Catskills, New York
Beaverkill-Willowemoc Fishing Report: August 12, 2026
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc are a tough trout call today, with the Beaverkill at 527 cfs and 63.3 F and the Willowemoc at 111 cfs and 61.9 F during the 9 AM refresh, plus hot air building toward midday.
- Status
- tough
- Flow trend
- falling
- Best window
- Very short early window only where your thermometer stays safely below 68 F
- Best methods
- nymphs, wet flies, dry-dropper
Quick Summary
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc should be treated as a thermometer-led, mostly-rest-the-freestones day. During the 9 AM refresh, USGS showed the Beaver Kill at 527 cfs, 2.73 feet, and 63.3 F near Cooks Falls, while the Willowemoc was 111 cfs, 2.31 feet, and 61.9 F near Livingston Manor. Current Catskills source context says the Beaverkill is already closing in on 68 F and the Willowemoc is likely to follow as the day warms. If you fish at all, make it a very short early session in water that stays safely below 68 F, avoid the Horton Brook thermal refuge closure, and shift trout effort to colder tailwaters.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Tough. Improving flow does not offset warm freestone risk under a hot forecast |
| Flow | 527 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 111 cfs at Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor during the 9 AM refresh |
| Gauge Height | 2.73 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.31 feet on the Willowemoc near Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 63.3 F at Cooks Falls and 61.9 F on the Willowemoc during the 9 AM refresh |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; current public Catskills context emphasizes temperature risk rather than a clarity problem |
| Trend | Falling from yesterday's 683 cfs Beaverkill reading |
| Best Window | Very short early window only where a stream thermometer stays safely below 68 F |
| Best Method | Light nymphs, wet flies, or dry-dropper searching in soft edge water if temperatures are safe |
| Wadeability | Limited. Flow is more manageable than yesterday, but warm-water trout ethics are the controlling factor |
Weather
For Roscoe and Livingston Manor, the National Weather Service forecast calls for sunny weather with a high near 81 F and light northwest wind at 1 to 5 mph. Tonight brings a chance of showers and thunderstorms between roughly 8 PM and 3 AM, with possible rainfall around a tenth to a quarter inch where storms pass. The light wind is not the problem today; warm air and sun can push freestone water into trout-stress territory quickly.
River Notes
The Beaverkill has dropped from yesterday's high summer flow, and the refreshed Willowemoc reading confirms a lower, more approachable flow near Livingston Manor. That does not make either freestone a full-day trout recommendation. Morning water in the low 60s can climb fast under an 81 F sunny forecast, and current Catskills source context specifically warns that the freestones are near the 68 F line. Carry a thermometer, take readings before fishing and while moving, and stop before the water approaches 68 F.
The Willowemoc is the more approachable wading choice in this pair at 111 cfs, but its 61.9 F morning temperature still leaves little room once sun and warm air build. Do not stretch the day just because the flow is comfortable. The Horton Brook thermal refuge regulation remains in effect on the Beaverkill from Iron Bridge at Horton downstream to the first Route 17 overpass through August 31; that water is closed to angling. If you want a longer trout day, use the cold Delaware tailwaters instead.
Hatch Activity
Official gauges do not report hatches. Current Catskills source context supports sulphurs, Isonychias, Blue Winged Olives, Yellow Sallies, Golden Drakes, Light Cahills, tan caddis, tricos in the morning, and terrestrials. The hatch list should guide fly selection only during safe water temperatures, not justify extending a warm freestone session.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trico | 20-24 | Morning-only option if the water is still safely cool |
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-22 | Useful in shaded slicks or under softer light during safe temperatures |
| Sulphur | 16-20 | Late-summer carryover hatch; fish emergers and soft hackles during short cool windows |
| Isonychia | 12-14 | Good searching nymph, wet fly, or dry-dropper profile in faster edge water |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Low-light dry option where water remains cold enough |
| Tan Caddis | 16-18 | Pupa and adults can cover pocket water and riffle edges |
| Yellow Sally | 14-16 | Small stonefly profile for pocket water and broken banks |
| Golden Drake | 8-10 | Carry a few larger dries, but do not wait out warm water for a hatch |
| Ants and Beetles | 14-20 | Terrestrial option for shaded banks during verified safe temperatures |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail, Frenchie, or Perdigon | 14-18 | Short, efficient rigs for edge seams before water warms |
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph | 10-12 | Good profile for broken Beaverkill pocket water if temperatures are safe |
| Nymph | Caddis Pupa | 14-18 | Fish below a buoyant dry or through walking-speed seams |
| Wet | Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail or Partridge and Yellow | 14-18 | Cover riffle edges without overplaying fish in warm water |
| Dry | Trico Spinner | 20-24 | Morning-only pattern for verified cool water and light tippet work |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Emerger | 18-22 | Small fly for shaded or cloud-softened rises |
| Dry | Sulphur Sparkle Dun or Light Cahill | 14-20 | Carry for brief low-light surface activity |
| Dry | Isonychia Parachute or Foam Iso | 10-14 | Lead fly for pocket-water dry-dropper work |
| Dry | Ant or Beetle | 14-20 | Use along shaded banks only while temperatures stay safely cool |
Tactics
If you are determined to check the freestones, take a temperature before the first cast. Fish close, fish short, and stop before 68 F. A dry-dropper, soft hackle, or light nymph rig through shaded edges and softer pockets is more responsible than covering long runs in warming water. Stay completely out of the Horton Brook thermal refuge closure. If readings are already near the upper 60s, skip trout fishing on the Beaverkill and Willowemoc and move to colder Delaware tailwater water.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 527 cfs | 63.3 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 111 cfs | 61.9 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.