Artificial bait for inshore???

[Tarpon]

I have fished the Carolina Beach, Cape Fear River, Southport area for the last 7 years or so. I mostly fish inshore for drum trout and flounder. I have always fishid with live bait: finger mullet or pogies and a carolina rig. This has always worked fairly well. However, i keep hearing more and more about artificials. I'm gonna try some this weekend and hit up the creeks behing bald head. Any advice on which plastics to buy? What size jig heads? Should I experiment w/ spinner baits for drum? Thansk for the help