They definitely inhabit shallow water.
I’ve seen a few times where there backs are out of water next to shore while chasing chum fry.
Lots of folks say don’t wade while fishing for them, but I’ve had good luck wading out then fishing back into shore to fish shallow water more effectively.

One of the coolest experiences was during a super extended cold spell into the teens for several days.
When I arrived the southern end of the canal was iced over. As the tide started going out the ice started breaking up. The noise it was making was crazy. It created gaps in between the sheets of ice as they floated by which you could fish. I threw a bunny polychaete worm pattern out that landed on the ice. I stripped it off the edge of the ice and a nice size cutt exploded it as it hit the water.

Also ran into a polychaete marine worm hatch which I’ve never seen before or since. Thousands of marine worms piled into a very small area. Looked like a worm orgy.
SF