North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine February 2016 | Page 34

The opener on the Okanogan River, like most years, was

lean on the number of anglers plying the waters. For those of us that know where
to look, it can be very productive. Normally, the Okanogan River does not get a
lot of fish that come in at the beginning of the season. You won’t catch any large
numbers of fish, but you will find enough to keep you interested. A lot of your
success will depend on how much time you want to put in. Like the other rivers, the
Okanogan River experienced a rise in the water level from some heavy rains we
had. Due to the makeup of this river, it takes a little time for it to come down into
shape. About the time it got back into shape, we had a deep freeze and the river
froze over. It has been ice free in most areas, with the exception of the lower area
downstream. The Okanogan and the Similkameen Rivers really take off during
the months of February and March. The steelhead are on the move and quite
active. As with other rivers in the system this time of year, the mid and tail out of
the run will be your best shot. Nymphing is also very productive on both rivers.
Fly pattern wise, I think that you should go with what you feel confident using. I
do know a bead trailer is a staple to think about. For those of us that like to swing
a fly, I would stick with your mid-size bugs. No one pattern jumps out, but more
of the color combinations seem to do the trick. Stick with your black, chartreuse,
pinks, reds and oranges; these colors seem to work the best on the two rivers.