1) Bottom bites are very subtle. Leave the monofilament at home. Braided line is much more sensitive. Both Brandon and Brent use 30-pound PowerPro line.
2) Soft plastics are all that’s really needed for speckled trout and redfish. Topwaters are fun, and so are other plugs, but they are not necessary.
3) Spinning tackle is the tool of choice. Modern lines and rods mean sensitivity is just as good with spinning tackle as with casting tackle. With spinning tackle, you never get backlashes, you can cast further and it’s easier to cast into the wind.
4) Unless a cork is being used, concentrate on keeping lures on the bottom.
5) Keep color selection simple.
6) Stick with 3/8-ounce jigheads. They are the most versatile. They will go to the bottom in 20 feet of water, but still will make a cork pop well. Both brothers use unpainted jigheads.
7) Fan-cast any in any area you stop, then concentrate on a spot when you find fish.
8) Once you find the pattern on any given day, it will likely be the same at any other drain, point or pocket that you fish that day. But be prepared: The next day it may be all different.