Muddled Zulus - step by step

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Published on Wednesday, 01 August 2012 06:58
Written by Dennis Shaw

This is just one of a plethora of variations on the Zulu theme. When tying Zulus dress the pattern according to the effect you want. By this I mean if you want big bushy water moving commotion, dress it full. If you want a subtle movement dress it lighter. One of the beauties of tying your own is the ability to tie a range of flies to suit various conditions.
This variation is the Muddled Zulu.

Materials list

HOOK – Wet Fly 8 - 16
THREAD – Black 6/0
RIB - Flat Silver Wire
TAIL - Red Wool
HACKLE – Black Cock
COLLAR – Deer Hair
HEAD – Spun Deer Hair

STEP 1 Mount the hook. Attach the thread and prepare the hackle for tying in. Two things to note here.

1.. Strip a few extra fibres from the hackle leading edge. This will aid wrapping.

2.. Remember to leave enough room for the muddled head.
STEP 2 Tie the hackle in, followed by the rib. If you want you can tie the hackle in after the body. This is my preferred method.
STEP 3 Tie the tail in on top of the hook shank.
STEP 4 Prepare the dubbing by tearing it between your fingers.
STEP 5 Then dub it onto the thread.
STEP 6 Then finally wrap to form the body.
STEP 7 Wrap the hackle to the tail, then with the final turn of hackle in the position shown, catch it in with the tinsel rib.
STEP 8 Continue wrapping the tinsel to the shoulder, then tie off and trim the waste tinsel and the hackle tip.
STEP 9Take a bunch of Deer Hair, comb out the under fur then align the tips in a stacker. Then offer them up to judge the length for the collar.
STEP 10 Then transfer the grip to your left hand (assuming right handed tyers) take two firm wraps round the Deer Hair, then follow with two tight wraps which will flair the hair.
STEP 11 At this point I like to rough trim the hair before adding a second bunch for spinning. Prepare the second bunch by combing out any under fur, then trim the tips off.
STEP 12 Then mount and spin the second bunch of hair. Whip finish and detach the thread.
STEP 13 Finally remove the hook from the vice and carefully trim the head to shape, being careful to avoid the collar/hackle.
Variation on a theme
Zulu dawn?