I recently purchased some Bomber surface jerkbaits called Badonk-A-Donk and used them the last time I was on the water off Dana Pt.:
They are weighted pretty good so I was able to cast them a pretty good distance. They looked great on the surface using a walk-the-dog retrieve. I tried them briefly along a kelp line and quickly got a couple of mackerels and calicos; the calicos hit during the pause in the retrieve. I also had terns and seagulls try to take the lure; the action on the surface looked like a wounded fish twisting and zig-zagging on the surface.
From what I observed of the lures action, I had no doubt that bonito would clobber it, but I do not know if yellows would as the retrieve is relatively slow versus a surface iron. But the movement I described may be enough to get a hit if it is fast with no pauses.
Kevin