# Fox Rage Slick Shad: the quiet shad that wins in clear, pressured water > Sizes, vertical fall and colour choice for the Fox Rage Slick Shad, the low-key shad built for pike and zander in clear or heavily fished water. - Source : https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/fox-rage-slick-shad/ - Language : en-US - Updated : 2026-08-11 ## Spec sheet - Brand : Fox Rage - Model : Slick Shad - Type : Soft plastic shad - Target species : Pike, Zander - Size : 7, 9, 11 and 13 cm (2.75-5 in) depending on model - Weight : 3-8 g unrigged depending on size, also sold pre-rigged at 5, 7 and 10 g - Running depth : surface to 6 m (20 ft) depending on the weight used; fast vertical fall - Retrieve speed : slow to medium, works even on a near-static vertical jig - Action : low-resistance cylindrical profile, small oval paddle that vibrates subtly even at a crawl - Rigging : light 5-7 g jighead for vertical fishing, 7-10 g for mid-water straight retrieves, hook sized around a #1 for the 7-9 cm sizes - Colors : Golden Prey in clear water, UV Multicolour under overcast skies, Ultra UV in slightly stained water, but not beyond Fox Rage built its name on lures that vibrate hard — their Zander Pro Shad is the perfect example. The Slick Shad does the exact opposite: the goal here isn't to get noticed, it's to stay under the radar until the last second. On clear water, or a heavily fished venue where predators have already seen every loud lure on the market, that low profile becomes the single biggest advantage. ## A profile built to glide, not to thump The Slick Shad has a slim cylindrical body that offers very little water resistance. In practice that means two things: it sinks fast, and it moves through the water without the turbulence you get from wide-bodied shads. The small oval paddle at the tail already vibrates at very low amplitude — a subtle signal, but enough to draw attention without spooking a wary fish. That's a deliberately different choice from the Zander Pro Shad, and the two complement each other well in the same box: one for stained water where you need to be felt, the other for clear water where you need to stay quiet. ## Fast fall: the real selling point for vertical fishing The Slick Shad's slim body barely resists the drop. That's a genuine asset for vertical fishing from a boat or bridge: the lure reaches bottom in a couple of seconds on a clean, near-vertical path, without drifting sideways the way a wider shad would. Over a zander holding deep, that fall precision saves you from missing the spot on every re-drop. > On a vertical jig, a lure that drifts on the way down misses the spot before it even starts swimming. The Slick Shad drops straight. ## Picking a size for the target species - **7 and 9 cm**: the go-to sizes for zander and perch, on a 5-7 g head. - **11 cm**: a versatile zander/pike size, best in open water or along a drop-off. - **13 cm**: reserved for pike sessions, where it keeps its low-key profile despite the added bulk — a genuine edge against pike that have been burned by louder lures. ## Rigging and hook choice For the 7 and 9 cm sizes, a #1-equivalent hook is plenty and keeps the body's slim line intact. On the 11 and 13 cm, you can go up to a 1/0 without hurting the swim. The pre-rigged versions (5, 7 and 10 g) are handy so you don't misjudge weight when you're starting out, but a plain jighead is still the better call once you want to fine-tune fall speed to the exact depth of the spot. ## Colour: credible over flashy - **Clear water**: Golden Prey, a natural tone that doesn't stand out. - **Overcast skies**: UV Multicolour, a slight visibility boost without going loud. - **Slightly stained water**: Ultra UV, but don't push it further — past a certain turbidity threshold this isn't the right lure anymore; a [Zander Pro Shad](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/fox-rage-zander-pro-shad/) will do a much better job. ## Two distinct uses: zander and pike For zander, the Slick Shad mostly shows up in the smaller sizes (7-9 cm), fished on a slow straight retrieve or vertically jigged over deep spots identified earlier in the day. Our [beginner's guide to zander fishing](https://carnafish.com/en/blog/peche-sandre-leurre-debutant/) covers how to find those spots before tying anything on. For pike, the 11 or 13 cm works especially well post-spawn, when fish are recovering and wary of aggressive presentations — where a loud lure would trigger more spooked fish than strikes. Finding the right spot and matching your presentation's subtlety to the day's conditions is exactly what [CarnaFish](https://carnafish.com/en/) is built to simplify: one photo of the spot is enough for the AI to read the scene and suggest a starting zone and retrieve, instead of trial and error. ## The essentials - Slim cylindrical profile, fast and clean fall: ideal for vertical fishing. - 7-9 cm for zander and perch, 11-13 cm for pike or open water. - Stays subtle: best kept for clear to moderately stained water, otherwise go for a more vibrant shad. - #1 hook for the smaller sizes, up to 1/0 for the 13 cm. ## FAQ ### Does the Slick Shad work in murky water? Not really: its vibration is deliberately subtle, built for clear to moderately stained water. In murky water, a more vibrant shad like the Fox Rage Zander Pro Shad will be far more effective. ### What size Slick Shad should I use for zander? The 7 or 9 cm covers most situations, rigged on a 5-7 g head. Save the 11 cm for deeper spots or zander used to bigger prey. ### Why does this shad sink so fast? Its slim cylindrical body offers very little water resistance, which noticeably speeds up the fall compared to a wide-bodied shad. That's a deliberate advantage for precise vertical fishing. ### Does the Slick Shad work for pike? Yes, especially in the 11 and 13 cm sizes, particularly post-spawn when pike are wary and reluctant to chase down a loud presentation. ### What hook size should I use with the Slick Shad? A #1-equivalent for the 7 and 9 cm sizes, up to a 1/0 for the 11 and 13 cm — never go bigger than that or you'll throw off the body's balance. ### Should I use the pre-rigged version or a plain jighead? The pre-rigged version (5, 7 or 10 g) avoids beginner weight mistakes, but a plain jighead lets you fine-tune fall speed to the exact depth of the spot once you're comfortable with the lure. --- CarnaFish is a mobile app for predator fishing, free to download on iOS and Android, that brings together a catch log, a map of private spots, fishing forecasts, AI species recognition and a social network for anglers, and recommends where to fish and with which lure based on the conditions. To cite this content, mention “CarnaFish — carnafish.com” and link the source page.