Catskills, New York
Beaverkill-Willowemoc Fishing Report: August 16, 2026
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc remain an early-morning freestone option only, with 62.8 F at Cooks Falls, 59.9 F near Livingston Manor, falling flows, and afternoon trout-temperature risk still driving the plan.
- Status
- fair
- Flow trend
- falling
- Best window
- Early morning only on the freestones; leave trout alone if temperatures climb toward 68 F
- Best methods
- nymphs, wet flies, dry flies
Quick Summary
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc are fishable early, but they are still summer freestones that need a thermometer. USGS showed the Beaverkill at Cooks Falls at 366 cfs, 2.29 feet, and 62.8 F near the morning check, while the Willowemoc near Livingston Manor was 81.6 cfs, 2.17 feet, and 59.9 F. Those numbers are workable at first light, but today's cloud cover and incoming rain do not remove the 68 F trout threshold. Fish nymphs, wet flies, and careful dry-fly opportunities early, then move to colder tailwater water or stop targeting trout if readings climb toward the upper 60s.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Fair. Morning readings are fishable, but summer freestone temperatures and afternoon weather keep the window narrow |
| Flow | 366 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 81.6 cfs at Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor |
| Gauge Height | 2.29 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.17 feet near Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 62.8 F at Cooks Falls; 59.9 F near Livingston Manor during the morning check |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges |
| Trend | Falling over the last day on both gauges |
| Best Window | Early morning on the freestones before temperatures rise; colder Delaware tailwaters are the better afternoon trout option |
| Best Method | Nymphs and wet flies in faster water first; dry flies only where water temperatures and rising fish justify it |
| Wadeability | Good in normal access areas, with standard caution around slick ledges, pocket water, and deeper runs |
Weather
For Roscoe, the National Weather Service forecast calls for partly sunny weather, a high near 75 F, light southeast wind around 2 to 7 mph, and rain showers likely after early afternoon. Tonight is forecast to be cloudy with showers and thunderstorms and a low around 60 F. The cool start helps, but rain and storms can change small freestone conditions quickly; do not fish through thunder or fresh dirty runoff.
River Notes
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc both dropped from yesterday's morning flows while staying in an early-day fishable range. Cooks Falls moved from 434 cfs yesterday morning to 366 cfs this morning, and the Willowemoc near Livingston Manor moved from 93 cfs to 81.6 cfs. Morning water temperatures also stayed below 68 F, with the Willowemoc starting cooler than the Beaverkill.
That does not make this an all-day freestone report. Current Catskills context continues to point anglers toward colder tailwaters later in the day, and the Beaverkill Horton Brook thermal refuge regulation remains in effect from the Iron Bridge at Horton downstream to the first Route 17 overpass, where angling is prohibited from July 1 through August 31. Treat the freestones as a short, careful morning option and stop targeting trout when the thermometer says the water is getting warm.
Hatch Activity
Official gauges do not report hatches. Recent Catskills source context supports small olives, sulphurs, tan caddis, Light Cahills, Isonychias, rusty spinners, and terrestrials, with colder water and low light making the difference between a useful hatch and a poor trout decision.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Winged Olive | 16-22 | Best under clouds, light rain, or soft morning light if water temperatures stay safe |
| Sulphur | 16-20 | More dependable on colder tailwater reaches than on warming freestone water |
| Tan Caddis | 16-18 | Cover riffles with pupa, soft hackles, and adults before the sun gets high |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Carry for low-light searching and sparse spinner activity |
| Isonychia | 10-14 | Important nymph and wet-fly profile in fast, oxygenated water |
| Rusty Spinner | 10-22 | Use only where evening water temperatures remain safe for trout |
| Ants and Beetles | 14-20 | Good bank and shaded-edge options during the early summer window |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph | 10-14 | Start in faster pockets, riffles, and larger seams with good oxygen |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail, Frenchie, or Hare's Ear | 14-18 | Cover smaller mayfly activity before fish rise |
| Wet | Partridge and Orange, Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail, or Isonychia Wet | 12-18 | Swing through broken water when bugs are active but fish are not on top |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Olive | 16-22 | Use for small riseforms during cloudy or rainy safe-temperature windows |
| Dry | Sulphur Emerger or Sparkle Dun | 16-20 | Carry, but favor colder water if freestone temperatures rise quickly |
| Dry | Light Cahill, Isonychia Parachute, or Rusty Spinner | 10-16 | Low-light searching and spinner coverage |
| Dry | Flying Ant or Beetle | 14-20 | Prospect shaded banks, undercuts, and foam lines during the morning window |
Tactics
Start early in faster, shaded, oxygenated water and keep moving until you find fish that are willing without being stressed. A small mayfly nymph behind an Isonychia nymph is a practical first rig; switch to soft hackles if bugs begin moving but trout are not committing on top. If you see clean riseforms and the thermometer is still safe, fish a single dry or dry-and-emerger pair on a longer leader. By midday, treat the Beaverkill and Willowemoc as temperature-limited water: check actual readings, respect the Horton Brook thermal refuge closure, and leave trout alone if the water approaches 68 F.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 366 cfs | 62.8 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 81.6 cfs | 59.9 F | USGS 01419500 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS stations 01420500 and 01419500, plus the National Weather Service forecast for the Roscoe, 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, closure, and safety context.