Catskills, New York
Beaverkill-Willowemoc Fishing Report: August 22, 2026
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc are fishable but time-sensitive, with the Beaver Kill at 306 cfs and 63.5 F and Willowemoc at 79.7 cfs and 60.3 F before a sunny afternoon.
- Status
- fair
- Flow trend
- falling
- Best window
- Morning through early afternoon shade, then only if temperatures stay safe
- Best methods
- dry flies, wet flies, nymphs
Quick Summary
The Beaverkill-Willowemoc system is fishable this morning, but the window is more limited than yesterday. USGS showed the Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls at 306 cfs, 2.09 feet, and 63.5 F, while Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor was 79.7 cfs, 2.16 feet, and 60.3 F during the 8 AM check. Flows are dropping from yesterday's rain bump, and the National Weather Service calls for fog early followed by mostly sunny weather near 74 F in Roscoe. Fish early, favor shade and oxygenated riffle water, and stop targeting trout if your thermometer approaches 68 F.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Fair. Morning flows are workable and water is still fishable, but falling freestone levels, bright sun, and late-August warming make this a time-sensitive trout report |
| Flow | 306 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 79.7 cfs on Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor |
| Gauge Height | 2.09 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.16 feet at Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 63.5 F at Cooks Falls; 60.3 F on Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; current regional context does not indicate a blowout |
| Trend | Falling from yesterday morning's rain-influenced bump |
| Best Window | Morning through early afternoon shade; reassess with a thermometer after the sun gets high |
| Best Method | Dry flies and wet flies during fog, shade, or bug activity; light nymphs in pocket water before the river warms |
| Wadeability | Limited to fair. Fishable flows, but slick freestone footing still calls for careful steps |
Weather
For Roscoe, the National Weather Service forecast calls for areas of fog before 10 AM, then mostly sunny weather with a high near 74 F. Wind should be light from the southeast at 1 to 6 mph. Tonight brings a chance of showers after 11 PM, with patchy fog and showers or thunderstorms likely overnight into Sunday. The morning fog and light wind are helpful; the sunny afternoon is the part that makes a thermometer necessary on freestone trout water.
River Notes
The Beaver Kill and Willowemoc both came down from yesterday's higher readings. That leaves enough water for Catskill freestone fishing, but not much margin once sun and lower flows start working on the pools. The Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls is warmer than the Willowemoc this morning, so treat the main river as an early window and prioritize riffles, pocket water, shaded banks, and broken current.
Current regional Upper Delaware and Catskill source context still supports a late-summer mix of olives, Cahills or summer stenos, Isonychias, tan caddis, ants, and a few fading sulphurs. That is enough food to bring fish up during fog, shade, or soft light, but do not wait all day for a heavy hatch. If water temperatures climb toward 68 F, move to the cold West Branch Delaware tailwater or stop trout fishing for the day.
Hatch Activity
Official gauges do not report hatches. Current regional Catskill and Upper Delaware context supports olives, Isonychias, Cahills or summer stenos, tan caddis, flying ants, and a few fading sulphurs. On the freestones, terrestrials and searching wets are often more reliable than counting on a long afternoon hatch in bright August sun.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Winged Olive | 16-20 | Most useful in fog, shade, or broken light; fish smaller olives in quiet seams |
| Flying Ant | 18-24 | Good late-summer option along banks, foam lines, and soft tailouts |
| Isonychia or Slate Drake | 10-12 | Search riffles, pocket water, and fast banks with dries, wets, or nymphs |
| Light Cahill or Summer Steno | 14-16 | Useful as a searching dry in mixed afternoon or evening activity |
| Tan Caddis | 16-20 | Fish pupa or soft hackles through riffles when no trout are visibly rising |
| Sulphur | 16-20 | Spotty and fading; keep a few for cooler shaded water but do not build the whole plan around them |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Parachute Adams, BWO Comparadun, or CDC Olive | 16-20 | Cover small mayflies in soft seams and shaded flats |
| Dry | Flying Ant or small beetle | 18-24 | Use when fish are tight to banks or sipping in quiet water |
| Dry | Isonychia Parachute, Slate Drake, or Light Cahill | 10-16 | Search broken current before fish key on smaller food |
| Wet | Partridge and Orange, Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail, or Isonychia Wet | 12-18 | Swing through riffles and pocket seams during non-hatch periods |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail, Frenchie, Hare's Ear, or small caddis pupa | 14-20 | Keep rigs light and targeted in oxygenated pocket water |
| Streamer | Small Woolly Bugger or sculpin | 6-10 | Only worth a short test in shaded banks or slightly stained water |
Tactics
Start early in riffles, pocket water, and shaded banks with a small terrestrial, BWO, Isonychia, or soft hackle. If trout rise steadily, simplify to one accurate dry or a dry-and-emerger pair and lengthen the leader. If there is no surface activity, use a light nymph rig in the faster lanes, but avoid dredging slow pools as the water warms. Check temperatures as the morning turns sunny. Near 68 F, leave the Beaverkill-Willowemoc trout alone and shift to colder tailwater or another option.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 306 cfs | 63.5 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 79.7 cfs | 60.3 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, clarity, and safety context.