Fall is a great time to fish shallow with a number of baits including crankbaits. The trick is to select one that not only mimics the size of the bait but also runs at the depth that you are looking to target.
Over the past several years, flat sided baits have become more popular as they tend to put off more flash as well as a different vibration than a standard, rounded body bait will.
This seems to more closely resemble the frantic nature of baitfish in certain circumstances.
One of the baits that we always have tied on for this situation is the Jackall Jaco 58. This little bait has caught fish for us from So-Cal to Georgia, largemouth to spots, and some species that weren’t even on our minds at the time.