Long casting for spotfin is the answer to landing them. If you can throw bait long distances your chances of catching them becomes much greater. Sometimes individual fish come into the surf zone at high tide but most of them are deeper. Use 10-13 foot long, slow bend, casting rods with 15 pound test line or less. String the worm completely onto the hook with only the point of the hook exposed.
Ghost shrimp is probably a better bait but difficult to cast without falling off on the casting arc.
The best bait is mussel tied to the hook with string or a rubber band but they are also really hard to cast. Sargo Sargo have a resemblance to spotfin and sometimes are mistaken for them. Very large individuals are caught at Catalina Island by anglers fishing with squid for white sea bass. Some anglers target Sargo for catching but most are caught by fishermen looking for other surf type fish. They are popular targets for pier fishermen.