Daily Fishing Report

April 18th, 2024

We are open 7 days a week 8am-6pm.

We continue to offer curbside pick-ups and online ordering.

We do not sell fishing licenses. Visit https://decals.licensing.east.kalkomey.com/ to purchase online or call 866-933-2257.

Our fishing report is recorded daily at 8 am from April 1-September 1. Call 607-498-5350 for a brief report by Kelly.

Area Overview

Livingston Manor, Thursday, April 18th, 8am.

We had some rain overnight which brought the Beaverkill up a bit. The Willow is rising as well, but has yet to go off color. We've got a bit more rain in the forecast, but hopefully their are no more significant elevations in flows and we can get out and fish the hatches.

The warmer sections of rivers are seeing a mixed bag of Quill Gordons (12-14), Hendricksons (12-14), Blue Quills (16-18), Black Stones (16-18), Chimarra Caddis (16-18), and Bwo's (18-22). Its always a good idea to have a size range or Rusty Spinners in sizes 12-18 on hand as well. Afternoon to early evening will be the sweet spot for bug activity.

We have yet to see any real consistency to the hatches, so it's best to stay mobile, and search out stretches of river with the best bug intensity.

Livingston Manor, Wednesday, April 17th, 8am.

We've got blue skies to start out the day here in Livingston Manor. As the day progresses we'll see cloud cover move in, followed by a shower or two in the evening, Then some rain overnight. Winds are forecasted to be less than yesterday @ 8-13mph.

Freestones are on the drop and running clear. The Willowemoc is 283 cfs at the Manor gauge, which is pretty ideal. The Beaverkill is wade-able in the upper stretches, closer to Roscoe. Use caution if you plan to venture down below Cook's Falls.

Tailwaters are best tackled from a boat.

Livingston Manor, Saturday, April 13th, 8am.

We've got rain falling this morning and an air temp of 36 degrees. Rain will continue off and on as the day progresses. Wind will remain consistent @ 16 - 33mph.

The Willow is currently 957cfs. The Beaverkill is over 3000cfs. Both are unsafe to wade at these levels.

Barring anymore significant rain, the Willowemoc will continue to lower and clear, and should be in decent shape early next week. Just in time for another warm up.

Seems like the best bet for the time being is to sit back and tie some flies, keep an eye on the USGS gauges, and plan for the days ahead.

REMINDER: We will be closing today, Saturday April 13th at 12:30 pm as we head over to the Fly Fishing Museum to celebrate the life of the late Mary Dette Clark.

We'll re-open Sunday morning at 8am.

Livingston Manor, Thursday, April 11th, 8am.

Area freestones are currently in good shape, as well as the Neversink. Heavy rains are supposed to hold off until this evening, so its worth trying to get out there today if you can. Winds are supposed to escalate through the day and we may see some gusts this afternoon, coupled with a high of 58 degrees. We'll see how the forecast plays out for the weekend, but there is a significant amount of precipitation scheduled currently. Time will tell.

Water temps have been peaking near 50 degrees which has helped the bug activity, with the warmest sections of rivers seeing a mixed bag of Quill Gordons (12-14), a few Hendricksons (12-14), Blue Quills (16-18), Black Stones (16-18), Chimarra Caddis (16-18), and Bwo's (18-22). Its always a good idea to have a size range or Rusty Spinners in sizes 12-18 on hand as well. Afternoon to early evening will be the sweet spot for bug activity.

With the Quill Gordon hatch afoot, and the numbers of Chimarra caddis about, swinging soft hackles and wet flies can be a good way to get the day started and pick up a few fish before any afternoon hatches get going.

Nymphs and small streamers are a good option in the morning. Frenchies have been producing well as of late. Caddis pupa, Pheasant Tails, small stonefly nymphs, and zebra midges would also be good choices.

Livingston Manor, Wednesday, April 10th, 8am.

The past few days have been very pleasant here in the Catskills. Temps have been up in the 60s and the April winds gave us a break. As expected the warmth brought out the bugs, and the bugs brought the fish up in certain areas. The Neversink and area freestones are currently wade-able. Tailwaters are best from a boat.

