Mickey Finn
The Mickey Finn is a classic bucktail streamer used to imitate minnows and other small baitfish. The pattern originated in eastern Canada, where an early version was reportedly tied by Quebec fly tyer Charles Langevin and later became known as the Assassin. Outdoor writer John Alden Knight helped popularize the fly, while Canadian journalist Gregory Clark gave it the Mickey Finn name during the 1930s in reference to its effectiveness on fish. It is a productive pattern for trout, landlocked salmon, bass, and other predatory species and can be stripped through pools and lakes, swung across current, or trolled. Mickey Finns are commonly tied in sizes 2 through 10, with the main tying consideration being a sparse, evenly layered bucktail wing that allows the fly to move and track properly.
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Recipe
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Hook · streamer 6X long sizes 2 - 12
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Thread · black
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Rib · fine silver oval tinsel
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Body · flat silver tinsel
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Wings · bucktail in layers-yellow, red, yellow