Pro Team

The Gatecrasher team, consisting of Captain Zack Medinas and co-captain Virginia Salvador, believes in the tradition of harvesting sustainable fish such as Salmon, Rock Cod, Halibut, and Striped Bass and fishes exclusively catch & release for the largest and oldest anadromous fish in North America, native white sturgeon. They enjoy bringing people together by creating fishing moments on the water.

After three decades at sea, Captain Zack has a damaged back with herniated discs. To keep him comfortable, he has has retrofitted their 28-foot Farallon with a shock mitigating 3200 X8 seat. Fishing out of the San Francisco Bay Area, they run their charter boat offshore in often very rough seas. Based on the frequently extreme marine forecast, they consider shock absorbing seats a necessity for their daily charters.

"We need to bring our best efforts on the water, so we wanted seats that will let us charge hard all day, every day," says Zack. "My entire body, especially my back, benefits from having this seat underneath me. With Shoxs, I don't worry as much about how the fishing lifestyle will affect me over the long-term."

Captain Zack Medinas

Zack is an outdoorsman passionate about the science of angling. During his 25-year career in the medical field, fishing had always been his respite from the daily grind, whether by boat, pier, shore, fresh, or salt.

Now retired from his previous career, he now serves as the full time captain on the Gatecrasher, and has been a sport fishing consultant for the Department of Fish and Wildlife, UC Davis, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. His impressive catches are rivaled only by the immense respect he has for nature, conservation and sustainable fishing practices.

Co-Captain Virginia Salvador

Virginia is a biologist, published scientist, and outdoor freelance writer, in addition to working in the medical field.

Her preferred fishing destinations range from Hawaii and Florida to Baja to fish for marlin, tuna, mahi mahi, tarpon, grouper, and peacock bass, but her absolute favorite species is white sturgeon. She is dedicated to bring awareness to this prehistoric dinosaur, promote catch and release and provide her charter clients an unforgettable experience.

Catch up with the Gatecrasher Fishing team's adventures on their website, Facebook, or Instagram.