The folks at Trouts Fly Fishing in Denver have launched an educational video series hosted by director of education and guide Courtney Despos–who appeared on Tom Rosenbauer’s podcast last year–who walks you through some of the basic skills required to get started in fly fishing. Here, she teaches you how to create a simple loop knot that will allow your fly to move more freely in the water.
This knot rocks! However, it is more of a specialty knot that I would not call essential for newbies. I would advise that beginners focus on just the Dynamic-Duo of fly-fishing knots:
1) Double Davy Knot for Tippet to Fly
2) *Infinity Tippet Knot for Leader/Tippet Splicing
The ITK is a figure 8 configuration very similar to the Orvis Tippet Knot,
just easier and faster to tie.
Come back to the No-Slip Loop Knot when you are ready for a specialty knot used mostly for streamers.