Hey Phil, With Tidal currents that strong you will probably need a lot of weight to keep your rig on bottom. Those sinkers you mentioned with the # 6 on them weigh 6 ounces - probably a good weight to start with if you decide to use bait.
For a bait rig - just tie one of those big sinkers on the bottom and space two # 6 or #8 forged hooks on short dropper loops above that, but still close to bottom - bait up with chunks of clams or worms and have at it. There is probably a bait shop where you can get the frozen or fresh clams around there somewhere.
I quit using the bait a long time ago, because you are apt to catch most anything when you do that. Spiny Dogfish sharks - Skates and Rays and sculpins and ling and these things are all a royal pain in the butt when you are wanting the Cod and Haddock.
You be careful out there - especially in the fog - that some bigger boat don't run over you. I almost had that happen to me a couple of times and it is some scary. Our little boats don't show up too well on their radar most times. It is real spooky, when you are just idling along in the dense fog and all of a sudden a Lobster boat appears 10 feet off your bow. You need to have an extra pair of underwear along on days like that.