definitely go with the #6 hooks. I use a carolina rig with a 2 foot leader. A small egg slip sinker above a swivel and the leader. I've nailed some pretty big barred surf perch, more so than with bait. If you wade out a little ways and cast with the longshore current and use a medium retrieve, with an occasional stop to let the sinker hit the bottom, you'll be catching perch left and right. don't cast out too far though cause the perch are in close, usually in the white wash. Look for troughs and sand bars and fish along the deeper edges of these. best time is at high tide right before sunup or sunset.