Catching Flounder at Matagorda The Best Places to Fish: The best areas are the coves and flats areas near major passes. Some of the better known spots include the mouth of the Colorado River at the Jetties, the locks at the Colorado River and the Intracoastal waterway at Matagorda, the diversion channel where the "new" Colorado river flows into West Matagorda Bay, Old Gulf cut between the intracoastal canal and East Matagorda Bay, simular passes from East Matagorda Bay into the intracoastal canal towards the Sargent area. There is a really good cut into the Gulf just west of Sargent, accessible from the beach with 4x4, that is a hot spot in the fall....In West Matagorda Bay, the old river cut, the cut at Mad Island from the bay to the canal, Oyster Lake and Pass Cavallo at Port O'Connor.    Look for Bait Fish: The presence of baitfish is important And not just mullet.... Anywhere you see small forage species, specifically menhaden, is a good potential flounder fishing hole. Remember that fall flounder tend to congregate in numbers and that they don't move about near as much as reds and trout.....so..... always try to "pattern cast." Once you catch a fish, work that area throughly, casting just a little to the left or right of your last cast until you have covered the entire area....   Best Bait/Lures: The flounder "strike zone" is where the fish are, near the bottom. Work lures slowly and meticulously. Top offerings include soft plastics - shrimptails and shadtails, along with specialty lures like the split-tailed "Flounder Pounder" and "Flex Jig" - as well as quarter-ounce spoons. A single-hooked Johnson Sprite can also be a real killer. Natural Baits: If you're partial to natural baits, don't ignore the mud minnow, properly referred to as the "Gulf killifish." Mud minnows, unlike live shrimp, are not likely to attract trash fish like hardhead catfish and small croakers.   Where to Cast: When flounder are holding near marshy shorelines where grass can present a snagging dilemma, rig your baits below a float or popping cork. Throw the rig inside of coves and cuts, and let the current float it along the shoreline in order to cover as much bottom area as possible. Always set the leader length to present the bait a foot or so above the bottom.   Be Patient and be ready: Give the fish a moment or two to take the lure or bait before setting the hook. Flounder will often "mouth" the offering before taking it in earnest. Use a landing net, even when wade fishing for flounder. The fish are notorious for short-striking, and accordingly will often barely get the barb in their mouth. For the same reason, play flounder gently. I've landed fish before that were not hooked, but instead were simply holding the bait in their mouths. Use an easy hand, and even flatfish like these can sometimes be netted before spitting the hook. If you're wade fishing and don't have a net, exercise extreme caution when hand-landing a flounder - especially if the bait in its mouth is a multi-trebled plug. The fishes' flat bodies make them tough to grab, and when you do grab them you can count on them going completely ballistic. Grab the fish immediately behind the gill flaps, and hold on with everything you've got. Finally, always run the stringer through the fish's jaws before letting go. Flounder are no doubt the easiest-to-lose gamefish that swim in saltwater.

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