How to Tie the Screaming Banshee Skating Caddis
With: The feather bender
The Screaming Banshee is a fantastic skating caddis pattern designed by Charlie Craven. With its buoyant elk hair and a tapered pearl tinsel body, it's a perfect choice for attracting fish during the caddis hatch. Here's how to tie it step by step
Materials Needed:
Mustad C49S, size 10 hook
Dyneema tying thread (for durability)
Yearling elk hair (from Nature Spirit)
Veevus pearl tinsel
Ice dubbing
Whip finish tool
Scissors
Step-by-Step Guide:
1. Secure the Hook:
Start by attaching your Dyneema tying thread near the hook eye. Leave some room at the front for the head.
2. Prepare the Elk Hair:
Select yearling elk hair and clean it by removing all the short hairs and underfur. Stack the long hairs, then tie in a bunch at the front of the hook, ensuring it extends about the length of the hook shank.
3. Form the Front Wing:
Tie the elk hair down securely, making sure it doesn't spin around the hook shank. Make a couple of tight wraps to secure it in place, and trim any excess hair.
4. Create the Tapered Body:
Tie in a length of Veevus pearl tinsel at the tail base, wrapping it up the hook in a tapered fashion. Work your way to the front of the fly, then go back slightly to create a more natural taper. Secure the tinsel with a couple of wraps at the front and trim off excess.
5. Tie in the Split Wing:
Take a second, slightly larger bunch of elk hair, stack it, and position it just behind the front wing. Tie it in place with two tight wraps, ensuring the hair sits on top of the hook shank (not underneath). Trim the ends to shape the wing.
6. Form the Hump:
Pull all the hairs from the back wing together to form a hump. Trim them at an angle, leaving a slight taper toward the hook bend to mimic the natural caddis shape.
7. Split the Wing:
Divide the wing in half and pull it upward. Carefully position the fibers, making sure they don't cross each other. Secure with thread wraps to form the split wing.
8. Finishing Touches:
Add a small amount of ice dubbing to the front of the fly for a finishing touch, and complete the fly with a whip finish behind the hook eye. Trim any stray fibers to clean up the appearance.
