Rob Yorke- Plymouth’s own action man!

Have you ever noticed how it is always the same names that appear in the angling press, the same faces pictured with yet another colossal fish? We had a brief chat with one of those very angler’s, Rob Yorke, and discovered the madness behind the method!

Rob Yorke has been shore fishing for over 30 years and has landed an incredible number of specimen fish in that time. He has been fortunate to land two double figure bass, conger eels to over 40lb, Bull huss in excess of 15lb and perhaps most impressively of all, a number of Blonde rays of over 20lb in weight. All from the shore!

Rob, who resides in Plymouth, has a pretty impressive fish portfolio to say the least, but by his own admission it is the Blonde ray fishing that has become his greatest passion. Many long sessions go with the territory when it comes to the pursuit of big fish, but over time Rob has come to realise that there is so much more involved in ‘getting it right’.

Taking general weather and tidal patterns into account is a relatively standard procedure that has allowed Rob to pinpoint the likely time the fish will move within casting range. But one of his biggest observations has been the effect of the lunar phase on when the ray’s may come on the feed. He has discovered that the most productive time is during the last quarter of the moon, just as the tides start to build. This is a conclusion he has drawn from many years of research and is certainly worth considering together with the effects of tide and weather.

Just a another walk in the park for action man Rob…

Rob tells us that he begins his annual campaign in June and fishes through to October but during early autumn, the pregnant females move inshore and away from the tide where they lay their purses and this is undoubtedly the best time to target a specimen fish. It goes without saying that these fish are treated with the upmost respect and returned to the water with minimal fuss.

Rob soon came to realise that some of the likeliest looking marks were pretty much inaccessible on foot but that there could be an alternative. Regularly seeing rock climbers traverse the cliff faces gave him an idea and soon he was embarking on an abseiling course. Carrying yourself and your tackle a hundred meters down to sea level is not to be taken lightly and Rob was keen to seek not only professional guidance, but all of the necessary climbing gear too. Some weeks and several hundred pounds later, Rob had the know-how and the equipment to safely reach those hard to get to platforms he had previously only seen while scuba diving and the results of his work began to pay off.

Safety equipment correctly rigged and ready to go.
Not for the feint of heart!

Out on a limb and smiling all the way!

Small eyed and spotted rays have also featured heavily from these area’s that are predominantly sandy sea beds where the fish readily accept sandeel and launce baits. Rob is keen to stress just how much power a big blonde ray can have and it is crucial to have the tackle to deal with the fish. Rob’s current preference is for a pair of Zziplex M427 SU rod’s and Daiwa Saltist 30BG reels filled with 25b Varivas Yellow Sport. Pulley rigs tied with 5/0 Varivas Big Mouth Xtra hooks are baited with Live or frozen sandeel dependant on seasonal availability.

The results of hard work. A prime Blonde ray

Another fine ray

**VMO and Rob are keen to stress that you should not contemplate any climbing activities without the guidance of a professional. As tempting as it may seem, without correct instruction you could be endangering your own life and potentially those of your rescuers!**