One more week till the area's biggest fishing derby takes place. Ironically, this derby targets the smallest game fish available to us, the venerable surfperch. Now in its tenth year, the Sand Crab Classic will bring together hundreds of anglers from across the state to vie for the coveted perch trophies and a year's worth of bragging rights. This derby benefits the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project, a dedicated group of volunteers that perform heroic hatchery and habitat efforts in our local streams and rivers.


If you are fishing the Derby on March 8, or if you just want to experience this enjoyable pursuit, now is the time. Conditions are perfect for perching for the next couple months. Big waves have created good structure on our local beaches, especially those beaches closer to Moss Landing and around the curve of Monterey Bay towards Seaside. Look for deep spots in the surfline. That is where the waves are not breaking, or seem to "back off" after tumbling into whitewater.


These are the trenches and holes hungry surfperch occupy, waiting for morsels of food to be flushed in by the currents and waves. Rip tides also indicate deeper channels, and can be very productive for hungry perch as well. Rips appear as discolored or sandy water flowing out to sea, with a mushroom shape at the terminus as the current dissipates.


Working the edge of rips, or the deep holes and troughs with bait or artificial lures will guarantee success. If no fish are biting, move down the beach to the next spot, or down the coast to the next beach. The fish are there; you just have to find them.


Old school techniques include using a fairly hefty rod, a leader with two hooks on dropper loops, and a pyramid weight on the end of the leader. The pyramid weight tends to dig into the sand, keeping the bait in your target area. Good natural baits to use are clams, mussels, shrimp and the classic old standby, sandcrabs.


Many anglers prefer to use light tackle, which works particularly well for artificial baits and lures. A Carolina rig works best with these lures. A sliding sinker of up to one ounce above a three-foot leader and a number four hook on the end. One to two-inch grubs a favorites for the barred surfperch. We find the "motor oil" colors to be the best, with a gold or red flake. Scents such as shrimp oil or Smelly Jelly can increase the odds for hookups. Anglers using this rig will cast out to the target area, and retrieve slowly through the deep spots, or work the edges of the rips and troughs. Keep the slack out of your line, and be prepared, the perch bite is often subtle. Better to swing and miss occasionally, than to not swing and miss every time.


For research purposes, I will recommend the brand-new eBook produced by famed guide JD Richey. Available through Kindle and Nook, the title is Light Tackle Surf Perch, and it's full of the tips and tricks that make Richey a world-class fisherman.


Allen Bushnell can also be heard on KSCO radio 1080 AM Fridays at 6:45 a.m. with a fish report. Contact Bushnell at scruzfishing@yahoo.com