I've never fished many swimbaits . . .

closest would be a fluke or other soft plastic jerkbait. I decided, after about 15 years I guess, to start learning the technique. Now I'm not talking about big 8 to 12 inch lake castaic swim baits with big trebles - just 3 to 5 inch shad imitations and the like.

The Keitechs and other solid body baits are pretty easy on jig head or wide gap weighted hooks. However, I have some Shadalicious baits that I am trying to rig by putting a jig head or sled type pinch weight on a 60 degree jig hook and insert through the back. That part seems to work. Only problem is that there is no action to the bait whatsoever; it just drags back in - no wobble, no tail vibration, nothing.

Is there a trick to it? is there a reason Berkley stopped making them? I have had these baits for a couple of years - could they be old (have some worms I've had for 17 years and they still work fine).

Shadalisous is made by Strike King( at least nowadays), and the only way the SK version works is to super glue the thing to a jig head swimbait hook. The hollow body tears easily too. They work....just don't last more than one fish without an industrial sized bottle of super glue.

In the world of swimbaits your going to find that they are NOT all created equal. If you don't like one the same looking bait in another brand will have a different action. Get some money minnows and some owner beast hooks. There are better baits than the money minnow but it catches fish. Personally, I don't like the strike king swimbaits. All I really use in the smaller stuff like that is the money minnow, skinny dippers, and the keitechs. Those do what I need until I want a big bait then it's a convict or a hard bait.

I fish the 5 inch hollow bellies from Fringe Tackle. They do tear more easily than some other brands, just like Yamamoto Senkos tear more easily than most other brands, but they work better in my opinion.

With 6/0 Owner Beast Hook or Owner Flashy Swimmer in 5/0 hook depending what they prefer that day, it doesn't get any better than throwing swimbaits in the pads or around timber.

The LFT magic shads, Big Bite baits cane thumper and suicide shad, BPS speed shad, and the YUM pulse are some cost effective 4-5 inch swimbaits that work well

A little pricier, the GY Zakos are some other nice smaller swimbaits to try

Look at the tail design—some are forked vertical, some are forked horizontal, and some are paddle tails

Experiment with the different tail designs to see what works best for you in certain conditions

The screw lock belly weighted hooks work well for the ones I mentioned

Like stated, SK makes the Shadalicious swim baits. Use this hook and they have great action.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Owner_Weighted_Beast_Hook_w__Twistlock/descpage-OWBWT.html

At times they have too much wobble if the water is really clear or the fish are used to eating trout. Not sure why you have experienced lack of action??