# Keitech Easy Shiner 3": the finesse shad that keeps working dead slow > Material, rigging and jighead weights for the Keitech Easy Shiner 3" — the Japanese finesse shad that keeps kicking even on a near-standstill retrieve. - Source : https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/keitech-easy-shiner-3/ - Language : en-US - Updated : 2026-08-03 ## Spec sheet - Brand : Keitech - Model : Easy Shiner 3" - Type : Finesse soft plastic shad - Target species : Zander, Perch, Bass - Size : 3 in / 7.6 cm - Weight : 2.3 g unrigged, paired with a 1.5-10 g jighead depending on depth - Running depth : surface to 5 m (16 ft) depending on jighead weight - Retrieve speed : very slow to medium - Action : rolling swim with a strong paddle-tail kick, active from the very first inches of the retrieve - Rigging : 1.5-3.5 g finesse jighead in shallow water, 5-7 g mid-water, hook sized #1 to 1/0 depending on the body - Colors : Electric Shad in clear water, Ghost Minnow under overcast skies, Motor Oil / Chartreuse in stained water Any shad can swim well retrieved fast. Very few swim well retrieved at a near-standstill, and that's exactly where the Easy Shiner 3" built its reputation. This small Japanese shad was designed for finesse fishing — the kind where the predator has no intention of chasing, and where the smallest animation mistake costs you the bite. ## A plastic built for action, not for looking good in the packet Most budget shads use a stiff plastisol that survives well in a tackle box but swims stiffly. Keitech does the opposite: its **super-soft PVC** body is injection-molded in two tones, with salt-infused plastic placed in the lower half. That drops the centre of gravity slightly, stabilising the horizontal posture and triggering a pronounced side-to-side roll even when you're barely reeling. That's what lets the Easy Shiner keep working through a pause, or on a dead-slow straight retrieve for a zander that won't chase anything. The other detail that shows up on the water: the bait is **scented with squid**, an attractant that encourages fish to hold on a fraction of a second longer. On a slightly late hookset, that fraction of a second can be the whole difference. ## Matching jighead weight to the situation The Easy Shiner 3" weighs only 2.3 g unrigged — the jighead does all the work of depth and fall speed. - **Finesse fishing in the margins (0-2 m):** 1.5-3.5 g. The fall is slow, almost suspended, ideal for a perch or zander holding tight in shallow water. - **Mid-water (2-4 m):** 5-7 g, the default setup for exploring a new spot. - **Drop-offs and current (4-5 m):** 8-10 g to stay in bottom contact without constant re-casting. Past that depth, it's not the right tool anymore — a longer shad like the [Squad Shad 65](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/illex-squad-shad-65/) will hold depth and current better. ## The rigging detail that preserves the swim The body is slim for its length, so an oversized hook throws off the balance and sends the lure into a spiral. For zander or perch, a #1-equivalent jighead hook is plenty; only step up to a 1/0 for bass on a heavier head. Take the time to thread the lure perfectly straight on the shank before casting — with a body this soft, even a slight misalignment shows up immediately in the swim. > With this kind of finesse shad, the rule is simple: if you have to crank fast just to feel the swim, the head is too light for the depth you're fishing. ## Three retrieves that exploit the slow-speed swim 1. **Dead-slow straight retrieve near bottom**: the Easy Shiner's signature move. Deadly on a tough zander in cold water, when nothing else is working. 2. **Short crank, long pause**: two turns of the handle, then let the lure fall on a tight line. Perch strike very often during the pause. 3. **Vertical jigging over a marked spot**: from a boat or bridge, drop the lure to bottom and work it with small lifts. Brutally effective on a holding zander. ## Colour by water clarity - **Clear water**: Electric Shad, a translucent tone that stays subtle in bright sun. - **Overcast, slightly stained water**: Ghost Minnow, a solid balance of visibility and realism. - **Murky water**: Motor Oil / Chartreuse, a strong contrast that carries well even in heavily coloured water. ## Zander, perch or bass: who prefers what Zander is clearly the number one target for this lure — its slow-speed swim matches a fish that refuses to chase down fast-moving prey. Perch respond very well to smaller sizes fished shallow, especially along the edge of a shoal. Bass, more used to this kind of finesse presentation across the Atlantic, respond well to a slow straight retrieve in clear water, particularly on pressured spots where louder lures have already been seen. If you're new to that species, our [beginner's guide to bass fishing](https://carnafish.com/en/blog/peche-black-bass-debutant/) covers spot selection basics. That kind of call — which speed, which depth, which spot to prioritise today — is exactly what [CarnaFish](https://carnafish.com/en/) is built to simplify: you photograph your spot, the AI reads the scene and conditions, and hands you a starting zone and retrieve instead of guessing blind. ## The key takeaway - 7.6 cm body, 1.5-10 g jighead depending on depth, #1 hook for zander/perch. - The two-tone salted plastic stabilises the swim even on a dead-slow retrieve. - Three retrieves to try: dead-slow straight, crank-and-pause, vertical jigging. - Zander first, but very effective on perch and bass in clear water too. ## FAQ ### Is the Easy Shiner 3" good for learning finesse fishing? Yes, it's an excellent entry point: the swim kicks in from the very first inches of the retrieve, which forgives a retrieve that's too slow. Start with a 5-7 g head mid-water before exploring lighter heads in the shallows. ### What jighead weight should I use with the Easy Shiner 3"? Between 1.5 and 10 g depending on depth: 1.5-3.5 g from the surface to 2 m, 5-7 g from 2 to 4 m, 8-10 g beyond that. A heavier head means a faster fall, which changes what retrieves are possible. ### Why is my Easy Shiner swimming crooked? Almost always a rigging alignment issue: the soft body wasn't threaded perfectly straight on the jighead's hook. Pull it off and re-rig, making sure the back seam stays perfectly in line with the shank. ### Can you catch zander on the Easy Shiner 3"? Yes, it's arguably its strongest use. Fished dead-slow near bottom on a 5-7 g head, it reads exactly like a tired baitfish — precisely what an inactive zander in cold water is looking for. ### What hook size should I use with the Easy Shiner 3"? A #1-equivalent for most zander and perch situations. Only step up to a 1/0 if you're rigging a heavier head for bass, to keep the body straight without deforming it. ### Does the Easy Shiner actually smell like anything? Yes, the plastic is impregnated with a squid-based attractant at the factory. It's not a gimmick: on a hesitant strike, that extra cue often makes the fish hold the lure long enough to get a solid hookset. --- 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.