I have used a C-rig with hard baits. I have caught fish on both bandits and shadraps on a C-rig fishing in 20+ feet of water. Think about it, how many small crankbaits can you buy that will run that deep? Showing the fish something they don't see is sometimes a ticket to putting some in the boat. I found most of the bites come by a long sweep of the rod and pausing it to let the bait float back up, then sweep again. Just like a stop and pause retrieve, most hits come when you initially move the bait again. Not something I do a lot of but I have done it and it works.