Catskills, New York
Beaverkill-Willowemoc Fishing Report: August 19, 2026
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc are lower and fishable this morning, with 359 cfs and 64.4 F at Cooks Falls, 81.6 cfs and 60.8 F near Livingston Manor, and a clear need to stop if afternoon trout water reaches 68 F.
- Status
- fair
- Flow trend
- falling
- Best window
- Morning into early afternoon while water stays below 68 F
- Best methods
- nymphs, wet flies, dry flies
Quick Summary
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc are fishable this morning, but this is still a summer freestone report with a thermometer in your pocket. USGS showed the Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls at 359 cfs, 2.27 feet, and 64.4 F, while the Willowemoc near Livingston Manor was 81.6 cfs, 2.17 feet, and 60.8 F during the 8 AM check. Both gauges are lower than yesterday and below the 68 F trout-stress line at report time, with the Willowemoc offering the cooler starting point. Local Catskills context is several days old but still useful for the pattern: morning freestone windows, a move to colder tailwaters if temperatures climb, Blue Winged Olives, sulphurs, tan caddis, Cahills, Isonychias, and rusty spinners.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Fair. Morning temperatures are fishable, but summer freestones can warm quickly and the afternoon should be governed by actual thermometer readings |
| Flow | 359 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 81.6 cfs at Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor |
| Gauge Height | 2.27 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.17 feet near Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 64.4 F at Cooks Falls; 60.8 F near Livingston Manor during the 8 AM check |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; check color and debris at the access after the recent wet stretch |
| Trend | Falling from yesterday morning's higher rain-influenced readings |
| Best Window | Morning into early afternoon while water remains safely below 68 F |
| Best Method | Nymphs and wet flies in riffles and pocket water; dry flies only if safe temperatures and visible feeding line up |
| Wadeability | Limited to fair. Lower flows improve footing, but avoid fast crossings and protect thermal refuge water |
Weather
For Livingston Manor and Roscoe, the National Weather Service forecast calls for patchy fog before 9 AM, then mostly sunny skies with a high near 80 F and west wind from calm to 6 mph. Tonight is forecast partly cloudy with patchy fog after 1 AM and a low around 56 F. Thursday cools slightly with a chance of light showers. Today's light wind is manageable, but sun and an 80 F high can warm freestone trout water; recheck temperatures before extending the day.
River Notes
Both Catskills freestone gauges dropped materially from yesterday morning: Cooks Falls fell from 471 cfs to 359 cfs, and the Willowemoc fell from 106 cfs to 81.6 cfs. That makes wading easier than the post-rain bump, but it also means the rivers have less buffering water as the day warms. The Beaverkill started at 64.4 F, which is fishable but close enough to 68 F that the safe window can close by afternoon.
The latest accessible Catskills shop report was from August 14, so today's decision should lean on official USGS and National Weather Service data rather than stale local prose. That source still reinforces the correct summer approach: fish freestones early, move to the tailwaters when temperatures approach 68 F, and expect the better dry-fly work closer to cooler water or lower light. 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.
Hatch Activity
Official gauges do not report hatches. Recent Catskills source context supports Blue Winged Olives, sulphurs, tan caddis, Light Cahills, Isonychias, and rusty spinners. Treat the hatch list as current seasonal context, not proof that the freestones should be fished through warm afternoon water.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Winged Olive | 16-22 | Best under clouds, shade, or evening soft light |
| Sulphur | 16-20 | Late-summer sulphurs are still in the regional mix, especially around colder water |
| Tan Caddis | 16-18 | Fish pupa and soft hackles through riffles before surface activity |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Possible in broken current and lower-light evening water |
| Isonychia | 10-14 | Useful as a nymph or wet fly in oxygenated riffles and pocket water |
| Rusty Spinner | 10-22 | Carry for the final low-light window if temperatures remain safe |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph | 10-14 | Start in riffles, pocket water, and faster edges with good oxygen |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail, Frenchie, or Hare's Ear | 14-18 | Match sulphur and small mayfly nymphs before any surface feeding starts |
| Nymph | Caddis Pupa | 14-18 | Work riffles and pocket water when fish stay subsurface |
| Wet | Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail, Partridge and Orange, or Isonychia Wet | 12-18 | Swing through broken water during active bug movement |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Olive | 16-22 | Use for small riseforms under clouds, shade, or evening light |
| Dry | Sulphur Emerger, Light Cahill, or Rusty Spinner | 14-20 | Carry for late-day activity, but fish them only while water temperatures remain safe |
| Dry | Flying Ant or Beetle | 16-20 | Prospect shaded banks and foam seams during humid periods |
Tactics
Start on the Willowemoc or the coolest Beaverkill reach you can verify, and take an actual water temperature before fishing hard. If the water is under 68 F and clear enough, nymph or swing wets through riffles, pocket water, and shaded seams where trout have oxygen. Do not wait for a hatch if the thermometer is climbing; switch to colder tailwater options or stop targeting trout. If temperatures stay safe into lower light, look for olives, small sulphurs, Cahills, spinners, or terrestrials before committing to a dry-fly setup.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 359 cfs | 64.4 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 81.6 cfs | 60.8 F | USGS 01419500 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS stations 01420500 and 01419500, plus the National Weather Service forecast for the Livingston Manor and 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.