Even so, flounder numbers have been trending downward since the 1980s and TPWD biologists have become increasingly concerned about the well being of the species in Texas.

"We've been watching it for many years," Riechers says of the flounder situation, "and the commission has taken several management actions, but we still haven't seen flounder at levels we like to see."

Earlier this year, the TPWD was pondering a recommendation to the commission to decrease the flounder limit and to put into place seasonal closures around the flounder run.

Though the likelihood is high that stricter conservation measures will go into effect this fall, fans of broiled flatfish should not give up hope, as my summer meal-sized catch indicates. Flounder may not be as pervasive as they once were, but there's a lot of habitat in which to fish for them.

Flounder will hit live bait or plastic jigs that look like shrimp or minnows. Fishing around structure or over flats is best except during the fall run (assuming flounder fishing still is legal during that time), when ambushing the fish at passes and channels is the thing to do.

Speaking of ambushing, that's how flounder get their food. They hang around on the bottom, keeping a wary eye out for something edible to wander by. Then they attack

When one does strike, it's not likely to get hooked right off. Give it time to take a second bite. That's why I was fooled when I caught that flounder last summer. But that's the kind of surprise I'll take any time.

RED SNAPPER
Having a keeper red snapper on your line feels like you're trying to raise a small submarine off the Gulf floor. It's just a steady, hard pull.

Snapper is the mainstay fish of the offshore party boats that operate from South Padre Island to Galveston, but both the number you can keep and the amount of time you can fish for them has been shrinking faster than a punctured air bladder in recent years.

In federal water, which begins beyond nine nautical miles, red snapper fishing is confined to a short season, which last year ran from June 1 to Aug. 5 -- all of 66 days. The limit is two fish over 16 inches. That hardly seems worth the two- or three-hour boat ride it takes to get to the best snapper spots, but other species of snapper -- the vermillion snapper especially -- are as fun to catch and don't taste any different to me from the protected red snapper. And there's no limit or size restriction on them.

While red snapper are more common farther offshore, they certainly can be caught in Texas waters. Inside the nine-mile line, the limit is four fish over 15 inches.

Riechers says TPWD is not currently considering any change in that limit, but the federal regulations may get tighter as the government continues to cope with the pressure commercial fishing brings on this delectable species.

The party boats typically anchor over shipwrecks, artificial reefs or near oilrigs. They usually use cut squid, but any cut bait will do. The bait is attached to a sturdy circle hook (required so as to enhance survival of fish that have to be thrown back) and carried to the bottom courtesy of a substantial weight.

When you're on fish, it's not unusual to catch something every time you drop a line.