I will be headed down to the freeport/surfside jetties to fish with my friend and I am wondering what are the best rigs to use off of the jetties. I am an experienced fisherman, just not off the jetties. (mostly inshore and surf) All help is appreciated.

Current rigs: 12' ugly stick w/ambassadeur 7000i c3 ct mag hs
7'6 shakespeare tidewater with penn fierce
and Penn Fierce combo 6'6 with fierce

I free line shrimp around the rocks with light tackle for trout,drum,and sheepshead and bottom fish heavy gear away from the rocks for bull reds.

I only freeline shrimps there for specks

CDF. so should I throw out the big ugly stick with a spider weight and cut bait for big bulls while free lining some shrimp along the rocks with other outfits?

I would use dead shrimp and crab on the bottom for drum, live or cut mullet lined or on bottom for reds and shark, for specks your best bet will be topwaters early in the morning and freelined shrimp and croaker in the afternoon, spanish mackeral are also fun to catch in the summer, a silver spoon will work great for them.

Great information. Exactly what I was looking for.

That's how we do it here in Surfside. Good advice.

Yes that would work

dead or live shrimp on the bottom is by far the best this time of year.

do you all recommend drop-shot rigs with a shrimp by the rocks?

Yea, I like a double dropper myself but a regular dropshot works great. A Carolina rig setup works very good too. Whatever you use, bring lots of tackle because you will snag in the rocks. It helps to use a lighter leader on your sinker. That way, if it hangs up, you can break it off without loosing your whole rig.

One thing I hate bottom fishing in surfside (if fishing from the jetties) is they got tons of rocks and will eat your leaders for snacks. That's why I only go there very early in the morning, free line some shrimps, get a stringer of specks and head home before noon.
If U have a boat, it's a different story.

Circle hooks will not hang up as bad as J hooks.