Oh, As far as gizzards, I have not targeted them since they raised the lake back up. The growth that is under water now was just too much to attempt throwing a net versus catching alewives. You can usually see bait roaming around over open water back in the heads if there is no wind. The smaller stuff is usually on top but there can be larger under it. The growth is much less these days but all it takes is one tree to remove a net from the equation. Ha!
I used to work close to the banks and pockets. You might see them, you might not. I'd blind cast if I didn't see anything and hope for the best. Usually get the big baits doing this. If I were desperate enough to try today, I would try to hunt down the bait over open water.