In my Lowrance manuals it always says to mount the bottom of the transducer as flat and parallel to the ground as possible. If the transducer is mounted at an angle, it can't read the sonar returns because they will reflect off at a different angle. (Unless it is a side imaging transducer.)

Hummingbird has the 360 radar-like tranducer that gives u a 360 deg field of view. That may help avoid snags, but I'd say losing crankbaits just comes with the territory.

Also, Lowrance has the Spotlight Scan transducer that allows you to see ahead of the boat.