MICKEY FINN

SUBMITTED BY: David Shepherd


Fly Tied by David Shepherd
 Photo taken by Ruben Breitkreutz

I have been fishing with this pattern since 1954 as a member of the Montreal Anglers and Hunters Club. This pattern dates back before the middle 1930’s.  As a teenager tying flies with limited supplies available we made this pattern out of yellow and red bucktail or polar bear dyed the same colours. I still have polar bear flies from that era. I have used this fly with great success in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Labrador for trout, and off the west coast of Vancouver Island and caught many salmon and sea trout off Race Rocks located at the southern end of the island.
 

FISHING METHOD:  The Mickey Finn has an ability to catch fish by trolling slowly or quickly in lakes, stream and rivers, using a twitching retrieve erratically or smoothly. Keep the streamer moving with action making it look alive and appetizing. If you see a fish following do not slow down as a minnow will not stop for a larger fish to have a meal. It is better to change direction to make the fly look like a natural baitfish.
 
  Hook  Any make 4X to 6X   Sizes 2 – 12
 Thread  Black 6/0 or 8/0
 Body:   Flat silver tinsel
 Rib  Narrow or oval silver tinsel
 Wing  Yellow over red over yellow


TYING NOTES:

  1. Pinch the barb down and lay down a thread base.

  2. Tie in a four-inch length of flat and oval silver tinsel ribbing on top of hook shank, starting thread just behind hook eye and wrapping back to the bend to secure tinsel.

  3. Wind thread forward again to tie-in point behind hook eye.

  4. Start the tinsel at the hook bend, each wrap should touch previous wrap so there are no gaps.

  5. Apply glue to tinsel to help keep the fly in quality condition. 

  6. Cut a small bundle of yellow bucktail, and another of red.

  7. Comb out under fur.

  8. Divide yellow bucktail into two equal bundles with the larger bundle for the top.

  9. Measure first bundle to approximately 1 1/2 times hook-shank length.

  10. Tie in first bundle of yellow bucktail with several soft loops.

  11. Apply moderate thread tension for first few wraps, and then increase tension for several more wraps.

  12. If you are having problems getting bucktail to stay on top of hook, reduce amount of bucktail.

  13. Tie down the bucktail, trim and cover up the butts with thread.

  14. Add the red and then the yellow bundles on top. 

  15. Whip finish and apply head cement, eyes can be added if required.