If you pay to fish off the pier you will not need a liscense.

The time of year you are going, there wont be much running. Just bring you a medium action spinning outfit and that should be fine. Purchase a couple chrome with red head gotchas, use a THIN steel leader if you are getting cut off. You should have a blast with the lady fish though they are really only good for chum and/or shark bait after the catch.

Throwing out live shrimp on a fish finder rig could bring in a myriad of different fish species from whiting (great fried) to flounder, the occasional blue fish and lots of cats!