16 A YEAR OF LIBERTY ; OB, 



flattened one end, and with the file, point and barb were cut, in 

 humble imitation of that king of bookmakers O'Shaughnessj'. 

 Wax, silk, and hair were not wanting ; a little extemporaneous 

 dubbing from a Tweed jacket, and a few fibres from a drenched 

 feather on the shore, did the rest, and sufficed to procure plenty of 

 bait. But before we step into our boat, a word or two about the lake 

 will not be out of place. 



Lough Guttane, nearly six miles in circumference, rests in a hollow 

 fonned by the rocky and precipitous sides of Mangerton and Crohare 

 and between lies the desolate Glen Kippock. This sheet of water 

 affords good trout-trolling in March, April, and May. Occasionally a 

 twelve-pounder may be taken, but fish of 41b. or 51b. will generally be 

 found on the top of the angler's basket. Any sportsman located in 

 one of the cottages on the south shore (some of my friends have tried 

 the plan, and found it answer) would undoubtedly kill, in the months 

 before mentioned, an enormous weight of trout, some of them heavy 

 fish ; but whether any of the eighteen-pounders, of which I heard 

 frequently, would figure in his list, seems less certain. 



In my opinion Lough Owel, Lough Arrow, Dereverah, Carra, Lough 

 Corrib, Lough Mask, and Lough Conn yield fish of a higher average. 



Whilst visiting this district in fonner seasons, I occasionally devoted 

 a day to Guttane, though never with any remarkable success. I am, 

 however, bound to say I have often heard from undoubted authority 

 of other anglers having enjoyed admirable sport. 



Possibly the explanation of my failures may be found in the fact 

 of my staying a long distance from the lake, and visiting it only 

 when brought to a dead lock elsewhere. Nevertheless, I should not 

 fear to locate myself during April and May on the south shore, in full 

 expectation of good sport, brightened by some glorious days. 



Round the lake, across the lake, backwards and forwards by the 

 solitary islet, with its melancholy ruin, we pulled. A stiff north-west 

 breeze and an ever-changing sky did all that winds and clouds could 

 do. Guttane did not, however, respond very cordially, as our basket 

 only contained thirteen fish, the heaviest 31b., whilst two or three 

 others ranged from 3.-|lb. to 2Ib. 



