Hi famo. This is my first post on this site, just because of your question.
I don't know your area, but shore-cast a couple times weekly around my area with some success.
I suggest getting a Rapala or Boca Grip. Nets always get caught in stuff.
Your zzingers are good and I lose a couple each day. I also use several other jigs but for all of them I do as follows:
-swap trebles for a single siwash or octopus
-make up a couple assist hooks like they have on those new deep drop jigs. I tie #1 or #2 Octopus on 65# or 80# braid about 1 1/5" long, add to the jig-eye if you direct-tie. I use snap-swivels, so I strongly recommend adding the assist hooks to the mainline-end swivel-eye. This so your snap & jig-eye don't abrade-off your assist hooks. I'll use 1-2 of the assist hooks.
This gives you far fewer bad snags, and a great many more hook-ups... a lot more.
Because I get so many small rock & ling cod, I mash the barbs.
Other good, proven fish catchers:
Deadly Di*k, long, 1-3oz, silver, green or blue prism. Green's been my best. On one side I put a self-adhesive strip of velcro for scent/paste.
Gibbs DepthCharge Army Truck is best, even pick up greenling on that.
Buzz Bombs white/green & that shimmery green finish
I like 1oz-2oz to give the lures enough time to work but keep them out of the rocks. In a really fast rip, I'll go to 3oz. Anything more & I forgot to bring my surf rod... bad planning.
An all-time champ lure for me is a wobble-flutter jighead, 3/8oz & 1/2oz. This is a patented jighead & the retailer holding the patent is out of stock (butthead..for a year & a half!!), but has molds for sale. Add a Powerbait Saltwater jerk minnow in mullet colour and you cannot keep the fish off your line... I know sounds like BS, but it's true. I haven't found another jighead to quite give the same results, but saltwater 'stand-ups' are almost close.
Paint an eye on every jighead with felt pen or white-out with feltpen pupil. Don't forget. I do that on buzz bombs with improved strike-ratios as well.
On a heavy surf rod, I'll throw 2oz-5oz bank sinkers tied on a sliding swivel, stopped at the terminal swivel, 2'-4' 30# mono leader, 4"-9" grubs, sardines/herring/octopus, or Gulp sandworms, shrimp & others. Last year, I picked up a 5' shark off Gordonhead Point using a Gulp 6" Herring minnow... Big surprise there!.. first thought it was a dogfish, heavy, live rubber boot, but it was as long as the girlfriend was tall... Had to think how I was getting my rig back.
If you can toss just over the kelp beds with a Gulp newpenny Shrimp on a 3/8oz-1oz jighead, just let it ride up & down, good for greenling, a few Rock cod, mostly greenling.
I've never had any luck on sand & gravel beds no matter what I've done... need some lessons. I keep hoping for a flounder or two.
So, I look for points with water depth and room to cast. Best time is always just before, during and a few minutes after high slack tide.
We don't have the good fortune boaters do around jetties, working baits down to the bottom, we have to work up, so you lose a ton of gear. But, I've been in spots I've caught as many as 52 fish without moving more than 3'. Only one keeper, but great action.
I hear about guys catching salmon off the rocks, but I've never seen that in 6 years of regularly pounding the shores Sooke to Sidney.
I don't use many other lures because it's just too expensive...
Oh yeah, minimum 30# braid line & gloves... Careful with this stuff.
Cheers & Good Luck
