Blue Zulu

[scotfly]

This is a variation of the Zulu, the Blue Zulu.
The Zulu is primarily a Trout fly, but the Blue Zulu is also a useful Seatrout fly.
Instructions assume right-handed tyers.


HOOK- Kamasan B175
THREAD ? Black 8/0 or 6/0
BODY - Black Seals Fur
RIB - Flat Silver
TAIL - Red glo-brite floss or similar or wool (good also with a chartreuse tail)
HACKLE - Black Cock
HEAD HACKLE - Blue Hen

STEP I
              Mount the hook in the vice and attach the thread, leaving enough room for the head hackle tie in the palmer hackle, the good (shiny) side facing to the right.



STEP 2
            Continue winding the thread towards the bend, catching in the flat silver for the rib (under the shank) and the tail material (On top of the shank) 



STEP 3
             Add a pinch of dubbing to the thread.



Then wrap to form the body. When you reach the hackle take one turn of thread (no dubbing on it) past it. This will be where you tie off the rib.



STEP 4
              Wind the hackle in even turns to the tail. Hold it in the position shown.



Then take the ribbing tinsel and use it to catch in the hackle tip. Then continue wrapping the tinsel and tie off where you parked the thread.



STEP 5
             Attach the blue head hackle as shown with the good (shiny) side facing to the right



STEP 6
             Wrap the head hackle in two or three touching turns, working towards the eye. Tie off and trim waste.



STEP 7
             Form a neat head, whipfinish and varnish for the completed fly.






You can alter the appearance and performance of the fly by varying the density and lengths of the hackle, I have tied it here the way I like it.
You can see a few variations on the Zulu theme on Fish Wild.

[Fishtales]

I prefer to tie the palmer hackle in at the tail by the point with the tying silk before dubbing the body as I find it slips from under the rib too many times. After tying the body I reverse palmer the hackle, rather than go over and under I go under and over, so that the rib still binds the hackle down as it is tyed along the shank. I do that on all palmered and ribbed hackle flies, that way they don't fall apart quite as often

[scotfly]

Not a method I favour fishtales, I rarely have the hackle slip out from under the rib.
Thanks for your reply though, it lets others see there is more than one way to skin a cat.
I always say there is no right or wrong way to tie flies, only a different way.

[Wildfisher]

Dennis, your flies piss me off!   

How do you get such neat heads?   :shock:

That is the worst aspect of my own flies   :lol:

[lochstyle]

Try substituting the silver tinsel for gold, personally i find it better on zulu's for wild broonies, everybody's different though but try it and see.   
Lochstyle

[Clan Ford]

I'm with fishtales on the palmered hackle - I find the flies are just not rubust enough when the hackle is held in by the rib.

[Wildfisher]

I have tried it both ways and do not  believe it makes much difference how the hackle is tied in. the strength comes from the  rib. Many of the very cheap imported flies with palmered hackles are not ribbed through the hackle at all and last for one or two fish before the hackle stalk is cut through by the fish's teeth and unwinds. I find tying in by the stalk as above easier, but I guess it's just what you are used to.

[scotfly]

If you prefer to tie it in by the tip, do it that way. As I said their are no right ways in flytying, only different ways.
Regarding robustness though, if it is tied correctly, the way I have shown and the way I always do it is as robust as any other method.
Interestingly, when I was taught I was told the way I do it is the traditional Scottish method. Tying it in by the tip is, or so I was told, the English method.

In conclusion... I may live in the land of the southern softies, but at least I don't tie flies like them.  :lol: :lol:

[Clan Ford]

Brian

Yer a Slacker!

If only it was the troots that caused the fly to fall apart - usually the bank and trees that do mine in!

Norm

[haresear]

Very rarely do I bother to varnish the head either, to lazy.

I thought I was alone in this. I do varnish the heads on weighted nymphs as they bang about on rocks and stuff.

Alex