you need to invest in 2 or 3 down pipe spotter boards, you sweep a net down stream, tidal rivers are awesome get upstream where the salt meets the fresh its better once bait hits fresh they keep swimming, you can never pick when they will run, higher tides in the calendar month tend to fish better as the bigger incoming pushs the bait harder, fishing after a fresh"downpour" is awesome the increased current "flow" pushes the bait to the sides, do some recon work well before the season, take your spotter boards and watch any likely looking spots for an hour or two with out the net, bait is every where even the shittiest little creek I own 5 nets and am no pro but have done it for enough years to know what im doing last season got over 20kg from spot x if you see others wbaitn a spot and they tell you nothing much happening don't believe them, never cut another baiter off! if they are first there fish behind them it an unwritten law but a common courtesy

good luck its a lot of fun and im sure you will love it