Head out on non busy ramp days.. and if say a busy weekend, give the Monday a miss.. or at least to late Monday arvo....
Study google earth, reefs, look carefully , espec on the time line maps currents and such.
Burly up.. even if drifting.
Keep records of time of yr conditions tide where catch and dont catch.
Plan every trip at least 3 to 7 days out... noting weather windows, tides, wind, swell directions.
Use good hooks owner/ gamaski (??) and make sure they dig into your finger nail.. sharp.
Fish reefs, changes in depth, and everything you go out to planned location, take a slightly different route...say 25/50 away... and watch for the slightest discrepancy, rock on the bottom of what other wise looks like flat terrain.. and mark them.
Play the percentage game... several types of bait.. mullet, trev, KY, squid, pillies, piper......and softbaits....and make sure you baits hang tidy...if not they will spin up your line, and while spinning make a damn intimidating , hard to hit fast moving target for the fish.
Make sure the end of hooks are well out of the bait.
use as light a sinker as possible... changing as the currents change
After a while you will get to know where fish tend to be different times of the yr... sort of, and what baits/ burely works for different seasons and locations.
Generally late autumn thru late spring early summer can be hard fishing...be it fish not hungry or simply picking on baits, or pickup, and spit out...and not as many...early summer thru to silly season, good fishing ....silly season , when others are not out there.. ramps not busy (note above) After silly season thru autumn.. (now).. non busy days at the ramps
Fishing is like hunting..well it is hunting one cant simply walk into thr bush and drop a dear...requires understanding the terrain, where the early morning sun hits, knowing where and what the dear are likely to be and doing different times of the yr etc..
One NEEDS to do ones homework
Get the homework right plan the trip, and a plan B and a reasonable fisherman wil bring in at least a feed for all , every trip all yr round... and on good days enough to fill the smoker.
Personally...I think attitude has something to do with it....We go out for a god day on the water, good company.. and the fish in the bin a bonus.. in last 4 to 5 yrs, fishing all yr round, ave around once every 1.5 weeks approx.. and never failed to bring home a feed for all the families of the crew.. usually 3 crew... treat what is in the bin as a bonus to a good day , not the purpose.