SANTA CRUZ - Three hundred anglers and forty volunteers enjoyed a day with sunny weather and calm seas during the nineteenth Annual Sand Crab Classic Perch Tournament held out of the IDES Hall on Saturday , March 9 . Anglers fished the beaches and rocks all of the way from Big Sur to Half Moon Bay , but the majority of anglers fished the waters of Monterey Bay for the abundant barred perch . The event was a benefit for the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project , whose mission is to recover the native salmon and steelhead populations of the Monterey Bay region . “ The reason we started the derby in 2005 was to get people together during a slow time of year for fishing ,” said Mike Baxter , co-founder of the Sand Crab Classic with Allen Bushnell . “ As a result , we made money and gave it to a good cause , the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project .” “ We saw more children , women and families in this year ’ s event ,” he noted . “ The trophies , food , and t-shirts are nothing more than an incentive to get people together to share a fun-filled day of fishing and festivities . It ’ s all about getting humans together to share time together .” Todd Schallenberger won the grandmaster trophy in the Sand Crab
Thomas and Lucas Westphal placed first and second in the junior barred perch division of the Sand Crab Classic with their giant 1 1b . 12 oz . barred surface perch measuring 13-1 / 2 and 13-1 / 4 inches caught on the beautiful waters of Monterey Bay on March 8 .
Photo by Dan Bacher
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Classic with his 15-3 / 4 inch , 2 lb . 11 oz . pile perch . He won a giant trophy and a Lamiglas GSB rod for his efforts . In the men ’ s barred perch division , Dave Ressa of Los Gatos won first place with a fish measuring 15 inches and weighing 2 pounds , 8 ounces . “ I hooked the fish while fishing sand crabs off |
Seascape ,” said Ressa . Mike Ham placed second with a barred perch measuring 14-1 / 2 inches and weighing 2 pounds , 5 ounces . Gota Tait placed third with a barred perch measuring 14-1 / 4 inches and weighing 2 pounds , I ounce . Nayeli Cruz won first place in the women ’ s barred perch division with a fish measuring 14-1 / 2 inches long and weighing 2 pounds , 1 ounce . Christina Zepeda placed second with a 13 inch , 1 lb . 4 oz fish . Flor Padua placed third with a 12-1 / 2 inch , 1 lb . 4 oz . fish . Thomas Wesphal won first place in the junior barred perch division with a
12-1 / 2 inch , 12 oz . fish . His brother , Lucas Wesphal , placed second with a 13-1 / 4 inch , 1 lb . 12 oz . fish . “ We caught our fish with Paddle Tail Sandworms off Sand Dollar Beach ,” said Thomas Wesphal .
Reiden Jurregui placed third in the junior barred perch division with a 13 inch , 1 lb . 2 oz . fish . Nico Albertson won first place in the men ’ s non-barred perch division with a 1
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lb . 10 oz . striped perch measuring 14 inches . Donald Corella placed second with a 13-1 / 2 inch perch weighing 1 pound . 11 ounces . Ian Hubbard placed third with a 12-3 / 4 inch , 1 lb . 10 oz . striped perch . Olivia Schallenberger won first place in the women ’ s other perch division with a 13-3 / 8 inch , 1 lb . 12 oz . gold rubberlip perch . Samara Cortazzo placed second with a 12-1 / 2 inch , 1 lb . 9 oz . striped perch . Jennifer Valentin placed third with a 12-1 / 2 inch , 1 lb . 7 oz . perch . Camille Cortazzo won first place in the junior other perch division with a 11-1 / 2 inch striped perch weighing 2 pounds , 6 ounces . Anthony V . placed
Todd Schallenberger won the grandmaster trophy in the Sand Crab Classic with his 15 3 / 4 inch , 2 lb ., 11 oz perch .
Photo by Dan Bacher
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