It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that Bob “Dart” Fletcher has passed away.

Bob was a true giant in the California sportfishing industry and someone who was deeply beloved by so many of us.

A San Diego native, Bob dedicated his life to protecting our oceans and the sportfishing community he loved.

He served as Chief Deputy Director of the California Department of Fish and Game in the 1980s and later as President of the Sportfishing Association of California (SAC), where he represented hundreds of vessels and landings from Santa Barbara to San Diego. He was a powerful advocate on the Pacific Fishery Management Council and worked tirelessly on access agreements with Mexico.

Beyond his many accomplishments, Bob had a big heart and a wonderful sense of humor. One memory I’ll always carry is when he was organizing a sportfishing expo in Mexico City. He was looking for a gringo who spoke Spanish to help represent the industry. I joined him, along with Captain John Kline of the Qualifier 105. I voiced over a video and we answered questions from the public. In the video I said with enthusiasm, “¡VAMOS A PESCAR!” — Let’s go fishing.

Bob loved it so much he repeated that line over and over during the event. And for years afterward, every time we ran into each other, Bob would grin and say “Vamos A Pescar!”

That was Bob — passionate about fishing, about bringing people together, and about sharing that joy.

He touched countless lives in our community. He will be deeply missed.

Rest in peace, my friend. Tight lines.

If anyone has special memories of Bob “Dart” Fletcher, please share them below.