Beaverkill-Willowemoc Fishing Report: August 5, 2026

Quick Summary

The Beaverkill-Willowemoc system is fishable in places this morning, but it is not an all-day green light. USGS showed the Beaver Kill at 678 cfs, 3.06 feet, and 62.1 F near Cooks Falls, with Willowemoc Creek at 161 cfs, 2.51 feet, and 60.1 F near Livingston Manor during the 8 AM report check. Both gauges are down from yesterday morning, so access is improving, but the Beaverkill remains pushy and the warm, partly sunny forecast makes temperature checks important by afternoon. Fish early, stay out of closed thermal refuge water, and move to colder tailwaters if freestone temperatures climb toward 68 F.

Conditions Snapshot

Field	Value
Status	Fair. Flows are improving and morning temperatures are usable, but wading and afternoon trout stress remain concerns
Flow	678 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 161 cfs on Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor
Gauge Height	3.06 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.51 feet near Livingston Manor
Water Temp	62.1 F at Cooks Falls; 60.1 F near Livingston Manor during the morning check
Clarity	Not reported by official gauges; expect improving but still variable clarity after recent high water
Trend	Falling from yesterday morning's 952 cfs Beaverkill and 235 cfs Willowemoc checks
Best Window	Morning into early afternoon before bright weather warms shallow freestone water
Best Method	Nymphs, wet flies, and dry-dropper rigs through pocket water, soft seams, and riffle edges
Wadeability	Limited on the Beaverkill and fair-to-limited on the Willowemoc. Avoid heavy crossings

Weather

For the Roscoe and Livingston Manor area, the National Weather Service forecast calls for partly sunny weather with a high near 81 F and light south wind up to 5 mph. Showers and thunderstorms become possible after midnight tonight, with a 50 percent chance of precipitation, but daytime conditions should mainly be warm and stable. That puts the safety emphasis on water temperature and careful wading rather than new runoff during the fishing day.

River Notes

The freestones are continuing to recover from early-week rain. The Beaverkill dropped from 952 cfs at yesterday morning's check to 678 cfs this morning; the Willowemoc dropped from 235 cfs to 161 cfs. Those are useful improvements, especially for anglers who know the crossings and fish from the bank or near-bank lanes, but the Beaverkill still has enough push that wading mistakes can get serious quickly. The Willowemoc is the more approachable wade, though low-gradient slick spots and deceptively fast slots still require care.

The Horton Brook thermal refuge regulation remains in effect: the Beaverkill from Iron Bridge at Horton downstream to the first Route 17 overpass is closed to angling from July 1 through August 31. Stay out of that refuge water. Morning gauge temperatures were in the low 60s, but freestones can warm fast in August; carry a thermometer and stop targeting trout if any reach approaches 68 F.

Hatch Activity

Official gauges do not report hatches. Recent Catskills source context supports Blue Winged Olives, sulphurs, tan caddis, Light Cahills, Isonychias, rusty spinners, and summer terrestrials. Because flows are still settling and the forecast is warm, plan on subsurface searching first, then switch to dries only when fish show you a steady lane.

Hatch	Size	Notes
Blue Winged Olive	16-22	Best in shade, cloud cover, or softer morning light; carry emergers
Sulphur	16-20	Possible in cooler water, but less dependable on warm bright freestones
Isonychia	10-14	Good nymph, wet-fly, and dry-dropper profile in pocket water and riffles
Tan Caddis	16-18	Fish pupa or soft hackles through broken water before surface activity
Light Cahill	14-16	Carry for evening only if water temperature remains safe
Rusty Spinner	10-22	Last-light option, but temperature should decide whether to keep trout fishing
Ants and Beetles	14-20	Useful along grassy banks, pocket edges, and undercut shade

Recommended Flies

Category	Fly	Size	Notes
Nymph	Pheasant Tail, Frenchie, or Perdigon	14-18	Good first rig in pockets and walking-speed seams while flows keep dropping
Nymph	Isonychia Nymph	10-12	Strong searching profile in faster riffle edges
Nymph	Caddis Pupa	14-18	Fish below a buoyant dry or as part of a short-line nymph rig
Wet	Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail or Partridge and Yellow	14-18	Swing through broken current when bugs are present but fish are not rising steadily
Dry	BWO Comparadun or CDC Emerger	16-22	Use in shaded slicks or during any cloudy olive window
Dry	Sulphur Sparkle Dun or Light Cahill	14-20	Carry for protected surface activity in cooler water
Dry	Isonychia Parachute or Foam Iso	10-14	Good dry-dropper lead fly in pocket water
Dry	Ant or Beetle	14-20	Summer searching option tight to grass, boulders, and shaded banks

Tactics

Start with water you can fish safely from the edge. On the Beaverkill, work inside seams, pockets, and tailout shoulders before considering any crossing; at 678 cfs, many mid-river lanes are still better left alone. On the Willowemoc, a dry-dropper or short nymph rig should cover the fishable pockets without spooking shallow trout. If rises start, simplify to a single dry or emerger and make the first drift count. Check water temperature before extending the session into afternoon, and leave trout alone if readings move near 68 F.

Gauge Links

Gauge	Flow	Temp	Link
BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY	678 cfs	62.1 F	USGS 01420500
WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY	161 cfs	60.1 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, method, access, and safety context.