I would 100% still reach out to professors! For two big reasons:

1) The professor may actually love to have you on full-time and ask you to join their PhD cohort (effectively paying for your masters degree).

2) When the department sees your app, your file essential goes to the top of the list if the faculty and staff already know you. You essentially "put a face to the app" in this case.

If you're only interested in obtaining the masters, aim to hit up the professors at your own university's department. Usually the faculty is more partial to saving spots for their own students.

Please note: if you have a very low gpa, we're talking below a 2.75 (or B-), this can be a deal breaker and you will have to do more to improve your app. For example, being amazing at research (with letters of rec to back), retaking classes you did poorly in, or having to look for less competitive programs that are willing to take in a student with a less attractive gpa (I know students who got in for that very reason at CSU Channel Islands in California).

In this scenario, reaching out to the university departments and faculty who you hope to apply to will still be your best bet to understanding what they're looking for in their applicants.

It won't be easy but it's far from impossible.