Extracts from Two Hundred Popular Flies
by Tom Stewart
Published by A& C Black

This is one of the deadliest flies to put before any trout. A traditional pattern certainly a forerunner of the Black Pennell and the Black Palmer. There are three types of Zulu, black, blue, and the gold. The blue, refered to in some quarters as the Blue Devil, truely is one of the deadliest patterns to put before sea trout. One that should work as well for sea trout in the Southern U.S. as well. The only difference between the Black and the Blue is that the latter has a bright blue, slightly longer hackle tied in at front, of no more than 3 turns. The Gold is an entirely different fly. It has a bronze peacock body, ribbed with fine gold tinsel. Hackle is Coch-Y-Bondhu (red game with black centre), tail is red in all cases.

I hold no faith in spider dressed variations, the true Zulu calls for a palmered hackle. Here is the recipe for the Black Zulu:   Hook: 14s to 8. (old Numbers)   Silk: Black.   Tail: Red fur or doubled red floss.   Body: Dubbed black seals fur or black herl.   Hackle: Black cock, palmered.   Head: Clear varnished. Used as a top dropper, or bob fly, the Black Zulu, has proved itself to be best suited to dull windy days. It should be tripped along lake surface, just touching waves, and appears to be taken by trout, as a struggling insect about to take of from water. Tight lines!~ Alan the Highlander