Warmer sections of rivers are seeing a mixed bag of Quill Gordons (12-14), Hendricksons (12-14), Blue Quills (16-18), Black Stones (16-18), Chimarra Caddis (16-18), and Bwo's (18-22). Its always a good idea to have a size range or Rusty Spinners in sizes 12-18 on hand as well. Afternoon to early evening will be the sweet spot for bug activity.

We've got some rain in the forecast for the coming days, but today looks like a good day to get out on the water!

Livingston Manor, Monday, April 8th, 8am.

Currently 37 degrees in Livingston Manor with sunny conditions. Temps will top out at 59 today with a mix of sun and clouds. Warmer temps will be arriving this week in the 50's and 60's.

The Willowemoc is still your best bet for wade option. Nymphs and small streamers are still the go to. Frenchies have been producing well of late. Caddis pupa, small stonefly nymphs, and zebra midges would also be good choices.

The Beaverkill is coming down slowly and small streamers are effective.

The warm up will hopefully kick the Stoneflies(14-18), Blue Quills(16-18), Quill Gordons(12-14), and BWO's(18-22) back into gear.

Livingston Manor, Sunday, April 7th, 8am.

Currently 33 degrees in Livingston Manor with cloudy conditions. Temps will top out at 47 today with some clouds and finally sunshine. Next week is shaping up to be decent weather in the 50s and 60s!

The warm up will hopefully kick the Stoneflies(14-18), Blue Quills(16-18), Quill Gordons(12-14), and BWO's(18-22) back into gear.

Thank you to all who stopped in at our Season Opener yesterday. We enjoyed catching up and sharing in the excitement of the season.

Livingston Manor, Friday, April 5th, 8am.

Currently 32 degrees in Livingston Manor with light snow falling. Temps will top out just below 40 with flurries continuing as the day progresses. The snow from the most recent nor'easter has all melted out of the river valleys but can still be seen at higher elevations. After today temps will move back up into the 40s. Next week 50s and 60s!

The Willowemoc is still your best bet for wade options at 303cfs. Beaverkill is dropping, but still a few days out. Nymphs and small streamers are still the go to. Frenchies have been producing well of late. Caddis pupa, small stonefly nymphs, and zebra midges would also be good choices.

Sunday warm up will hopefully kick the Stoneflies(14-18), Blue Quills(16-18), Quill Gordons(12-14), and BWO's(18-22) back into gear.

Our annual season opener get together is this Saturday! Join us from 11am-4pm in the fly shop. Nick Mango, Aaron Miller, and Seth Cavarretta will be on hand tying up their favorite patterns for the season, and we’ll have coffee, snacks ,and beverages on deck. Hope to see everyone. there!

Livingston Manor, Thursday, April 4th, 8am.

We had rain for most of the day yesterday which turned into snow late last night. There's probably 3-4 inches on the ground currently with an air temp of 35 degrees. Not ideal for opening week, but not as bad as it could have been. Tomorrow will feel a lot like today with temps staying down in the 30s, rain and snow possible.

The Willow peaked last night around 450cfs. It is currently 400cfs here in Livingston Manor. While it is fishable at current flows, make sure to be judicious with your choice of fishing locations and wading techniques. Other safe wading options may be found in small tribs and feeder creeks.

The Beaverkill is running high and currently unsafe to wade. Tailwaters will be best fished from a boat.

Nymphs and small streamers will be your best bet until the warm snap kicks back in later this weekend. Frenchies have been a go to as of late. Caddis pupa, small stonefly nymphs, and zebra midges would also be good choices.

Sunday warm up should kick the Stoneflies(14-18), Blue Quills(16-18), Quill Gordons(12-14), and BWO's(18-22) back into gear.

Livingston Manor, Wednesday, April 3rd, 8am.

