One of the best proven ways to fill a boat with trout and redfish is to use a live shrimp under a cork. I prefer to use a treble hook, leaving 18 to 24 inches of line between the hook and the bobber, depending on how deep the fish is in the water. If I’m fishing on a shallow reef, I shorten the length of the line between the bobber and the hook to prevent jamming, but if I’m working with birds, I want the shrimp to work a little deeper, so I lengthen the line.
Reef working live shrimp under a popping cork is the way to go instead of using artificial lures. You can fish for redfish and trout with the same setup instead of having to change lure types and colors to match what the fish eat.
Make sure to attract the fish by popping the cork. The rattle mimics the sound a trout makes when it sucks up bait at the surface of the water. By popping the cork, you’re also moving the shrimp around, increasing the chances that your potential dinner party will notice and eat them.
When the fish are feeding, you can never go wrong using live shrimp under a cork. Last summer I fished some reefs in the Port Lavaca area with a good friend of mine. After the shrimp hit the water and three quick pops of the cork, a fish appeared. We stuck to trout in 30 minutes and had a couple of nice reds on the boat. His wife thought we had engine trouble because we were back at the house too soon.
Good luck fishing.