Photos: Westin · supplied retailer imagery
Predator lures · Soft-plastic shads · Our take
Westin ShadTeez
Original ShadTeez range: 7cm, 9cm, 12cm, 16cm and 19cm
A chunky baitfish profile, an easy-working tail and sizes for perch through to pike. The ShadTeez keeps things simple — just get the rigging and retrieve right.
- Deep-bodied soft-plastic shad with a slender tail wrist and wide paddle tail.
- Realistic eyes and detailed, hand-painted colours.
- Listed sizes run from 7cm to 19cm, with lure weights from 4g to 56g.
- Pack quantity varies by size: four at 7cm, three at 9cm, two at 12cm and one at 16cm or 19cm.
Make sure it’s the right one. This covers the original deep-bodied ShadTeez, rather than the separate ShadTeez Slim.
Tackle Index Score
Tackle Index score
A well-considered paddle-tail design with useful size options; rigging requirements, tooth damage and smaller pack counts at larger sizes keep the verdict grounded.
- Product Quality9/10
- Performance9.1/10
- Impact on Fish Catching8.6/10
- Ease of Use8.8/10
- Value for Money8.3/10
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Who it suits
Is it right for you?
Great for
- Predator anglers wanting a straightforward paddle tail. A steady retrieve is a sensible starting point, with jig-head weight and retrieve speed giving you useful control over presentation.
- Anglers building a mixed perch, zander and pike lure box. The size range lets you change the size of the meal without switching to a completely different lure style.
Maybe skip if
- Anglers wanting a fully rigged, ready-to-cast lure. Treat these as soft bodies and budget for appropriate heads, hooks and predator-safe terminal tackle.
- Anglers needing a particularly slim or restrained presentation. The deep body and wide paddle are geared towards a fuller silhouette and noticeable movement.
The lowdown
Introducing the Westin ShadTeez
A chunky baitfish profile, an easy-working tail and sizes for perch through to pike. The ShadTeez keeps things simple — just get the rigging and retrieve right.
- Deep-bodied soft-plastic shad with a slender tail wrist and wide paddle tail.
- Realistic eyes and detailed, hand-painted colours.
- Listed sizes run from 7cm to 19cm, with lure weights from 4g to 56g.
- Pack quantity varies by size: four at 7cm, three at 9cm, two at 12cm and one at 16cm or 19cm.
Quick verdict
A cracking starting point for shad fishing
The Westin ShadTeez makes plenty of sense if you want a straightforward baitfish imitation for perch, zander or pike. Its deep body gives it presence, while the slender tail wrist and broad paddle provide movement without needing loads of rod work.
The catch? You still need suitable rigging, and the bigger versions come singly. Choose the size around your tackle and the presentation you need, rather than assuming a bigger lure automatically means a bigger fish.
A well-considered paddle-tail design with useful size options; rigging requirements, tooth damage and smaller pack counts at larger sizes keep the verdict grounded.
- Product Quality
- 9/10
- Performance
- 9.1/10
- Impact on Fish Catching
- 8.6/10
- Ease of Use
- 8.8/10
- Value for Money
- 8.3/10
Detailed painted finishes and a purposeful body shape make a strong package, balanced against the vulnerability of soft plastic to teeth.
The easy-action paddle and broad size range support varied presentations without demanding elaborate rod work.
The baitfish profile and tail movement offer useful attraction, but finding fish and controlling depth remain decisive.
A steady retrieve is approachable, although straight rigging and suitable hook and head selection still matter.
Versatility strengthens its value, while separate rigging costs and single-body packs in the largest sizes make losses more noticeable.
Head to head
How it stacks up
Side by side with the closest kit we've reviewed. This updates as we add more reviews.
Westin
Westin ShadTeez (this one)
Top scorer
Scores are our own, out of 10. Best in each row is in green. Prices change, so check the latest before you buy.
The full rundown
Everything you'll want to know about the Westin ShadTeez
The Westin ShadTeez is the sort of lure that makes sense before you’ve even tied a rig. Deep baitfish body, narrow tail wrist, broad paddle at the back. Nothing terribly mysterious, mate. It’s a soft-plastic shad built around a familiar predator-fishing idea: put a convincing-looking meal where something hungry can find it. For UK anglers, that means a useful place in perch, zander and pike boxes, depending on the size you choose. The appeal is straightforward presentation rather than needing a complicated routine of flicks, jerks and pauses.
