Another successful Sand Crab Classic is in the books. Every year on the second Saturday of March, Santa Cruz hosts the biggest surfcasting tournament in the state. Last Saturday’s event was the 21st Annual. From its humble beginnings with 60 local anglers weighing in on the back dock of Shamrock Charters at the Santa Cruz Harbor, the derby soon became a monster. Coordinators had to cap off entries at 300 people within a few years. There weren’t any local halls that could accommodate a larger crowd. Once ticket sales went online, sellouts occurred in as little as 45 minutes.

This year’s Grand Master Trophy went to Pete Lane, who presented a 15-inch barred surf perch weighing at two pounds, three ounces. His trophy was shiny gold and nearly four feet tall. Lane caught the winner near Pajaro, using a six-inch GULP! blood worm. Cody Gilbert also submitted a 15-inch BSP, but his weighed only two pounds, one ounce. Cody took first in the men’s BSP division. Cody’s partner Molly Hansen snagged the trophy for first place women’s BSP. Her perch measured 12 and 3/4 inches. The junior division BSP winner was Daniel Lazzerini with a 14-inch fish.

For non-barred perch, winners were as follows: Matthew Mitchie, first for men’s with a 13-inch black perch. Kira Duncan took first for women’s non-barred with another 13-inch black perch. Ken Oda from Pacific Grove took the first place trophy for fly fishing.

The Derby is put on yearly by and for the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project. Over $100,000 have been raised for direct support of MBSTP’s ongoing hatchery, habitat and educational efforts. WE hope to see the Sand Crab Classic go on forever. Twenty-one years is a greats start on that goal.