The Westin ShadTeez and the Fox Rage Zander Pro Shad have been among the most popular softbaits for predator fish anglers in the Netherlands and Belgium for years. Both shads catch pike, zander and perch, but they clearly differ in action, material and the situations in which they excel.
In this comparison, you will discover which shad best suits your way of fishing.
What is the Westin ShadTeez?
The Westin ShadTeez is known for its high body, wide tail and pronounced rolling action. Even with a very slow retrieve, the shad keeps moving enticingly. Thanks to the wide flank, a lot of belly flash is created, allowing predator fish to spot the shad from a great distance.
The ShadTeez is available in various versions, including the popular ShadTeez Slim.
Advantages of the Westin ShadTeez
- Strong rolling action
- Works excellently when fishing slowly
- Lots of belly flash
- Suitable for jigging, casting and vertical fishing
- Very realistic colors
What is the Fox Rage Zander Pro Shad?
The Fox Rage Zander Pro Shad is designed as a versatile shad that performs in almost any water type. The slender tail produces a fast, subtle vibration that keeps the shad stable, even in strong currents or at higher retrieve speeds. The rubber mix is also remarkably durable, allowing one shad to catch multiple fish.
For many zander anglers, this is one of the staples in the tackle box.
Advantages of the Zander Pro Shad
- High frequency vibrations
- Very durable material
- Remains stable in flowing water
- Works immediately after the first cast
- Ideal for canals, rivers and deep water
Swimming action: which moves more naturally?
The biggest differences lie in the swimming action.
Westin ShadTeez
The ShadTeez has a wide rolling action where the entire shad tilts back and forth. This creates a lot of light reflection underwater.
This makes it particularly effective when:
- predator fish are passive;
- you fish slowly;
- the water is clear;
- you are targeting large pike or zander.
Fox Rage Zander Pro Shad
The Zander Pro Shad produces a tighter and faster action.
The paddle moves at a high frequency while the body remains relatively stable.
This makes it ideal for:
- flowing rivers;
- canals;
- fast jigging;
- actively hunting zander.
Which shad is better for pike?
For pike, many anglers choose the Westin ShadTeez.
The wide flank and aggressive action often make large pike unable to resist the shad.
Especially the 16 and 19 centimeter versions are real winners for large predator fish.
Which shad is better for zander?
For zander, the difference is less clear.
Choose the Westin ShadTeez when:
- you fish slowly;
- you fish vertically;
- the water is clear;
- the fish are cautious.
Choose the Zander Pro Shad when:
- you want to cover a lot of water;
- you fish in canals;
- you fish in rivers;
- the current is strong;
- zander are actively hunting.
Which shad is better for perch?
Both shads catch perch excellently.
For smaller perch, many anglers choose:
- ShadTeez 7 or 9 cm
- Zander Pro Shad 7.5 cm
Due to the more compact size, these are ideal for finesse techniques.
Material and durability
Here, the Fox Rage Zander Pro Shad scores slightly better.
The sturdy rubber mix ensures that the shad lasts longer after multiple bites. Especially when many small pike or perch are active, you will notice that the Zander Pro tears less quickly.
The Westin ShadTeez is slightly softer, making the action look even more natural, but it can get damaged faster after multiple catches.
Which colors work best?
Clear water
Natural colors such as:
- Roach
- Perch
- Smelt
- Stickleback
Murky water
Striking colors such as:
- Firetiger
- Chartreuse
- UV Lemon Tiger
- Pink
Cloudy weather
UV colors often perform better, especially with the Fox Rage Ultra UV series.
Which sizes do you choose?
Westin ShadTeez
- 7 cm for perch
- 9 to 12 cm for zander
- 16 to 19 cm for pike
Fox Rage Zander Pro Shad
- 7.5 cm for perch
- 10 cm as an all-round size
- 12 cm for larger zander
- 16 cm for pike
When do you choose which shad?
Choose the Westin ShadTeez if you:
- fish slowly;
- want a lot of belly flash;
- target large pike;
- fish in clear water;
- are looking for an aggressive rolling action.
Choose the Fox Rage Zander Pro Shad if you:
- want to cover a lot of water;
- fish in rivers or canals;
- are looking for a durable shad;
- fish actively jigging;
- mainly catch zander.
Conclusion
Both the Westin ShadTeez and the Fox Rage Zander Pro Shad belong to the absolute top among softbaits.
The ShadTeez excels with its wide rolling action and natural presentation, making it especially effective in clear water and during a slow presentation, resulting in many large pike and zander. The Zander Pro Shad is the most versatile choice for daily use. Thanks to the strong rubber mix, stable action and high vibration frequency, it performs excellently in canals, rivers and deep water.
Many experienced predator fish anglers therefore have both models standard in their tackle box, so they can easily switch during a fishing session when conditions change.