Low tide for kings. At low tide baitfish are consentrated and have no inshore hiding spots. Makes them easy to catch for bait too.
This has proven true over the last forty years that I have been chasing them. Particularly off the rocks. Have a look at your photos of kings caught over the years and you may note that it is low tide that you catch them. No reason why that should change now that we are fishing the beaches harder now.
My best last year took a yelloweyed mullet but kahawai are hardier and just as attractive. Best bait overall in my opinion is a trevally. Piper are second. I personally use Gamakatsu circle hooks in sizes to suit the bait I am using.
I use a two bait system off the beach. Sinker is cast a hundred metres and my first bait is slid on a non return slider. It can go to the sinker if it wants to. Another bait is slid but this time is on a longer leader which has a float at the top. THis bait slides to the strike zone and the bait is held there by the float and the non return slider. This bait covers the area that chad refers to just behind the wave break.
Balloons are used when big baits are eployed or when there is a good offshore wind, dead baits can be used then too.
Thats my take on it.