The Breakaway flasher is basically a HotSpot copy since the patent ran on for Hotspot. The flasher works just like a HotSpot but at the rear there is a plug that you push in with varying tension. This is basically a release clip. When the fish bites it pulls the clip out of the back of the flasher and the flasher freely slides on your main line. The flasher works its way up your line to the surface and the mainline is totally free...just you and the fish and either hoochie or spoon. I have a demo model and haven't tried it yet but others I know have and say the trick is to figure out how hard to push in the release clip just like a downrigger release so it isn't so loose it trips prematurely or too tight so it won't release at all. I'm really not sure about possible line twist. The commercial version of the real HotSpot has Sampo ball bearing swivels at both ends and those are the best in my book.