I would avoid the bank completely if you have a boat!
There is very limited bank area and most of the regulars spread out with multiple rods even though you are supposed to be limited to two per person.
Even then, the early bird gets the worm!

The shad you catch are going to turn belly up as soon as you catch them unless you have some super duper live well or bait tank.
Talapia stay alive a long time, and I usually just put the shad in a gallon zip lock bag and then on ice.
Drift fishing the live talapia, or fresh cut dead shad, or find a spot and anchor up.
Free lining (no weight) live talapia is also effective either drifing or ancored up.
Don't be surprised if you don't latch onto some big blue cats on the shad and cut talapia, but you have a better chance on reds with the live talapia.
Troll the lures suggested especially around the dam where the reds congregate especially in October, they love the ends and along the riprap.
Like I mentioned, pay attention to the other boats where they congregate.
The guides communicate and let each other know where the fish are. Don't worry about potlicking because as soon as they see you catch a fish they'll swarm all around you even coming from across the lake.
Ever since they closed down fishing at the "crappie wall" those coves around hwy 181 are the hot places.
Don't overlook the "high lines" up the Chupaderas arm of the lake....Take a right after you launch and look for the highlines crossing the lake from the power plant.

I would avoid the bank completely if you have a boat!
There is very limited bank area and most of the regulars spread out with multiple rods even though you are supposed to be limited to two per person.
Even then, the early bird gets the worm!

Have they cleaned those lakes up recently? Last time I went there was trash everywhere.

The weeds and grass are so tall and unkept you can't see the trash so maybe that's a good thing!
Also I don't understand how people can stomach cleaning their fish at the fish cleaning tables because the buzzards sit on those tables and poop, and I've seen people cleaning fish and the buzzards, probably 30 or more are on the ground around them and they don't even fly off.
Pretty disgusting and unsanitary!
I stopped cleaning fish there for years now, and it's because they don't empty the barrels often enough, or clean the tables if at all.
It wouldn't bankrupt Thousand Trails to screen in that fish cleaning table even if they only used cattle panels to enclose them.
I fished that lake from the beginning when it actually had some dead trees and grass and I've got plenty of fond memories fishing that lake, but it's saddens me to see it the way it has become over the years.
You pay more and get so much less, and even in it's hey day, very little has been spent to improve the park over the half century plus that the lake has been there.

Thats one of the reasons I quit going. Last time I went Brauning I thought I was at a gang rally. And like you said the cleaning stations are nasty and the stinch in the heat is unbearable. Sad because both lakes could really be something special

is it packed on weekdays, or just weekends?

Weekdays if you are going to fish the bank, but get there early as when they open at 6 a.m. and bring about ten rod and reels, spread them out about 30' apart, in order to stake out a large section of bank before anyone gets there before you!
Better yet bring a boat.