I tend to let the lure do the action for crankbaits, though I will try a stop and go if they are reluctant to bite. I try to limit deflection and bottom-contact because it beats up the lip and they don't cast/dive as well with lots of scratches. I've also lost a few baits this way, and not just getting stuck between rocks or in logs- one of my more heavily used Rapala DT-16s last year actually completely disconnected from the lip on a cast, the epoxy holding it on just gave way.
For me the key with crankbaits is maximizing the bait's time at target depth. Like someone pointed out, roughly 1/3rd of the retrieve is spent descending to that depth, another 1/3rd spend ascending from that depth. You can increase that middle 1/3rd where the bait is in the target zone two ways, either increasing the distance covered by the retrieve or increasing the rate at which the bait dives. Cast further by using lower test softer line, which also helps with diving. But you can also cover more distance using wind to your advantage. Obviously casting with the wind is one, but you have to make sure that you're anchored and not drifting toward the bait you're reeling in which is a waste of the longer distance cast. I will do this when I have a specific isolated structure I'm targeting like a sunken hump. The alternative is if you have a bait that casts really well into the wind, you can do that while allowing the boat to drift away from your cast direction, retrieving slightly slower to compensate for the drift speed, sort of semi-trolling. I like this when I'm drifting along a long linear structure like a drop-off along a shoreline.
When I'm using CBs as search baits casting distance is important enough to me that I'll go back to monofilament line instead of fluoro for the extra distance it gives.
