In the fall of 2020, Scientific Anglers came out with all new Leaders and Tippet. This new product line is called Absolute leaders and tippet, and we strongly believe it is the best leader and tippet material on the market.
The new Absolute leaders and tippet significantly reduce water absorption. This is a big deal because monofilament absorbs water. Monofilament becomes less strong and more prone to abrasion damage when it absorbs water.
The facts: Absolute nylon leaders and tippet have a 29% higher wet knot strength compared to the previous material and up to 40% higher wet knot strength when compared to their competitors. Absolute fluorocarbon leaders and tippet boast a 15% higher knot strength compared to our previous material and features incredible clarity and abrasion resistance.
The leader offerings for trout fishing increased dramatically. Scientific Anglers now offers trout leaders at the following lengths, colors and pack quantities:
That is 6 different leaders to choose from, and it might seem overwhelming but there are solid reasons why the offerings were expanded. We will explain why below.
The 7.5' and 9' leaders are your standard trout leader lengths.
The 7.5' length leaders are best in small creeks with all types of flies, and streamers in larger rivers when you don't need a sinking fly line to pull the fly down deep.
The 9' length is the go-to length for most trout fly fishing.
They work great for dry flys, nymphs and some streamer fishing. The longer length allows you to present dry flys with a drag-free drift. They also can handle a nymph rig setup with 1-2 nymphs, split shot and an indicator all while making sure your nymphs are being fished effectively. A 9' leader isn't our top choice for most streamer fishing because streamer leaders should be shorter.
The best tippet to match these leaders is the Scientific Anglers Absolute Trout Tippet.
We like the Streamer leaders because they are tapered, and the butt section is thick.
The butt section comes in at .030". That is THICK stuff, we estimate the butt section to be nearly 60# test. That thick butt section seamlessly transmits energy from your fly line into the leader and fly. Check out the chart at the bottom for more info on butt sections (spoiler: not bikinis photos)
The 9' Stealth leader's big difference is that it has a light olive tint to it, while normal leaders are clear.
These stealth leaders have an advantage anytime water is stained or off-colored. Anytime a river isn't crystal clear these stealth leaders will excel.
The best tippet to for the stealth leaders is the Scientific Anglers Absolute Trout Stealth Tippet
The Presentation leaders are 11' and 14' long and are best for the most picky fish you encounter.
With these extra long leaders you can be sure that your presentation will not spook fish. The long length will also ensure you have a perfectly drag free drift which is critical to making your fly look like it's floating down the river and not tied to a leader. Use these leaders on medium sized rivers and lager; they are too long for little creeks.
As the name implies, these leaders are designed for fly fishing for bass. They are 8' long and have a thick butt section. The length is ideal for fishing top water poppers, divers and some streamers. However if you are going to spend a lot of time fishing bass streamers with a sinking line stick with the Streamer Leaders as these are shorter. The short length makes it easier for the sinking line to pull the fly deeper. The butt section diameter of .030" is really what makes these leaders great for casting big flies.
Taper, Length and Butt Diameter for Leaders:
