One thing is for sure: Bass fisherman on big rivers aren't great prospects for crankabits with diving lips the size of small surf boards. Seldom does a river angler need to ply water he can't stand up in to catch bass. In fact, radio telemetry studies conducted by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources found that the average depth of a Mississippi River bass was just 2.8 feet. In waters where most bass hang out in depths that would just crest your belly button, a 3/4-ounce Fat Free Shad that digs down over 15 feet is a little overkill, to say the least. Some comedic river anglers have been heard referring to a Mann's Baby 1-Minus as their "deep diver".

With that in mind, here's a selection of crankbaits that run 2 to 5 feet deep that perform well in shallow water. They're sorted by approximate price from low to high. One thing these all have in common is a square, or near-square, lip. This is an important feature in shallow, cover-infested water. Square-billed cranks deflect off limbs, stumps, and branches better than baits with round lips. They're not totally snag free, but you'd be surprised how well a little square-billed crank will come through wood. Throwing one is a good trick to pick up a stray bass here and there when you're following one or more spinnerbaiters down a bank.