The Yellow Iris Wet Fly, originated and tied by Don Bastian, size #6 tied on a Mustad 3399 vintage wet fly hook.

The Yellow Iris is the result of a concept I had to create a married wing wet fly using predominantly yellow and blue. It was created an April 2010. Here is the recipe:

Thread: White Danville Flymaster 6/0, black for head.

Hook: Standard wet fly hook

Tag: Yellow floss

Tail: Black duck quill sections, paired

Rib: Flat gold tinsel

Body: Dark blue floss

Hackle: Yellow

Wing: Yellow with a narrow stripe of dark blue – married

Head: Grif’s Thin cement, followed by several coats of Grif’s Thick, then one finish coat of black Pro Lak. All of these are lacquer base head cements, which is convenient.

Update February 2012: I just recently found out that Grif’s has discontinued the manufacture of their head cements. I managed to pick up a few bottles, but it’s of no consequence to me anyway, I like the thin cement as an all-purpose cement for all my tying, but for finishing flies I have another brand of high gloss clear cement that does not discolor.