That body shape is the main talking point. The ShadTeez has a proper bit of depth through its middle, so it offers a fuller silhouette than a skinny minnow-style plastic. Behind it, the slender wrist lets the wide paddle move readily. That gives you an easy-action tail suited to a steady retrieve, rather than a lure you need to bully into life with the rod tip. Realistic eyes and detailed, hand-painted colours finish things off nicely, though depth, speed and placement still deserve more attention than picking the prettiest one.
There’s a decent spread of sizes, and the differences matter. The 7cm weighs 4g and comes four to a pack; the 9cm weighs 7g and comes in threes. Step up to 12cm and you’re looking at 15g with two bodies per pack. The 16cm is 39g and the 19cm is 56g, both supplied singly. Those are lure-body weights, so remember that a jig head and any extra rigging go on top. A big ShadTeez isn’t something to casually chuck on a light perch outfit just because it’s soft plastic.
For perch fishing, the smaller versions are the natural starting point. Think canal features, reservoir edges and the outside of cover where you can work a shad without constantly burying the hook. For zander, jig-head choice becomes particularly useful when you’re trying to stay in touch near the bottom without turning every cast into a snag hunt. The larger bodies make more sense when pike are the main plan. None of that is a rigid rule, mind. Predators don’t read packet labels, and the size of the local prey fish should influence your choice.
Rigging is where a simple lure can become a bit of a faff if you rush it. Offer the hook alongside the body first, check where it should exit, then thread the plastic on straight. A bunched nose or crooked body can spoil how it tracks. You also want useful hook-point clearance above that deep back, rather than a point sitting cramped against the plastic. Pick a head and hook combination that suits the actual body, not just whatever happens to be rolling about in the bottom of your tackle bag.
Once it’s rigged, keep the first few casts uncomplicated. Let it reach your chosen depth, then wind steadily enough to maintain the presentation you want. Change one thing at a time: a slower retrieve, a different head weight or a longer initial sink. That tells you far more than throwing every trick at it on one cast. In colder water, a controlled, slower approach is often a sensible starting point, but don’t assume slow has to mean scraping bottom. Swimming just clear of weed or debris can save plenty of grief.
The practical drawbacks are the usual soft-lure ones, with a couple of ShadTeez-specific considerations. Pike teeth can damage the body or tail, and repeated rigging can loosen the nose. At the larger sizes you’ve only got one lure in the pack, so a snag or badly placed bite can be especially annoying. The chunky shape also won’t suit every situation. If the fish are focused on narrow prey or you want a particularly subtle-looking presentation, a slimmer shad may be the better shout. Different tool, different job — no need to force it.
Overall, the ShadTeez earns its place through an uncomplicated design and useful choice of sizes. It’s a good fit for someone learning to fish soft shads, but there’s enough scope in depth, rigging and retrieve to keep an experienced predator angler interested too. Don’t expect a fancy paint job to rescue a lure running nowhere near the fish. Get the size sensible, rig it straight and use appropriate bite protection wherever pike are a realistic possibility. Then concentrate on the water in front of you. That’s where the useful decisions happen.
Specifications
The nuts and bolts
- Body and action
- Soft plastic; deep body, slender tail wrist and wide paddle tail
- 7cm version
- 4g lure weight; 4 lures per pack
- 9cm version
- 7g lure weight; 3 lures per pack
- 12cm version
- 15g lure weight; 2 lures per pack
- 16cm version
- 39g lure weight; 1 lure per pack
- 19cm version
- 56g lure weight; 1 lure per pack
Specs checked with Westin, Oct 2026.
Spot a model or spec change?
Our take
Keep the lure simple. Think harder about the depth.
The ShadTeez lends itself to a steady retrieve, leaving you free to concentrate on where it’s swimming. Finding the right depth and speed is usually more useful than throwing in endless twitches.
Start with enough jig-head weight to maintain useful contact, then adjust for flow, wind and depth. Too much weight can have you dragging through rubbish when you meant to swim above it.
Shape and setup
Closer look: a full-bodied shad with a willing tail
You’re buying a soft-plastic baitfish imitation with a deep middle and a broad paddle connected by a slender wrist. That combination is the heart of the original ShadTeez. The eyes and painted detail add visual appeal, but the shape and tail are the features doing the heavy lifting during a retrieve.
A suitable jig head is a straightforward way to fish it in open water. Match hook size to the body and choose weight around depth, flow and the speed you want to retrieve. A quick look at the lure swimming in clear water beside you can reveal crooked rigging before you waste a string of casts.
