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Quinte Fishing

Fishing Reports for the Bay of Quinte
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 4:16 pm 
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Walleye Wisdom
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Joined: Tue May 10, 2005 7:55 am
Posts: 992
It is with a heavy heart, that I am writing to let everyone know that the legendary Rocket (Rob Mitchell) passed away yesterday from health complications.

Rob’s life was his family, friends, fishing and as his nickname indicates, anything that went fast.

I met him on this Forum many, many years ago, after reading and replying to a post that someone was looking for a Quinte Fishing Series (QFS) tournament partner. I didn’t hear back, forgot about it, then one day, got a strange call that started like this…”Hey, it’s THE ROCKET! I heard you’re looking to fish tournaments with a legend!” followed by a crazy laugh.

Little did I know, I was about to meet a new friend, fishing mentor and someone that would quickly become part of my family.

On the water, he was by far one of the best multi-species fishers I had the pleasure to spend time with and learn from. He and his brother from another mother Cooly (Rob Coolahan) took me under their wings and introduced me to an entirely new world of fishing. Although I always fished and was a passion, without that, I know I’d never be the fisher-person I am today. To him, fishing wasn’t a past time sport but an obsession that he made contagious to those around him.

Off the water, Rocket was an enigma. He could usually be found at boat ramps or docks, taking the time to chat and giving tips or new baits to try. I had witnessed him giving kids he’d meet on docks that were sharing gear between them, his own rods, reels and tackle but kept quiet and a low profile of these sorts of things. I know he would have given you the shirt off his back and anything else he could but liked his notoriety of being an ass. I call him this with great respect and writing that, I can hear him agreeing, laughing and calling me a DF (his nickname for me).

Rocket was a long time and hard core tournament angler and very proud to have caught the largest bass weighed in to a QFS event; a Quinte 7.2 lb bucket. However, his biggest accomplishment and what he loved the most was his son RJ and daughter Jessica.

I’ve got a lot of great memories of him, some of them hard to believe, you can’t make up and am thankful for them.

Rocket - it had been a wild ride...so long and thanks for the fishes my friend.

Cheers!

Paul


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The fishing was so good........I thought I was here yesterday!


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PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 4:51 pm 
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QUINTEFISHING HALL OF FAME MEMBER
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Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2002 7:48 am
Posts: 3765
Location: Hay Bay- BOQ , Kingston
Always sorry to hear of fishers passing, please relay sincere sympathies to his Family.

Losing a fishing partner is tough.

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David Delcloo aka Superdad
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 5:24 pm 
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Walleye Wisdom

Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:53 pm
Posts: 842
Sorry for your loss.


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PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 5:34 pm 
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Walleye

Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 8:58 am
Posts: 138
I didn't know Rob that well however his brown van was a welcome sight when ever I used the Deseronto ramp, he always ready for a fishing yarn tale or 2. It was a pleasure to meet up on the water, exchange the universal "Are they biting" and receive real info and a chuckle.
He will be missed.
My condolences to his family.
Bruce


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PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 6:04 pm 
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Walleye

Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2014 9:43 pm
Posts: 129
Oh man!
You know, I only ever met him once. Before the days that I had a boat...I was casting from shore for some pike.
He shows up in his van...starts casting a jig with a berkley grub on a slip bobber right beside me and starts pounding jumbo perch. I couldn't believe it.
I picked his brain for the 30 minutes that he was there...never saw him again.

But now, a certain time of year, I take my kids to that spot to catch some perch from shore.
And I think about that time a lot now when I'm with my kids and how I wouldn't have ever known or had these memories with my kids if he never showed up.


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PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 5:08 am 
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Baitfish

Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2004 6:16 am
Posts: 18
My condolences to his family.


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PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 9:21 am 
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Walleye Master
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Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2008 5:18 pm
Posts: 1383
Sorry to hear, great story to read. We all have those people in our lives that didn’t expect to influence us the way they do. Tough to lose one of those I’m sure. I never met him but sounds like a great person. My condolences.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Kingston Sport Fishing
https://kingstonsportfishing.ca/


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PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 2:37 pm 
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Site Admin
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Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2002 8:59 am
Posts: 4329
Wow very sorry to hear the "Rocket" has passed from us. He was a great competitor, very upbeat and loved to stir things up among the guys tournament morning while floating around waiting to blastoff. RIP and my condolences Paul to you and his family and friends

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 3:39 pm 
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Walleye Wisdom
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Joined: Tue May 10, 2005 7:55 am
Posts: 992
Rocket's antics are as legendary as his fishing career, stories and he sure did like to stir the pot. lol

Here's the link to his obituary in case anyone would like to view and sign.

Cheers

https://memorials.directcremationservic ... fyU0-SSCL0

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 6:08 pm 
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Walleye Wisdom

Joined: Thu May 09, 2002 2:32 pm
Posts: 755
Location: bowmanville ont.
RIP, sorry for your loss.
I remember seeing his van around Quinte and Seymour, often I thought... man, this guy fishes as much as I do !! lol

I'm sure he's hooking up to 7.5lber as I write.

Time heals...

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 8:12 pm 
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Walleye

Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 7:27 pm
Posts: 183
Wow, didnt expect to read this. I currently own and still use my Javelin bass boat that I bought off Rocket.


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 10:09 am 
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Guppy

Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 10:39 am
Posts: 14
RIP Rob. Going to miss seeing him on Crowe,Seymour, Belmont the bay etc. First time I met him I was casting off my dock when he drove by....


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