How do you stop the spin?

[shnelson]

I've been targetting panfish a little more aggressively lately, mostly due to the fact that I can't find my desired walleye bite; but also because I am finding it very entertaining and a fun challenge to get the un-interested crappies to bite.

So far, I have been pretty successful with my presentations, but I'm striving to be able to set the hook a little better. Part of my problem is that my jig will spin when I let it sit idle - the fish have been striking when I let it drop and sit, but the spin on the jig is causing them to miss the hook and peg the wrong side of the lure. They usually do this twice before losing interest.

I know the spin is caused from my jig swimming in a circle when I work light hammering into it, but this is the action that I'm attracting the fish with. I've tried light line, heavy line, braided, flouro, barrel swivels with short mono leaders, etc. No matter what I've done, the jig still spins when I stop giving it action.

I think the problem I have with the barrel swivel is that the jig is too light for it to keep the line from twisting up. The other problem I have with it is that some fish seem to strike the barrel just as much as the jig .

Just wondering if anyone has suffered my same frustration, and what kind of tricks do you have to stop it?

[GBPackerNut]

To stop the spins, I usually drink a bit less...

Oh thats the room spinning.

You know, when I used a really small ultra light reel on my one rod this summer, I had a terrible time with line twisting, but when I switched to a larger reel that had a larger diameter spool, the twisting problem was greatly reduced.

dont know, but it might be worth a shot... Im sure someone around here has probably encountered it before.

[OnAFly]

Use a fly reel. The Okuma Sierra is nice a cheap. I put my old one on my sight rod and love it. You have to get used to having a direct drive reel though (can't hold the reel knob and use the drag, knob has to spin).

Look online, I got one for about $9 on e b a y. Used, but worked fine. Go for a smaller one, like the 4/5.

[pikestabber]

You might consider using a small ball bearing swivel a foot or so above the jig... Barrel swivels won't prevent twist, but ball bearing swivels will rotate as your jig swims thereby eliminating or at least greatly reducing line twist. It is not a perfect solution, but it allows the jig to retain its natural movement and eliminates bulky swivels right next to your bait. Also, if the twist still builds up occasionally, you can let the jig spin out of the water to eliminate the line twist every few times you re-bait and before you send it back down.

[fishermatt]

I've tried swivels too, and they don't work all that well, especially with a really light lure. When I see my lure spinning when I stop, I bring the lure just out of the water, holding the line up as high as I can (about 6 feet in my Portable) and let it un-spin, then let it back down. That works to some extent. Another option is to use a "schooley" reel, which is not a spinning reel, but just a 1:1 reel with no bail or drag. The line doesn't twist up on this type of reel, so your jig won't spin when you stop it. I saw this reel in use on Jason Mitchell Outdoors. He had a guest that was an expert panfisherman, and that's what he used.

[blackdog1101]

I've been using a fly fishing reel recently, and that seems to help a great deal. I've been doing some sight fishing with it and have had almost zero spinning & line twist. The down side is you have to pull the line off by hand, there's no "free spool" on a fly reel.

[Beast26]

How heavy of line are you using? If you are using 1-3 lb test grab the line firmly between two finger above your hook and run your fingers up the line 4-5 feet. Do it every once in a while. It takes some of the twist out of the line. Your never going to get rid of it completely.

[JDP]

Watch this episode of the Jason Mitchell Show (show 1005). The guest has an answer for the spin.

http://jasonmitchelloutdoors.com/jmo/pages/video_archives.php

JDP

[ozzie]

Dave Genz says to just stretch the line out......grab it in 2-3 ft sections and strech and hold for a few seconds and go up the line.....this works great......every few drops I will stretch my line and i have very little if any problem with twists and when I do I just repeat the process.....but also match the line diameter with the jig...i.e small jig light line

[3littlemonsters]

Thats what i've heard too....about stretching the line, I'm going to try next outing, as I had trouble with that last time. I changed the line using the warm bucket of water trick, we'll have to see if it helps.

I've noticed now too that I rarely use the depth bombs after getting a locator, I think that helps to send it down & stretch it out abit.

[slab master]

I've been using a fly reel and the jigs don't seem to spin like they do when using a spinning reel. maybe thats why they call it a spinning reel ?