We've got close to an inch of rain in the forecast today as the latest storm moves in, that'll turn into snow as air temps drop this evening. Winds will be ESE @ 13-30mph. The Willow is currently fishable at 252cfs, but expect that to jump as the rain continues. All in all, not the ideal way to start the season. But keep in mind, all the precipitation we acquire now will only help the flows and fishing in the days to come.

In the days leading up to the recent down turn in the weather the bugs were decent for early spring. Blue Quills, Quill Gordons, and Little Stoneflies were all spotted on various sections of our rivers. If you could find relief from the wind, you might find a riser in the same spot. That's something to anticipate as we look forward to much more comfortable conditions following this latest spell of "weather".

Livingston Manor, Tuesday, April 2nd, 8am.

37 degrees with rain throughout the day- heavy at times. Take caution as rivers will likely go up pending the rains.

This early in the season, hatches are sparse. Black Stone Flies are your best bet on top, with perhaps some black caddis and small BWO’s. Subsurface fishing with nymphs is still your best bet till the water warms up more. Once we see water temps begin to steadily peak around 46 degrees, we should see the early mayfly hatches like Quill Gordons and Blue Quills get going, with Hendricksons in tow.

Livingston Manor, Monday, April 1st 8am.

Happy Trout Season Opener in the Catskills!

Like many season openers, it’s a cool morning with overcast conditions Anglers will be greeted with clouds, wind, and possible rain in the afternoon Current temperature is 35.

This early in the season, hatches will be sparse. Black Stone Flies are your best bet on top, with perhaps some black caddis and small BWO’s. Subsurface fishing with nymphs is still your best bet till the water warms up more. There have been some reports of Quill Gordon’s on the Beaverkill, but no rising fish. Once we see water temps in the mid 40’s,, we should see the early mayfly hatches like Quill Gordons and Blue Quills get going, with Hendricksons in tow.

So who is the fool: the angler or the fish?

Livingston Manor, Wednesday March 29th, 9am.

We have a nice weekend ahead with temps in the mid 40s throughout. Winds will be up today but should become more manageable as the weekend progresses.

Most area rivers are still running on the high side from recent rains, But the Willowemoc is in good shape for wade fishing. Tailwaters running high and best fished from a boat at current levels.

As we move through March, black and brown Stoneflies (14 - 18) will continue to be the most consistent hatches, so if you're looking to get out with the hopes of dry fly opportunities it'd be a good idea to have a few on hand. The first mayfly hatches of the season will be Quill Gordons (#12 - #14), Blue Quills (#16 - #18), and Blue Winged Olives (#18 - #22). It wouldn't be completely out of the character of recent years to see a few about during the warmest part of the afternoons. As a dry fly fisherman in the early season it is important to stay mobile. Have a few spots in mind that are known to have the right conditions for fish to be looking up to the surface to feed, and always be ready to move to the next spot if nothing is happening at the first. There is always a fish rising somewhere!

In the colder morning temps, its rare to see fish move very far to eat a fly, making nymphs, fished deep and slow through likely holding water the most effective. Frenchies, Stone Flies, Caddis Pupa, and more classic patterns like Pheasant Tails and Hare's Ears can all be efficient fished under an indicator, or on a tight line.

As water temps begin to warm soft hackles will become increasingly more effective. Whether presented on a slow swing (matching the current speed) or a dead drift, they do a great job of imitating a variety early season insects like midges, small stoneflies, and the little black caddis that can begin to show themselves after a good thaw.

We've had decent reports from staff and customers willing to put in the time to bring a fish to the net. It's all about focusing on the stretch of water you have chosen to fish, breaking it up into smaller pieces, and covering the square footage of those pieces thoroughly.

All rivers are now CATCH AND RELEASE ONLY. When making plans to fish, stick to the main rivers and keep an eye out for redds. Care taken in the current season will only help fish populations for the seasons to come.

Daily Fishing Report

April 18th, 2024

Area Overview

Beaverkill / Willowemoc Rivers

East Branch of the Delaware River

West Branch of the Delaware River

Main Stem of the Delaware River

Neversink Report