It has been about ten years since I fished down that way, but I used to always catch perch and corbina down near Pointe Dume. That is the rock point at the Southern end of Zuma. If you are sure-footed, I have heard of people crawling up into the rocks at high-tide and dropping frozen green peas into the deep holes for perch. However, standing on the sand using bloodworms always did the trick for me. Safer for the kids too.

A nice perk of having all the rock structure jetting out into the water... you don't have to actively fish right in the suds. You can rig up a weight at the end of the line and dropper loop (up about two feet) with a bait-keeper hook on a 12" leader with some bloodworm. Just throw it out there near some rocks, put a bell on the pole, stick it in a rod holder (sand spike), and go play with your kids. I've hooked many fish while making sand castles 20 feet from my pole. Although I always caught the corbina while working the suds.

If I remember correct, you have to pay a couple bucks to park down there, but if you have kids and family-beach-type-stuff to haul, it is well worth it.

FISHLIPS