Worth knowing. Body weight isn’t finished casting weight. The 19cm ShadTeez already weighs 56g before you add rigging. Check the complete setup against your rod’s casting range, and use a suitable wire trace wherever pike are a realistic possibility.
Picking your presentation
Who it suits: anglers who want less rod work, not less thought
If you’re getting into predator lure fishing, the ShadTeez gives you a manageable starting point. You can learn a lot with a steady retrieve: how different head weights affect depth, how wind changes line control and how the lure feels when it brushes weed. There’s no need to learn an elaborate retrieve before making useful casts.
More experienced anglers can use the size range to offer different-sized meals along features and across open water. The smaller bodies suit lighter presentations; the big ones need tackle capable of casting and controlling the finished rig. Carrying spare bodies is sensible, especially if pike are regularly finding your lure.
It’s less appealing if you want everything ready to clip on straight from the packet, or if your fishing calls for a very slender lure. Nor is an exposed jig hook ideal for dragging through thick weed or tangled branches. Choose the rig around the swim rather than expecting the plastic to solve every snag problem.
Before you cast
FAQs in full: sizes, weight and working the lure
Which size should you buy? Start with the fish and presentation you’re aiming for. The 7cm and 9cm are sensible perch-sized options; the 12cm is a useful step towards larger predator presentations. The 16cm and 19cm are more at home on dedicated pike tackle. Treat those as starting points, not promises about which species will bite.
Does the weight include the head? No — the figures here describe the bodies. The 12cm, for example, is 15g before you add a head or other rigging. Include everything you’re casting when matching it to your rod, and remember that pack quantities shrink as body size increases.
How should you retrieve it? Begin with a steady wind and a clear idea of your fishing depth. A short pause or gentle lift can vary the presentation, but stay alert while it sinks because takes aren’t limited to the moving part of the retrieve. If you keep collecting weed or hitting snags, adjust depth, head weight or your casting angle before sacrificing another lure.
On paper
Pros & cons
What we like
- Easy-action paddle tail suits a simple, steady retrieve.
- Broad size choice covers different perch, zander and pike presentations.
- Deep body offers a substantial baitfish silhouette.
- Can be paired with suitable jig heads or other soft-lure rigs.
Worth knowing
- Soft plastic can suffer damage from pike teeth and repeated hooking.
- The 16cm and 19cm versions come singly, so losing one empties that pack.
- The chunky profile isn’t the obvious choice when you want a narrow, subtle baitfish imitation.
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Your questions answered
What anglers want to know
The stuff you’d ask your mate on the next peg. Straight answers, no waffle.
01Which ShadTeez size should I choose?
Which ShadTeez size should I choose?
The 7cm and 9cm versions are sensible starting points for perch and smaller presentations. The 12cm offers a larger meal for zander and pike work, while the 16cm and 19cm lean towards dedicated pike tackle. These aren’t hard species boundaries: match the lure to the prey fish, conditions and your rod.
02Does the listed weight include a jig head?
Does the listed weight include a jig head?
The weights given here are for the lure bodies. Add the jig head and any other rigging when checking the total casting weight against your rod’s rating.
03What’s a good retrieve for the ShadTeez?
What’s a good retrieve for the ShadTeez?
Start with a steady wind at a depth you can control. You can add a brief pause or gentle lift, but keep track of the lure as it sinks. Around snags, avoid repeatedly letting an exposed hook drop into trouble.
What anglers say
The word from the bank
Our read: a cracking starting point for shad fishing. The strongest reasons to choose it are easy-action paddle tail suits a simple, steady retrieve. and broad size choice covers different perch, zander and pike presentations.; the main trade-off is soft plastic can suffer damage from pike teeth and repeated hooking..
Our take on the feedback
Why it appeals
Checked Sept '26 — “Easy-action paddle tail suits a simple, steady retrieve.”
Best fit
Checked Sept '26 — “Predator anglers wanting a straightforward paddle tail: A steady retrieve is a sensible starting point, with jig-head weight and retrieve speed giving you useful control over presentation.”
Worth knowing
Checked Sept '26 — “Soft plastic can suffer damage from pike teeth and repeated hooking.”
Tackle Index’s take from the product details and fishing fit we checked. We haven’t found enough independent public feedback to call this an angler consensus yet.
Angler score
What our readers rate Westin ShadTeez
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Owner reports
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Quick multiple-choice reports from people who say they own the Westin ShadTeez. Not verified purchases, and kept separate from our score.
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