Rookie Help for Venice Area

I'll be at Casey Key 5/28 thru 6/6 and don't know the first thing about saltwater fishing. Last year I fished 1 time from the Blackburn Point bridge and hope to fish the area everyday this year. I used live shrimp and caught several small mangrove snappers. Any advice on what terminal tackle and bait would be most helpfull. Also is it best to fish from this bridge with tide coming in or going out? I love to fish but am certainly out of my element here. I also like to fish in the surf. Pls educate me.