Beaverkill-Willowemoc Fishing Report: August 13, 2026

Quick Summary

The Beaverkill and Willowemoc remain a tough trout recommendation even though the overnight water bump improved cover. USGS showed the Beaver Kill at 807 cfs, 3.30 feet, and 64.8 F near Cooks Falls during the morning check, while the Willowemoc was 161 cfs, 2.51 feet, and 63.0 F near Livingston Manor. Those temperatures are already close enough to the 68 F trout-stress line that the day should be thermometer-led and short. If you fish, stay early, choose shaded water, stop before readings approach 68 F, and do not fish the Horton Brook thermal refuge closure on the Beaverkill.

Conditions Snapshot

Field	Value
Status	Tough. Flow is better after storms, but warm freestone temperature risk still controls the trout decision
Flow	807 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 161 cfs at Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor during the morning check
Gauge Height	3.30 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.51 feet on the Willowemoc near Livingston Manor
Water Temp	64.8 F at Cooks Falls and 63.0 F on the Willowemoc during the morning check
Clarity	Not reported by official gauges; overnight storms may leave some stain, so check visibility before fishing
Trend	Rising compared with yesterday morning's readings after overnight storms
Best Window	Short morning window only where a stream thermometer stays safely below 68 F
Best Method	Light nymphs, wet flies, or dry-dropper searching in soft edges and shaded pockets if temperatures are safe
Wadeability	Limited. The Willowemoc is more approachable; the Beaverkill has more push, and warm-water ethics are the main constraint

Weather

For Roscoe and Livingston Manor, the National Weather Service forecast calls for partly sunny weather with a high near 78 F and northwest wind around 3 to 7 mph. The daylight precipitation chance is low, and tonight should be partly cloudy with a low near 55 F. The slightly cooler air helps compared with recent hot days, but morning stream temperatures in the low-to-mid 60s can still climb into stressful range by midday.

River Notes

The Beaverkill has more water and cover than yesterday, but it also started the morning at 64.8 F near Cooks Falls. That leaves a narrow margin for trout once sun and late-morning air temperatures build. The Willowemoc is lower and easier to approach at 161 cfs, but its 63.0 F morning reading still demands repeated thermometer checks.

Treat these freestones as a short, selective option rather than a full-day plan. If water is stained from overnight storms, avoid fishing blind for long stretches; focus only on the softest edges, shaded pockets, and places where you can land fish quickly. 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 your thermometer climbs toward 68 F, stop trout fishing and move to a colder Delaware tailwater.

Hatch Activity

Official gauges do not report hatches. Recent Catskills source context continues to support late-summer sulphurs, Isonychias, Blue Winged Olives, Yellow Sallies, Golden Drakes, Light Cahills, tan caddis, morning tricos, and terrestrials. Use the hatch list only during safe water temperatures; it is not a reason to extend a warm freestone session.

Hatch	Size	Notes
Trico	20-24	Morning-only option if water is still safely cool
Blue Winged Olive	18-22	Useful in shaded slicks or 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 lead dry in broken Beaverkill pocket 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 broken banks and pocket water
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

Take a stream temperature before making the first cast, then keep checking as the morning warms. If the reading is already close to the upper 60s, skip these freestones for trout. If the water is still safe, use a dry-dropper, light nymph rig, or soft hackle through shaded edges and walking-speed pockets where fish can be landed quickly. Do not work long pools full of warming fish, and stay completely out of the Horton Brook thermal refuge closure. The colder Delaware tailwaters are the better choice for a longer trout session.

Gauge Links

Gauge	Flow	Temp	Link
BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY	807 cfs	64.8 F	USGS 01420500
WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY	161 cfs	63.0 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.