August 22, 2025 | Beaver Tailwater Fishing Report

So much for our consistent and predictable water flows! Just when you get used to what to expect, the Corps of Engineers has to throw us a curveball. Read on below for an update on the water levels and how the changes are effecting our fishing.

Want to get this report in your inbox each week? Sign up here!

---

Beaver Tailwater Levels & Conditions

Above Houseman Access

For the last few weeks we've been lucky to get consistent flows around 3775 cfs from the dam starting every morning around 8:00 or 9:00. The Corps has decided to switch that up on us and change our flows fairly drastically. We are now seeing the flows end around 4:00 am and not pick back up until around 2:00 - 3:00 in the afternoon. This pattern has only been happening for a couple days, so who knows how long it will persist or if we've got another change coming. This generation pattern is going to work out great for wade fishing the upper end of the river and will give wade fisherman some access to plenty of water that has been unavailable to them during generation. There is still enough water to get a boat all the way up to the dam, especially if you have a jet....but you will want to be familiar with the river and where the channel is.

 Click here to see the predicted generation schedule.

---

What's Working

With the changes in water generation, there have been some changes to what we're fishing as well. The past several weeks have seen me talking about and fishing long, high water rigs with lots of weight and much larger flies. We are still having success on the same types of flies, but fished much shallower and lighter. In deeper water or when there is a good chop from wind, a 1/124 oz. and 1/80 oz. micro jig  has been hands down our best producer. You can never tell which color will work best, but olive, white and black have all been keeping rods bent. When there isn't wind, or in skinnier water we are catching fish on a two fly rig with a Ruby Midge or Rootbeer Midge followed by a Purple Jesus or Black Beauty. I'm typically fishing the Ruby or Rootbeer midge in a size 16 and using the beadhead to sink the rig. The trailing midge is generally an 18 or 20.

I haven't had much water to throw bigger streamers this week, but stripping Wolly Buggers can get your fix for catching fish on the strip. I love stripping a bugger across shallower flats and watching fish chase and eat them. A great trick that I have alot of luck on with buggers is trailing a smaller Hare's Ear Soft Hackle in a size 14 behind your bugger. When I start seeing lots of fish flashing behind a bugger but not eating it, this normally does the trick.

Guide Insights

If you've read this far, I'll leave you with a little nugget of info! I've noticed some larger fish moving around lately. The brown trout are a good ways away from spawning, but they are beginning to shuffle around the river and I've motored over a few in places I don't see them normally. I expect the fishing to really pick up over the next couple weeks, especially if we can get back to some good water flows!