planning to go after some red drum this weekend. first time chasing these fish here. where do you guys think I have a better chance of catching them braunig or calaveras? never been to either and I will be fishing from shore. got some shrimp and will get some bluegill for cutbait and livelining while im there. am I missing anything? any help on better bait or which lake is better would be great. not looking for your secret spots. just some pointer.

Calveras.
Some spots to consider: (no pun intended)
Picnic point, Striper ridge, North and south road beds, 181 coves, Corvina cove.

Plus #1.

Just look for the boats and you'll know pretty quick where the reds are.
Don't worry, everyone else is doing the same thing, and if those guides see you catch a fish it won't be long they'll be trolling all around you!

Next question is ,what bait or lures.

I haven't fished out there in a while so I can only give you a general idea on what to use, and that would be live talapia. If you have a castnet you can catch plenty around the shoreline or off the boat docks mainly before sunrise, and you'll also catch shad, but the Talapia stay alive and kicking so it's the preferred bait.
As for lures, you can go with spoons, swim baits, rattle traps, and diving baits, but any shad imitations will work.
There's a telephone pole sticking out of the water not far off the bank directly across from the boat launch, and that is near the old submerged roadbed.....I call that "Potlicker Point" as that is where you'll usually see a fleet of boats trolling and sitting on anchor over the roadbed.