Hi everyone.

I have been catching a lot of fish lately on these two flies.

Could anyone tell me a bit of info on these flies?

What do they imitate?

When are they best used.

Thanks Alan..

something I googled:

octopus: " A handy Mayfly pattern for emerging insect I am told."

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PawPrinT
"I'd rather be fishing"

The Zulu is a descendant from the 17th Century fly first described by Charles Cotton for use in May, Charles Cotton's Black Fly. It was originally to imitate the Hawthorn but like many patterns it can be used for all sorts of things, in this case "black" things.

Octopus? Who knows?

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

The octopus is a great fly for pulling through a wave on the Irish loughs
Stan Hadley was the inventor of the golden octopus
It is a mayfly pattern but like many of our flies it could represent lots of things.
How have you been fishing yours and where?
Mike
Oh and welcome to the forum.

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I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,9 bean rows will I have there and a hive for the honey bee.

Srangely enough i too have been havng loads of succes on a red glister body octopus, i had 4 rinbows, 1 of 4lb one of 6lb on it, i was on midge tip slow figure of eight, i hin its an attractor with the head hackle pulsating

Cheers Marazion Midge,
I did a Google and found these videos by Laurie Finney

THE GOLDEN OLIVE OCTOPUS - PURE Art Fly Tying

if you want descent octopuss style patterns them ones that scratch done in the T&S mag i sent you will cover most, i think the only reason he didnt do a mayfly one is because its pretty much been done but the cripplers are a very good and close relation..
for those who dont know look up the crippler family by rob Dennon (scratch)
sorry to go slightly off subject

The Zulu was my first ever fly, fished wet and fast in the mountain streams of Norway when I was a child. (Yes, youth *is* wasted on the young.)

The trout loved it and we had a bbq going on the bank: catch - kill - cook in about 4 mins.

Happy memories.

My brother still has some of my grandfather's Zulus.

Sorry, not much help but they were some great times we had with the wee black flies!