I was usually targeting bass when i could still fish, and usually had between 4-6 rods rigged at once. The water I was fishing had a lot on influence on lure choice, not much, if any surface bite here for smallies in 15-25 feet of water on Lake Erie. Some inland lakes and bays of Lake Erie don't have a lot of good areas for crankbait or lures with exposed hooks, so choices varied.
Waters with largemouth? a 6 inch worm or lizard, texas rigged, lightly weighted for a slow swimming retrieve in shallower weedy woody water.