52 A YEAR OP WBERTY ) OH, 



our prime minister, are waiting on the strand, doubtless wondering 

 what has come over " the master." 



We pulled direct to one of the best casts -the high rocky bluff 

 on the eastern extremity of the lake where we remained for some 

 hours trying it over and over with fresh changes, and were not dis- 

 satisfied with hooking two fish, one of which was landed, and weighed 

 a little under 101b. 



Shifting the ground, we continued our pleasant toil by the rushes 

 under the Priest's house, and then round the pretty bay immediately 

 above. These throws (the best on the lake) proving blank, we 

 stretched over to the north side, and, keeping slow way on the boat, 

 fished the rocky shore as we proceeded. 



Finding the fly unavailing, the troll was set to work, and as we 

 came abreast of a bold bluff, half a mile or so below Bilbury Island, 

 had the good fortune to run and kill a small salmon of 6 Jib. From 

 the island we worked our way home with small flies, taking three 

 or four gillaroo, and a score of pretty little brown trout. This, as 

 far as salmon were concerned, proved the best day of our week's 

 sojourn. Instead of wearying the reader with hopes disappointed or 

 toil rewarded, it will be better to speak of matters more generally, 

 and thus enable him to gain a few facts for his own use. Lough 

 Melvin is by no means the worst of Irish waters ; the station is con- 

 venient, and the salmon and grilse fishing generally good. The 

 spring fish run from 7lb. to 111b., though of course these figures are 

 not to be taken absolutely, as larger and smaller are occasionally 

 killed. The gillaroo, if nothing better is to be done, are always to 

 be taken on any day suitable for angling ; and systematic trolling 

 would produce good results, as I hope to show ; and for smaller 

 game, the shores yield plenty of bog-trout, and, to the best of my 

 belief, charr. In the spring and summer there is something to be 

 done in the lower part of the Drowse ; and during the late autinnn 

 spates, excellent sport with salmon, grilse, and gillaroo is to be 

 found. 



Not a hundred years ago, after, as I thought, winding up the 

 season in the Bosses, we chanced to reach Bundoran on the 1st of 



