff, and changing clarity are the main constraints.
River Notes
This is not a normal summer low-water freestone day. The Beaverkill and Willowemoc both rose hard overnight, and the Beaverkill continued climbing between the first and second morning checks. That can move trout to banks, inside seams, and softer tailouts, but it also makes wading dangerous and clarity uncertain. If you are not already comfortable reading these rivers at higher flows, skip the main stems today and wait for a falling gauge. If you do fish, stay close to easy exits and probe soft edges rather than stepping into pushy mid-channel water.
The Horton Brook thermal regulation remains in effect for the summer on the Beaverkill from the Iron Bridge at Horton downstream to the first Route 17 overpass, where angling is prohibited July 1 through August 31. Water temperatures were below the 68 F stress threshold this morning, but carry a thermometer because freestones can warm quickly once sun returns after rain.
Hatch Activity
Official gauges do not report hatches. Recent Catskills public reporting still points to Blue Winged Olives, sulphurs, tan caddis, Light Cahills, Isonychias, rusty spinners, and summer terrestrials. Today’s rising water makes subsurface fishing more realistic than technical dry-fly fishing unless you find a protected bank with clear water and active fish.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Winged Olive | 16-22 | Clouds and rain can help, but only fish dries where water is clear and rising fish are visible |
| Sulphur | 16-20 | Still relevant in the broader Catskills mix, though freestone high water may limit dry-fly chances today |
| Tan Caddis | 16-18 | Pupa and soft hackles are more practical than adults in broken water |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Possible evening bug if storms clear and flows begin to fall |
| Isonychia | 10-14 | Good larger nymph, wet fly, or searching dry profile around riffle edges |
| Rusty Spinners | 10-22 | Carry for calmer evening water, but only if the river has dropped into safer shape |
| Ants and Beetles | 14-20 | Useful bank flies after water drops and trout return to terrestrial edges |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streamer | Woolly Bugger or Sculpin | 4-8 | Best first look if the water has stain but enough visibility to fish |
| Streamer | Soft Hackle Streamer or Sparse Minnow | 6-10 | Use in walking-speed edge water rather than heavy current |
| Nymph | Pat's Rubber Legs | 8-12 | Anchor fly for heavier seams when clarity allows |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail, Frenchie, or Perdigon | 14-18 | Match mayfly nymphs in softer slots and pocket edges |
| Wet | Isonychia Soft Hackle | 10-12 | Swing along slower riffle margins if flows are safe from shore |
| Wet | Tan Caddis Soft Hackle | 14-18 | Good searching fly in broken water after rain |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun | 16-22 | Use only for visible feeders during cloudy breaks |
| Dry | Ant or Beetle | 14-20 | Bank option after water drops and clears |
Tactics
Do not make this a crossing day. Work from the bank, side channels, and soft margins, and turn around before the water forces a hard move. If the river has more than a light stain, fish a compact streamer slowly along the edges. If clarity is good, a short nymph rig with enough weight to tick bottom in soft seams is safer than trying to wade into classic mid-river dry-fly lanes. Check water temperature during and after any sunny break, and stop targeting trout if readings approach 68 F.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 1,650 cfs | 63.7 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 474 cfs | 63.0 F | USGS 01419500 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS stations 01420500 and 01419500, plus the National Weather Service forecast for the 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.