28 March 30- April 13, 2018 VOL. 37 • ISS. 08

The Santa Cruz Muncipal Wharf is a great place to target an array of surfperch species in Monterey Bay. Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.

The fish is the largest perch of any kind caught in the popular grassroots event, a fundraiser for the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project. I love covering this popular grass roots event, one of the most fun events in the world of California fishing.

More than 300 people participated in the event that drew surf fishing enthusiasts from Stockton, Modesto, San Jose, the San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey Bay cities including Monterey, Marina, Watsonville and Santa Cruz. The seas were flat calm with no wind and no swell; many anglers reported slow fishing because of it.

“ The fish was the largest perch I’ ve ever caught,” Griffin said.“ I hooked it while fishing pileworms off Monterey. Fishing

was kind of slow; that fish was one of four perch I landed all morning.”

The fundraiser takes place in the perch capitol of the world, Monterey Bay where the most diverse array of surfperch species is found. For example, during the first Sand Crab Classic in Santa Cruz in January of 2005, I counted seven varieties of perch – shiner, barred, rubberlipped, black, striped, rainbow and walleye – caught off the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf alone. Phil Cabato won first place in the senior seaperch division with a two-pound, four-ounce red tail perch measuring 14 5 / 8 inches caught off San Gregorio.

Cabato, from San Mateo, was fishing with other member of the Cast Addicts, including J Rey, J. V. Philip, James, Nick, Khan and Nick.

Dave Modena placed second in the senior seaperch division with his two-pound,

. 2-ounce redtail perch measuring

The winners in the women’ s seaperch division – Mariah Garcia, Krista Outen and Amy Padua – pose with their trophies at the awards ceremony.

Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.

14 5 / 8 inches caught off Half Moon Bay. Matt Michie placed third with a onepound, 14.3-ounce striped perch landed off Monterey.

Dangelo Gipson took first in the senior barred surfperch division with a two-pound, 3.2-ounce fish measuring 14 inches taken off Santa Cruz.

John Bartoh placed second in the senior barred perch division with his 1-pound, 13.8-ounce fish measuring 14.25 inches caught off Capitola. Chayne Baydo placed third with his one-pound, 13.6 oz. perch landed off Rio Del Mara.

Ken Oda won the barred perch on a fly division with his one-pound, 13.3-ounce fish measuring 13 5 / 8 inches caught off Sunset Beach.

Steve Griffin of Marina won the grand master trophy in the fourteenth annual

Sand Crab Classic Perch Tournament in Santa Cruz by catching this threepound, 5.5-ounce barred perch measuring 16 5 / 8 inches long on March 10.

Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.

Richard

Gilliam placed second with his 12 7 / 8-inch perch caught and released off Sunset Beach also. Likewise, Thomas Andrade finished third with his 12-1 / 2inch perch hooked and released off Sunset Beach.

Amy Padua placed first in the women’ s sea perch division with a one-pound, 5.1-ounce calico perch measuring 12-1 / 4 inches taken off the Santa Cruz Lighthouse.

Krista Outtes placed second in the womens’ seaperch division with a 12.3- oz redtail perch taken off San Gregorio. Mariah Garcia placed third with a 5.8 oz shiner perch taken off Santa Cruz.

Leslie Cadwalladen captured first in the women’ s barred surfperch division with a one-pound, 2.2 ounce beauty measuring 12 1 / 8 inches taken off Sunset Beach.

Corrina Outten placed second in the women’ s barred perch division with a 13.8-ounce fish measuring 11-3 / 8 inches long taken off Sunset Beach. Grace Balmonte finished third with a 13.6-ounce perch measuring 15-5 / 8 inches long landed off Pomponio Beach.

Emiko Ancheta of Richmond won first place in the junior barred perch division