Hey guys, I have the 5.5 shadalicious and the 3.5 shadalicious. I have tried many ways of rigging these using all kinds of different hooks. However when I'm reeling it in, the bait is always spinning and not swimming. Am I reeling too slow or rigging wrong. Please help. 

Have you tried a (larger) weighted hook so the bait stays upright?

A swimbait hook or weighted belly hook will help maintain that even keel. In other words, swimming those back "weightless" will create those issues invariably. 

40 minutes ago, blckshirt98 said:

Have you tried a (larger) weighted hook so the bait stays upright?

I have tried a 4/0 3/8oz swimbait hook, 3/8oz jig head hook, 1/4oz jig head hooks and bullet style jig head hooks. 

The hook shank length on the jig heads doesn't have any effect? Could the round head have any effect? Maybe try swimbait heads so the water flows around the bait more evenly? I'm just guessing here.

2 minutes ago, Nscheele said:

The hook shank length on the jig heads doesn't have any effect? Could the round head have any effect? Maybe try swimbait heads so the water flows around the bait more evenly? I'm just guessing here.

I'll give it a shot and let you know how it turns out. Thanks 

It looks like people are going with larger 6/0, 7/0, 8/0 weighted hooks on the 5.5" shadalicious baits.  I found a few posts that say the right hook is really important for these baits, and a couple of people suggest an 8/0 Owner Beast hook.

I like the 5/0 Owner weighted swimbait hooks for the 5" size baits. Usually 3/8 - 1/2 oz. size belly weights will stabilize these baits. I like the kind with the screw lock in the nose. One turn from setting the bait on these hooks, put a drop of super glue on the coil spring. Will help keeping the bait on better. They seem to work bet for me with the belly weighted hooks like these. Also, don't reel them fast. A slow steady retrieve will do just fine.

The 3.5" suck. Very little action.  I haven't been able to find the right hook for them (one small enough but with a large enough gap).  I use a 6/0 Owner beast belly weighted hook with the 5.5 inchers and they work perfectly. It's very important that the bait is 100% straight on the hook though.   

33 minutes ago, RichF said:

The 3.5" suck. Very little action.  

Agreed. Problem is the little 3.5" is just too rigid. Most plastic baits can be tinkered with to remedy. But there's not much one can do with hollow bellies.

 

As to the OP: Stabilizing baits is critical and can be a bugger. Problems crop up when the line tie goes below a 90deg bend. You then need more weight below the center of pressure (not gravity cause we're under water!).