FISHING SEASON. 59 



have heard that in some of the lakes in 

 Westmeath, very large trout, and great 

 quantities may be taken in the beginning 

 of June, with the very flies we have been 

 using this day. Wind is necessary; and 

 a good angler sometimes takes in a day, 

 or rather formerly took, from ten to twelve 

 fish, which weighed from 3 to 10 lbs. 

 and which occasionally were even larger. 

 In the summer after June, and in the 

 autumn, the only seasons when I have fished 

 in Ireland, I have seldom taken any large 

 trout; but in the river Boyle, late in Octo- 

 ber, after a flood, I once had some sport 

 with these fish, that were running up the 

 river from Lock Key to spawn. I caught 

 one day two above 3 lbs. that took a large 

 reddish-brown fly of the same kind as a sal- 

 mon fly ; and I saw some taken that weighed 

 5 lbs. and heard of one that equalled 9 lbs. 

 These fish were in good season, even at this 

 late period, and had no spots, but were co- 

 loured red and brown — mottled like tortoise- 

 shell, only with smaller bars. I have in July 

 likewise fished in Loch Con, near Ballina, 



