Well I’ll be! I thunk it was a Kiwi pattern. I have used it at Millbrook Lakes in Vic and also Rotorua. In fact I was sure I saw some at Hamills in Taupo but maybe it was a Mickey Finn? I didn’t look close. I do know that this fly can catch a fish or two, and particularly invoke a response when all else seems to fail. I’d tie some but don’t have those colours.
Beautiful flies folks. Thanks!
Really wonderful flies!
Saw a lot of bucktail the last two weeks … but it was still attached to the animal!
Hi Gringo,
The MF is definately a good fish taker, and in some areas you would be hard pressed to find a fisherman without one or two tucked away somewhere. Yellow and red are thought to be strike triggers for brook trout, hence it’s popularity in those waters. Rainbows are quite fond of flashy flies as well. I’ve never taken a brown on one, so I’m not sure of it’s reputation in brown trout waters. If you have some larger hackles, you can tie it up in smaller sizes with hackle fibres instead of bucktail. They work really well too.
As for the sunset fly shown in the previous links, it sure looks like a Kiwi pattern of the Red Setter variety!
- Jeff
Thanks Eric and Betty.
And Betty, I think you have to wait until the fall before they shed them! 
- Jeff
A great collection of streamers Jeff, that Blue Fly looks like a hairwing version of this one -
This fly is about 50 or 60 yrs old and was dressed for display.
I don’t know if it ever caught a fish.
Hi Donald,
That’s very close, only the body colour differs, perhaps “Blue Mason Bucktail” would be the proper name then. Thanks for that!
- Jeff
Jeff -
I’m one of those folks who doesn’t carry / fish a Mickey Finn, mainly because I’ve done very little with bucktail patterns. However, it is my impression that the MF is a popular fly around here for brown trout, among other species.
John
Hi,
Thanks for that John. Nice to know about good “all rounder” patterns.
- Jeff