Jigging alone without a flasher is tough, I used to do it...I would also use a slip bobber. That way you can at least have some consistency about having a lure suspended at a certain depth. Even a bobber stop knot on the line can be a good indicator of you reaching at certain depth. It makes for marking the depth at where you're catching fish. Still a spoon is something that I would like to allow to plane away on the free fall. Then drag it on the bottom or pound it on the bottom on the way back. I like to count the number of handle turns to guestimate the spoon retrieve as well for my vertical trolling method.
