# Keitech Fat Swing Impact 4.8": the Japanese shad that swims on its own > ElaZtech plastic, built-in salt, an action that keeps working even at rest — why the Keitech Fat Swing Impact 4.8" is a benchmark for bass and pike. - Source : https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/keitech-fat-swing-impact-48/ - Language : en-US - Updated : 2026-08-26 ## Spec sheet - Brand : Keitech - Model : Fat Swing Impact 4.8" - Type : Soft plastic shad - Target species : Bass, Pike - Size : 12.1 cm / 4.8 in - Weight : 13 g / 7/16 oz unrigged, paired with a 7-21 g jighead depending on depth - Running depth : surface to 5 m (16 ft) depending on jighead weight - Retrieve speed : slow — most of the work happens on the fall and at rest - Action : wide, steady tail kick that stays active even at rest thanks to the salt-loaded tail - Rigging : round 3/0 jighead sized to the body, or Texas-rigged weedless in heavy cover - Colors : translucent tones in clear water, opaque, high-contrast colors in stained water There's one thing you notice immediately pulling a Fat Swing Impact out of the bag: the smell. Keitech loads its **ElaZtech** plastic with salt and an attractant, and that's not just a marketing line — a fish that bites holds onto the lure a fraction of a second longer, just long enough for the hookset to land. A small detail that matters more than it sounds on a hesitant fish. ## ElaZtech: the real technical edge Standard plastic used by most brands tears fast and barely floats. Keitech's ElaZtech is denser, far more tear-resistant — a single lure survives well past dozens of strikes before falling apart — and, crucially, **floats naturally**. On a light jighead, that changes the swim: the body holds a slight upward tension that exaggerates the tail motion, even at very low speed. ## An action that keeps going at rest That's the Fat Swing Impact's real signature: its comma-shaped tail keeps kicking gently even when the rest of the body is still, especially during the pauses of a stop-and-go retrieve. That residual motion, combined with the plastic's buoyancy, mimics a tired baitfish trying to catch its breath — an image that often triggers the strike from a **bass** that was hesitating to commit to a completely dead bait. ## Matching jighead weight to the situation - **3-5g, light head**: a slow fall along margins or on a suspended fish near the surface, particularly effective post-spawn. - **7-10g**: the most versatile setting, the one to start with if you don't yet know the spot's depth. - **14-21g**: to get down fast on a drop-off or for deep fishing, especially for **pike**, which often sits lower in the water column than bass. ## Weedless in heavy cover In weed or brush, a standard exposed-hook jighead snags constantly. The Fat Swing Impact's body, bulky enough for a Texas rig, works well on a weedless hook buried in its back — a solid alternative when the spot is too dirty for a plain jighead. > The classic mistake on a shad this size is a hook too small for the body: the body bends, the swim turns erratic. Always aim for a hook long enough to exit just before the start of the tail. ## Against other shads in the Keitech lineup Keitech breaks its range into several profiles. Compared to the [Easy Shiner 3"](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/keitech-easy-shiner-3/), slimmer and quicker on the retrieve, the Fat Swing Impact 4.8" has a wider body that pushes more water — a real plus in stained water where fish hunt more by vibration than sight. Compared to the [Shad Impact 2"](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/keitech-shad-impact-2/), much smaller, it clearly targets bigger fish rather than a high bite count. ## Colors by clarity - **Clear water**: translucent tones with fine flake, staying subtle under bright light. - **Stained water**: opaque, high-contrast colors (white, chartreuse) that stand out better in coloured water. - **Low light**: favour a dark silhouette that reads clearly against a lit surface. Still, the best shad in the world never makes up for a bad spot choice, which is why [CarnaFish](https://carnafish.com/en/) exists: photograph the water, and the AI suggests a zone and a jighead weight matched to today's conditions before the first cast even goes in. For the full bass strategy, our [beginner's guide to bass fishing](https://carnafish.com/en/blog/peche-black-bass-debutant/) covers spot choice and retrieves in more depth. ## The essentials - Salt-loaded ElaZtech resists tearing far better and floats naturally, which keeps the tail active even at rest. - Match the jighead to depth: 3-5g along margins, 7-10g as the default, 14-21g on drop-offs or for pike. - Weedless Texas rigging works in heavy cover thanks to the 4.8"'s bulky enough body. - A sufficiently long hook is non-negotiable to keep the silhouette straight and the swim steady. ## FAQ ### Why does the Fat Swing Impact cost more than a standard shad? Keitech's ElaZtech plastic is far more tear-resistant and durable than standard plastic, which noticeably extends each lure's lifespan despite a higher per-unit cost. ### What jighead weight should I use with the Fat Swing Impact 4.8"? Between 3 and 21g depending on depth: 3-5g along margins or on a suspended fish, 7-10g as an all-purpose setting, 14-21g to get down fast on a drop-off or to fish pike deep. ### Does this shad work for pike as well as bass? Yes, particularly with a heavier head to reach the depths where pike hold. The wide tail kick stays clearly perceptible even in colder water, where pike favour a slow, steady swim. ### Can the Fat Swing Impact be Texas-rigged weedless? Yes, its bulky-enough body works well on a Texas hook buried in its back, a solid alternative to a plain jighead in weed or brush where an exposed hook snags too much. ### Why does my Fat Swing Impact stop kicking its tail on the pause? Check your hook size: too big for the body, it stiffens the lure and blocks the tail's residual motion. A well-proportioned hook should exit the body right before the tail fin starts. ### What's the difference between the Fat Swing Impact and Keitech's Easy Shiner? The Fat Swing Impact has a wider body that pushes more water, an advantage in stained water. The Easy Shiner is slimmer and faster on the retrieve, better suited to quick prospecting in clear water. --- 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.