The Okey Dokey

The Green Okey Dokey – A Stillwater Classic with a Message
There’s something wonderfully straightforward about the Green Okey Dokey. At first glance, it’s just another buzzer pattern—slim, understated, with that distinctive green head that gives it its name. But beneath its simplicity lies a story about how we fish, and why it matters.
Buzzers like the Green Okey Dokey are imitations of chironomid pupae, the staple diet of rainbow trout in stillwaters. They’re not flashy, they don’t rely on gimmicks, and they don’t need to. Trout know these insects as a lifeline, and when we tie on a buzzer, we’re stepping into the rhythm of the water itself.
Fishing this pattern teaches patience. It’s about slow retrieves, careful observation, and letting the fly do the work. And in that patience, there’s a lesson for us as anglers: respect the cycle of life beneath the surface. Every buzzer hatch is part of a delicate balance, one that depends on clean water, healthy ecosystems, and our willingness to protect them.
So when you cast a Green Okey Dokey, think beyond the take. Think about the oxygen-rich shallows where these insects thrive, the trout that depend on them, and the responsibility we carry to keep those waters unspoiled. The fly may be small, but the message is big: conservation isn’t an add-on to fishing—it’s at the heart of it.