Editor’s note: This is another in a series of favorite flies used by members of Schuylkill County Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
For many fly anglers, the Mickey Finn is their favorite fly because for many it was the first they ever tied — often with a fly tying kit they received as a Christmas gift as a youngster — and also because of its reputation.
When the tally is totaled at the end of the year, more often than not it has produced the largest trout and many salmon and steelhead. Big fish are the result of using this fly for the spawning run and those cruising in an area during post spawn.
Locally there are several dams that hold small, but reliable, runs of both brown trout and some rainbow trout from late October through January. Protective instincts find the fish hitting anything they feel is threatening, and the red and yellow Mickey Finn really seems to bug the spawning fish.
Although unproven, many believe the colors of this fly suggest the gill plate of spawning fish, causing vicious strikes. For that reason the wings on this fly should not be too long as solid hits on the body of the fly lead to good hook ups.
Dancing a Mickey Finn across the nest just in front of spawning fish often triggers action, and on local waters using a streamer with a barbless hook is recommended. These fish should almost always be released because November brings cooler water that prevents the fish from becoming less stressed than earlier in the year.
Fish of larger size usually leads to a longer fight, so working fish in current a bit helps revive them. Looking for these in local waters is often times best rewarded at daybreak, as the fish have come from deeper water and the bright light sends them into brush piles or undercut banks, places that make them feel more secure.
When traveling to New York State for salmon and steelhead, the Mickey Finn is a hot fly and is especially productive when finding a hen salmon or steelhead on the bed fishing behind the bed. Often males will be holding there waiting to fertilize eggs, and jacks, browns and resident rainbows will be there waiting to make a meal of the newly laid eggs.
On rare occasions lake trout will also show up looking for an easy meal, and these big fish are attracted to a Mickey Finn. Drifting an egg pattern over the nest can also be productive, but will usually not produce hits as smashing as a streamer.
Weight is usually not needed, and at most only a small split shot or two is needed to keep the fly just above stream. When covering water looking for fresh beds, it is usually best to experiment by adding and removing weight to get the presentation needed.
When fishing a Mickey Finn, fish are more inclined to chase the fly, and when fishing behind the bed holding a hot female it is best not to hook or even disturb the hen. Sometimes a bed can be checked over two or three days, taking a few fish each time.
Although seldom seen in photos of original patterns, tying the Mickey Finn with optic or visible eyes certainly seems to be an added attraction. These streamers can be productive throughout the season, but not nearly as attractive as during the fall months.
When tying a Mickey Finn, use a Mustad 9671 hook in sizes 6-10 or an ant streamer hook, UTC Ultra thread 140-black, tie Uni-Mylar gold/silver showing the silver side just behind head and wrap to spot above hook barb and then overwrap back to starting spot. Danville Oval Tinsel silver No. 18 wrapped from rear to shoulder should be used for the ribbing, wings should be three layers with the bottom yellow then red then another layer of yellow and 5/32 molded eyes in silver should be covered with 5-minute epoxy.
As mentioned, using either a barbless hook or removing the barb from a standard hook should be considered. This makes for an easy release of trophy fish that deserve to be put back into their home water.
Information on Schuylkill County Chapter of Trout Unlimited is available by accessing the club page on Facebook.