One of the best tried and proven ways to fill a boat full of keeper trout and redfish is using a live shrimp under a popping cork. I prefer to use a treble hook, leaving about 18-24 inches of line between the hook and the popping cork, depending on the depth of water the fish are in. If I am fishing a shallow reef, then I shorten the length of line between the cork and the hook to prevent hang-ups, but if I am working birds, I want the shrimp to work a little deeper so I lengthen the line.

Working reefs with live shrimp under a popping cork is the way to go as opposed to using artificial lures. You can catch both redfish and trout with the same set up instead of having to change lure types and colors to match what the fish are eating.

Make sure you entice the fish by popping the cork. The rattle mimics the sound a trout makes when it sucks in bait at the surface of water. By popping the cork, you are also moving the shrimp around, increasing the chances that it is noticed and eaten by your potential dinner.

When the fish are feeding, you will never go wrong using live shrimp under a popping cork. Last summer I fished a few 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 was on. We limited out on trout in 30 minutes and had a couple of nice reds in the boat. His wife thought we had motor trouble because we were back at the house so soon.

Good luck fishing.

Aaron Ralston is the owner of Gulf Coast Guide Reports located at: http://www.gulfcoastguidereports.com Gulf Coast Guide Reports provides saltwater fishing reports by the best guides along the gulf coast from Port Isabel, Texas all the way to the Florida Keys, fishing articles, tips, tournament information, and just about anything else you want to know about fishing. Get the latest news today.