Catskills, New York
Beaverkill-Willowemoc Fishing Report: August 23, 2026
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc are fishable but temperature-sensitive, with the Beaver Kill at 294 cfs and 64.4 F and Willowemoc at 79.7 cfs and 62.2 F before a stormy forecast.
- Status
- fair
- Flow trend
- falling
- Best window
- Morning through cloudy or rainy periods, then only while temperatures stay safe
- Best methods
- dry flies, wet flies, nymphs
Quick Summary
The Beaverkill-Willowemoc system is fishable this morning, but it is a thermometer day. USGS showed the Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls at 294 cfs, 2.04 feet, and 64.4 F, while Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor was 79.7 cfs, 2.16 feet, and 62.2 F during the 8 AM check. Flows are a little lower on the Beaver Kill and nearly unchanged on the Willowemoc compared with yesterday morning, while the National Weather Service calls for showers and thunderstorms around Roscoe. Fish early or during clouded-up periods, favor riffles and shade, and stop targeting trout if water temperatures approach 68 F.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Fair. Flows are workable and clouds or rain may help bug activity, but late-August freestone temperatures leave little margin by midday |
| Flow | 294 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 79.7 cfs on Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor |
| Gauge Height | 2.04 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.16 feet at Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 64.4 F at Cooks Falls; 62.2 F on Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; current regional context does not indicate a blowout |
| Trend | Beaver Kill is lower than yesterday morning; Willowemoc is nearly steady |
| Best Window | Morning through cloudy or rainy periods; reassess with a thermometer after any warm breaks |
| Best Method | Dry flies and wet flies during clouds, shade, or bug activity; light nymphs in oxygenated pocket water before temperatures climb |
| Wadeability | Limited to fair. Flows are wadeable in many spots, but slick freestone footing and storm risk call for careful movement |
Weather
For Roscoe, the National Weather Service forecast calls for a high near 74 F with showers and thunderstorms likely or possible through parts of the day. Wind should be south around 5 to 8 mph. Tonight turns cooler near 49 F after any evening shower or thunderstorm risk, and Monday brings another chance of showers. Clouds and showers can help olives and searching wets, but lightning and quick runoff changes are the safety concern. Leave the water when thunderstorms are near.
River Notes
The Beaver Kill and Willowemoc are in usable late-summer shape, but the temperature numbers matter more than the flow numbers today. The Beaver Kill is already in the mid-60s at the morning check, and the Willowemoc is cooler but still close enough that a warm break in the weather could shorten the trout window. Start in riffles, pocket water, shaded banks, and faster seams where oxygen is better.
Current regional Catskill and Upper Delaware source context supports olives, Cahills or summer stenos, Isonychias, tan caddis, flying ants, and a few fading sulphurs. That is enough food for a real surface window if clouds and showers persist, but do not wait through warming slow pools for a hatch that may not arrive. If your thermometer approaches 68 F, shift to the colder 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, soft hackles, and light nymphs in broken water are safer bets than banking on a long afternoon hatch.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Winged Olive | 16-20 | Most useful in clouds, showers, shaded seams, or broken light |
| Flying Ant | 18-24 | Good late-summer option along banks, foam lines, and quiet 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 during 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; carry a few, 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, higher clouds, or slightly stained water |
Tactics
Start early with a small terrestrial, olive, Isonychia, or soft hackle in riffles and shaded seams. If trout rise steadily during clouds or showers, simplify to one accurate dry or a dry-and-emerger pair and give fish time between casts. If there is no surface activity, fish a light nymph rig in faster pocket water rather than slow pools. Carry a thermometer, check it often, and stop trout fishing near 68 F. Also leave the stream during thunderstorms; freestone valleys can change quickly when storms sit over a drainage.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 294 cfs | 64.4 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 79.7 cfs | 62.2 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.