What weights (if any) should I be using when fishing off the rocks/ beach?

I strayline with no sinkers about 75% of the time, if i do need some weight ill use some small 1/2oz to 1 oz ball sinkers in a running rig. Seems to do the trick but thats mainly off the rocks in kelpy/snaggy places.

Dont fish of the beach to much but normally use a 3/4oz breakaway sinker or similar if theres a strong current also in a running rig and seems to work for me, but only if its landing on sand.

Fish your feet first, no need to cast ages off the rocks i find, and change of light really helps.

What is the reason for no weights? 

The main objective of unweighted baits is to get the fish looking up and coming up the water column to intercept the bait. A heavy sinker just makes it drop fast down staright past them.

aslo  less snags, sinkers seem to find all the nooks and crannys to get stuck in i find without them alot less gear gets lost.

What sort of rod are you using from the rocks mate and what size baits?...the only reason i ask is you mentioned about getting your bait out a little further.

If you go to a rocky marine reserve and snorkel about in 5m or less of water you find that the fish we target (snapper, trevs, ky, kings) are swimming about in the upper 2/3 of the water, not the lower 1/3 which is where a sinker would take your bait to.

Surf casting on an open sandy beach is an entirely different kettle of fish.

letsgetem wrote: I have a little experience with rock fishing - and I agree with the general advice, use no weight or very little, for reasons given before. But, I often have trouble with the bait being washed back in towards the rocks - by the action of waves. I would like some way of overcoming this. I intend trying a balloon - if the wind is offshore, it should push the bait out. Wont work if wind is onshore though. Anyone got any pearls of wisdom on this.

A lil trick I use is a bubble float filled with water float fishing snapper is pretty damn cool

Nil weight, no swivel, just a back to back uni knot if using trace but more often than not dont use trace, just 6kg main line.  As the guys have stated its all about keeping in touch with your bait, let it slowly sink down then wind in the slack and repeat.  7/0 - 9/0 circle hooks with no offset are the hook I use, and a 5ft and a smidge rod.  unless your fishing really foul are 12 is a bit of overkill if you ask me.

Yeah bro, its one of those many variable that everyone has an opinion on.  I fish 5 - 8ft off the bricks, but the 5fter is my go to staylining rig.