Catskills, New York
Beaverkill-Willowemoc Fishing Report: August 28, 2026
The Beaverkill and Willowemoc have a fresh bump from storms, with 746 cfs and 62.8 F at Cooks Falls, 81.6 cfs and 61.0 F on the Willowemoc, and limited wading.
- Status
- fair
- Flow trend
- rising
- Best window
- Morning, shaded riffles, and evening only if water temperatures stay safe
- Best methods
- dry flies, wet flies, nymphs
Quick Summary
The Beaverkill-Willowemoc system has more water than it did yesterday, but the better trout program is still selective and temperature-aware. USGS showed the Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls at 746 cfs, 3.19 feet, and 62.8 F, while Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor was 81.6 cfs, 2.17 feet, and 61.0 F during the morning check. Those flows are up from yesterday morning after storms, so wading is more limited on the Beaver Kill even though morning temperatures are workable. Fish shaded edges, riffle margins, and pocket water; carry a thermometer, respect the Beaverkill Horton Brook thermal closure through August 31, and stop targeting trout if water approaches 68 F.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Fair. Cooler morning temperatures and better flow help, but the Beaver Kill rose sharply from yesterday and wading is limited in pushier water |
| Flow | 746 cfs at Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls; 81.6 cfs on Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor |
| Gauge Height | 3.19 feet at Cooks Falls; 2.17 feet at Livingston Manor |
| Water Temp | 62.8 F at Cooks Falls; 61.0 F on Willowemoc Creek near Livingston Manor |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; expect possible stain or debris after storms until checked on site |
| Trend | Rising compared with yesterday morning on both gauges, especially the Beaver Kill |
| Best Window | Morning, shaded riffles, and evening only if water temperatures remain safely below 68 F |
| Best Method | Small dries, terrestrials, wet flies, and light nymphs in edges, riffle margins, and pocket water |
| Wadeability | Limited on the Beaver Kill at this flow; better but still deliberate on the Willowemoc. Avoid pushy crossings |
Weather
For Roscoe, the National Weather Service forecast calls for mostly sunny skies, a high near 75 F, and north to northwest wind around 1 to 6 mph. Tonight should be mostly clear with a low near 48 F. The forecast is calmer than yesterday's storm setup, but the water is still responding to recent rain, so check the gauge trend before making wading plans.
River Notes
The freestones are not as low as they were yesterday. That helps oxygen and gives trout more cover, but it also changes access: the Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls is much pushier this morning. Wade from the edges, skip questionable crossings, and be careful around slick rocks, cut banks, and woody debris after the rise.
Current Catskill source context is from yesterday morning and remains useful for seasonal pattern selection, but today's gauge data should drive the wading decision. The local report emphasized low freestone flows, terrestrials, late-day dries, and the Beaverkill Horton Brook thermal-regulation closure. Today's rain bump improves the water level side of that equation while keeping the temperature and closure cautions in place.
Hatch Activity
Official gauges do not report hatches. Current Catskill source context supports Sulphurs, Isonychias, Blue Winged Olives, Light Cahills, tan caddis, and rusty spinners, with terrestrials increasingly important in late summer.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-22 | Best in shaded seams, damp edges, and soft evening light |
| Flying Ant or Beetle | 16-24 | Late-summer choice for banks, foam lines, and quiet pockets |
| Isonychia | 12-14 | Fish dries, wets, or swimming nymphs along riffle margins and pocket seams |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Useful as a searching dry during mixed evening activity |
| Sulphur | 16-20 | Fading but still worth carrying for cooler windows |
| Tan Caddis | 16-18 | Fish pupa or soft hackles through riffles when no steady rises show |
| Rusty Spinner | 12-20 | Keep ready for last light if temperatures remain safe |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | BWO Comparadun, CDC Olive, or Parachute Adams | 18-22 | Cover small olives in shaded seams, slicks, and softer pockets |
| Dry | Flying Ant, beetle, or foam ant | 16-24 | Use along banks and foam lines when trout are not showing a clean mayfly preference |
| Dry | Isonychia Parachute, Light Cahill, Sulphur, or Rusty Spinner | 12-20 | Search riffles and be ready for evening surface work |
| Wet | Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail, Partridge and Orange, or Isonychia Wet | 12-18 | Swing through pocket seams and riffle tails before or between rises |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail, Frenchie, Hare's Ear, caddis pupa, or Isonychia Nymph | 12-20 | Use modest weight and target edges and oxygenated pocket water |
| Streamer | Small Woolly Bugger or sculpin | 6-10 | Worth a short test if the storm bump adds stain, but do not grind warm trout water |
Tactics
Treat the Beaver Kill as a higher, pushier freestone this morning, not the low clear river it was earlier in the week. Start from the bank, probe softer edges with a small terrestrial, olive, wet fly, or lightly weighted nymph, and move carefully before stepping into heavier current. The Willowemoc offers a smaller-water option, but it still needs temperature checks as the day warms. Stop near 68 F, avoid the closed Horton Brook thermal-refuge reach, and shift to colder tailwater water if the freestones warm too quickly.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER KILL AT COOKS FALLS NY | 746 cfs | 62.8 F | USGS 01420500 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK NR LIVINGSTON MANOR NY | 81.6 cfs | 61.0 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.