# Keitech Easy Shiner 4": the shad that covers zander and mid-sized pike

> Why the 4-inch is the pivot size of the Easy Shiner range, what jighead weight to use and how to exploit its action at very low speed.

- Source : https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/keitech-easy-shiner-4/
- Language : en-US
- Updated : 2026-09-26

## Spec sheet

- Brand : Keitech
- Model : Easy Shiner 4"
- Type : Paddle-tail soft plastic shad
- Target species : Zander, Pike
- Size : 10.2 cm
- Weight : varies with the jighead
- Running depth : the whole column depending on head weight
- Retrieve speed : slow, straight retrieve or pulls with pauses
- Action : wide tail kick from the very lowest speed, soft body that rolls
- Rigging : round or football jighead 7 to 20 g, stinger for pike
- Colors : natural roach and perch, UV and glitter in stained water

In the Easy Shiner range, the [3-inch](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/keitech-easy-shiner-3/) is the finesse size for perch, and the bigger sizes are aimed at pike. The 4-inch sits in a particular place: it is **the size that covers zander and mid-sized pike with one single bait**.

On most French waters, it is the size you tie on when you do not yet know what you are going to meet.

## What built this lure's reputation

Two characteristics, and they explain why this model took over.

**The tail starts kicking very low.** The wrist is thin and the paddle is wide: the tail works as soon as the bait starts moving, with no speed threshold to cross. You can fish extremely slowly without losing the signal.

**The material is loaded with salt and attractant.** Keitech plastic is denser than average, which improves casting distance, and it carries an attractant that makes fish hold the bait a little longer.

The trade-off is above-average fragility. A bait rarely survives more than two or three fish.

## Head weight, the main adjustment

| Situation | Jighead |
|---|---|
| Margin, less than 2 m | 7 to 10 g |
| Lake, 2 to 4 m | 10 to 14 g |
| 4 to 6 m or light current | 14 to 18 g |
| More than 6 m or strong current | 18 to 25 g |

> On the water: with this bait more than most, resist the temptation to over-weight it. Its tail works at very low speed — too heavy a head cancels that advantage by speeding up the fall and flattening the action.

Head shape follows the usual logic: **round** for a straight retrieve, **football** over stony bottoms, where it holds better and tips the bait nose-down on the pause.

## The retrieves

**The slow straight retrieve in contact**, the baseline for zander. Cast, let it sink, wind very gently while keeping contact with the bottom. No rod work at all.

**Pulls with a drop.** Two wide pulls, then let it fall back on a semi-tight line. The bite comes during the fall, signalled by a knock or by the line stopping too early.

**Vertical jigging**, from a boat over structure. Lifts of 30 to 50 cm followed by a controlled drop.

## When to size up, when to size down

That is the question this pivot size raises.

**Drop to the 3-inch** if you are targeting perch, if the water is very clear, or if you are getting follows without bites — downsizing is nearly always the right correction against wary fish.

**Move up to the 5-inch or larger** if you are specifically after pike, in a big-fish period, or in heavily stained water where bulk helps detection.

The 4-inch stays the right default as long as you do not yet know what the fish want.

## The stinger

For **pike**, add one every time: short strikes are common on a shad this size and a single hook lets a lot of bites go. See our page on the [stinger rig](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/montage-stinger-brochet/).

For **zander**, it stays optional. Zander usually engulf the whole bait, and a stinger increases snagging. Only add one if you miss several bites in the same session.

## Colours

Three families are enough in practice.

- **Naturals** (roach, perch, ayu) as soon as visibility exceeds a metre.
- **UV and translucent glitter** in low light and at depth, where they stay readable once standard colours turn grey.
- **Contrasted patterns** (chartreuse, white, fire tiger) in coloured water or after a flood.

Our [guide to lure fishing for zander](https://carnafish.com/en/blog/peche-sandre-leurre-debutant/) covers how to read the spots. And if you are torn between the 3- and the 4-inch on a given water, [CarnaFish](https://carnafish.com/en/) analyses a photo and answers.

## Key takeaways

- The pivot size: it covers zander and mid-sized pike with one single bait.
- The tail kicks from the lowest speed — do not over-weight the jighead.
- The bite most often comes during the drop, not during the pull.
- Drop to the 3-inch on follows without bites, go up to the 5-inch to target pike.
- Fragile: count on two to three fish per bait.

## FAQ

### What jighead weight for the Easy Shiner 4"?
7 to 10 g along the margin, 10 to 14 g down to 4 m, 14 to 18 g down to 6 m, 18 to 25 g beyond that or in current. Avoid over-weighting: the tail works at very low speed, and a heavy head cancels that advantage.

### Is it suitable for pike?
Yes, for mid-sized pike. Always add a stinger hook: short strikes are common on a 10 cm shad and a single hook lets a lot of bites go.

### When should I drop to the 3-inch?
If you are targeting perch, if the water is very clear, or if you are getting follows without bites. Downsizing is nearly always the right correction against wary fish.

### Is the bait fragile?
Yes, more than average. Keitech plastic is soft and salt-loaded, which improves both the action and the casting but limits life to two or three fish per bait.

### What retrieve for zander?
A slow straight retrieve in contact with the bottom is the most consistent. As an alternative, two wide pulls followed by a drop on a semi-tight line, with the bite coming during the fall.

### What colours should I choose?
Naturals as soon as visibility exceeds a metre, UV and translucent glitter in low light or at depth, contrasted patterns such as chartreuse in coloured water or after a flood.

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