I may be the one off guy, but I really like topwaters for search baits, they are very similar to swimbaits as they draw attention plus they come over submerged grass because of obvious reasons, they work spring-fall and dare I say you get those crazy winter days. Plus they are fun

Humminbird. Once I know what a likely depth range looks like, a whole bunch of water became irrelevant... "searched" 

 

With that said, one of the situations I'm often faced with is a pretty shallow (<8') area with lots of grass lanes and pockets and holes. A Keitech toad with a 1/8 oz swimbait hook does wonders - can fish it like a toad, or with that weight it falls about like a senko so I can chuck it at likely targets too. 

Or if I'm in the no chance of topwater mode, keitech 3.8 with a colorado underspin. Can put it in the nastiest grossest slop or laydown and it just keeps going.

If I'm covering a known structure looking for cover or fish, it depends mostly on water depth.  I'm partial to a C-Rig for deeper structure, a crank for mid-depth and, most recently a swim jig for the shallow stuff.

If I'm fishing shallow city park ponds/lakes, I tend to toss a 1/2 oz double willow spinnerbait.

If I'm fishing deep lakes, I like a 2.8, or 3.8 Kietech swimbaits on a 1/4 oz underspin, such as the coolbait or flashy swimmer.

Find them with crankbaits and catch them on plastics.

I completely agree with what @A-Jayis saying.  I've always had trouble with this term.  Of all my 'search' senses and tools, bait isn't really on the list.  Like @J Francho, every cast, every lure, is 'searching' for a bite.  

  Obviously,  some lures cover water faster than others, but I depend on my maps, eyes, ears, graphs, etc. to do the searching.

3.5"  Paddletail swimbait

18 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Hahahah what in the world???? Clear bottom cup is genius though. I hate opening up worm cups before purchasing but I’ve bought an empty tub or two before. Sometimes the cashier opens it to prove there are worms in there 

I was fishing around some houseboats and they had them on a bench

Having never seen anything like the Dancin' Rascals, I had to grab a pic

It's like I'm always surprised by what I see down here but at the same time not surprised

4 minutes ago, BassNJake said:

I was fishing around some houseboats and they had them on a bench

Having never seen anything like the Dancin' Rascals, I had to grab a pic

It's like I'm always surprised by what I see down here but at the same time not surprised

The name of Your geographic location is 1958 

No one swims a ned rig to search?

 

Once set on an "area" a few cast with a 1/10 oz trd can give me a pretty good feel on what and how to throw the next bait selection to fish more efficiently.

40 minutes ago, WVU-SCPA said:

No one swims a ned rig to search?

 

Once set on an "area" a few cast with a 1/10 oz trd can give me a pretty good feel on what and how to throw the next bait selection to fish more efficiently.

Not the brand ned but yes finesse worm on jig head . They grab it while I’m reeling in to cast again quite often