I'll take a stab even though I have only been doing this a few times. They are probably fishing for surf perch and using several ounces of lead or whatever is needed to hold the bottom in the waves. Pyramid sinkers are good. Then up above are usually two hooks on loops or three-way swivels with any of a number of baits.Snelled bait holder hooks are good. Shrimp from the store, mussels, and sand shrimp are common baits. The hooks are probably about a foot or two above the sinker. The best time to fish is right before and during high tide when the perch come in to feed on crap that washes around during high tide. You don't need to cast out super far either, just out in the waves or behind them is about right. If you can find places like drop offs or at the mouths of creeks, that's good. Scout it at low tide. Good luck.