jrogers08

My family and I are planning another trip to the gulf to Cape San Blas, FL the week of July 27 2013-August 3. We will be staying at seacliffs condominiums this year. This is right next to the barrier dunes condos. Last year we went around the middle of May and our surf fishing adventure didn't go as planned. We only caught a few catfish, stingrays, and one 2.5 ft shark. We were using 8-12 ft rods with reels spooled up with 20-40 lb mono using the pre made drop loop rigs. For bait we used frozen squid, live shrimp, and sand fleas. We had no luck. This year we are hoping to catch a variety of fish. What is the best advice you have so we are able to do that?

Gear:

Pinnacle PV70 spooled with 20lb mono on a 12ft daiwa beefstick
2 Daiwa 27h Sealines spooled with 40lb mono on 8 ft rods
2 cheapo mitchell big game 206 reels spooled with 20lb mono on 8ft rods
1 Shakespeare reel spooled with 16lb mono on a 8 ft rod

What bait?

What Locations around this area?

What Rigs?

Casting distance into the surf?

Low tide or high tide?

From my main line do I go straight to a mono shock leader and then from the mono shock leader to a premade rig?

Thank you so much!!