Very interested in seeing better photos! I like innovation and I'm always open to it.

For certain, I now cast unto heavier cover and do catch more fish minding their own business just hanging out. Bet they're surprised with any intruder!
Under tree overhangs and gaps in heavy brush as well as close to stumps seen and unseen, generate more fish discovery and pattern making.

As far as depth, fish are where they are for that day or week - it's just a matter of testing the waters. Recently I caught multi-species adjacent to cat tails bordering water over 10' deep. Never found fish there before nor near a rock wall that dropped into the same depth. In both areas fish were only a few feet down - no where near bottom. The fish I found deep near bottom (in 10-14') wouldn't hit slow vertical jigging. Seems only shallow fish in an over different structure were the best bitters and that's with a water temp that's dropped down to 58 degrees.