Some species travel up and down the water column many times in the course of a day.
Consistently putting a bait in front of these fish means being able to fish as much of the water column as possible. If you just want to fish a foot or two below the surface, then there are many lures you can have in your arsenal. These are designed with lips made of plastic or stainless that will work fairly shallow - up to depths approaching fifteen feet or so. Check with your tackle store or the manufacturer for the specifications of the lure that you are considering. Weighing the options Let's say you have a favorite lure without a lip or live bait that you want to fish a few feet further down in the water column.