Well like i have said on this an other bb's, a good chum caught on light gear in shallow water can be a real rush.

Yeah you can good to the Hood and fight for a spot or just go south some on 101 and there is Johns Creek and Kennedy Creek.
Both have cirtain restrictions on how and where to to fish, but both are shallow water fishing at it's best.

Nothing like a 10-15 pounder slamming a green croakie and yarn and just coming out like a mad bull with a stick up his as**, they can fly, run, jump, jet up or down, no one know's until the lights come on.

As to eating, the meat is real good as long as there is some good color, i mean for the dinner table. Yes, they are best cooked out doors, wrapped in foil and all the trimming's. Like most spawing fish, they are heavy in oil and can smoke a little if not careful. More so the whiter the more possible smoke.

Good luck and lots of fun coming up.