We are heading down to CC early Friday morning and have 48 solid hours of fishing planned(midnight Friday thru Midnight Sunday).
The plan is to set up on Bob Hall at night and surf fish while the family swims/suns during the day. We don't plan to sleep much, maybe from daylight until noon so we want to take advantage of every opportunity.

I need support for our Live vs. Artificial debate.

My father in law is a die-hard live bait fisherman with floating bait baskets, aerators, etc.
His brother is a die-hard frozen bait fisherman.
My father is a die-hard bass fisherman and only uses lures.
All have been very sucessful so I am guessing the right answer is "d: all of the above" or "use what works" but my wife and I are caught in the middle.

What is best for summer time pier/wade fishing?

I do'nt know, but your fixin' ta find out!
As much as it pains me to say it,(I'm almost strictly artificial) my $$$ is on the live bait. I'd still be wearin' out the speck rigs at night.
Time???? Piers at night, work the lights. Surf/wade, before day break till around 10:00.

I may buy some premade spec rigs if things dont work out with the red head/white body crappie jigs doubled up.

Hey Classic, You will beat them both if you get a red head/white or silver or chartruse body shallow jerk bait, smaller the size the better. Fish in the nearest lights to shore. Cast bait out past the light and twitch, reel twitch reel etc... Day time in the surf use the dead frozen bait and catch a mess of 14"-18" whiting if the specks are not in...the whiting can save a trip. #6 or #4 size hook, smaller split shot 18" above the bait cast out in the 1st gut and let the fish do the rest.

I have some 3/4 oz white w/ red head rattle traps. Will that work?
Also plan on trying Norton sand eels (white/chart tail) with chart jig heads and HH plastics (gold glitter/oragish red tail) with red jig heads.
A guy suggested taking white Bass Strips (pork rinds) splitting them lengthwise and carolina rigging them. I assume this is similar to using squid strips, etc.

What brand/type/oz. jerkbait do you suggest?

Im afraid the traps work a bit fast. I have tried them but did not have great success in the lights.

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I used this lil guy a few weeks ago and slammed them hard!!!*The slow moving action* triggers them beyond belief. Cost about $ 6.00 but will last you whole trip...

Aransas, unless your at copano on the first light and catch a trout only to get it stolen by a big bull red that takes your trout, lure and all your line haha

Is copano a good pier I'm headed to rockport the 29 th this month with the wife and daughter. Would love to get into some edible fish

Usually, I'll take a few things to bob hall pier. One is a few manolures. several spec rigs, and some heavy leader. Usually I'll use that for mackrel and schooling fish. When they show up. Other than that I'll use bait. Whether it be live, cut etc.

I picked up 2 Bass Pro brand X Rap's in the color shown above.
Already had 1 in chrome and 1 in chart w/ black back and orange belly.

I primarily use lures in the salt. However, if lures aren't getting it done then I'll switch over to live bait. Live is almost always better than dead or frozen.

should not have been using a light weight lol, I had no idea a 30" plus red would be on that bridge.

I really prefer to use lures when possible, but if I'm taking my wife or kids I'll have them use live shrimp since its easier for them to learn to use and will usually provide more consistent action (even if its just croakers or perch, it'll keep them from getting bored).

The color above is called Clown. X-Raps are a good one to try in that color. Pointers are better, but cost a lot more. I would even try the X-Rap shad. It is a suspending shaprap with rattles. Can be orked like a jerk bait or like a crankbait.