Fly the Team Iceshanty Flag! Iceshanty Proshop
Yep, in-line barrel swivel. Works every time. The "spin" put on the jig is actually caused by your reel. A spinning reel actually will put the twist on the line, and the twist severity will directly depend on how deep you're dropping the jig. When you retrieve it, the reel is twisting the line and the jig will slowly spin, but the tension and length on the line doesn't allow the counterweight to keep up. When the jig comes out of the water, it spins like a top - that is line twist, which causes, as we know, weakness in the line and maddening loops that can create birds nests and line wrap ups at the rod tip.The barrel swivel acts as the buffer, allowing the line to spin while the counterweight remains stationary, hence, way reduced line twist and far less spinning jiggery... Go with the barrel swivel placed like the others have suggested. For added stealth, you can tie off the last 12"-18" lead with fluorocarbon, rather than ice mono or braid. Choose an appropriate sized barrel swivel for weight of your tackle. The lighter the tackle, the smaller the barrel (weight considerations, ultralight jig heads drift down slow, and a big barrel could outrace it...)
one more thought. wouldn't a split shot or a barrel swivel affect your ability to detect an "up-bite" such as that of a crappie lifting the bait up instead of pulling it down?
knot ? yes has to be a knot that grips the jig eye tightly. and after each fish you need to reset it to the correct angle. takes 1 sec. "The FishinFoool" .