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of these trout feeding- on water snails, in the digestion of 

 which much friction must necessarily occur. AYe had much, 

 argument upon the subject, but I silenced my men by ask- 

 ing " Did you ever see a young gillaroo — say a yearling ? " 

 Of course they had not, for the reason that these trout do 

 not take to a snail diet until they attain to a good size. Of 

 the mighty pike which are occasionally caught in these 

 loughs I heai'd many tall stories, but the biggest was that 

 of a fifty-pounder gaffed by Mike Heaims, who found the 

 monster choking -udth an eight-pound grilse half way down, 

 his throat. Allowing a discount oif the weight of the grilse, 

 I see no reason to doubt the rest of the story. 



Ordinary loch flies kill trout on both Conn and Cullen, 

 the three favourites being claret and mallard, olive and 

 grouse, and black and mallard, ribbed silver. Greenwell's 

 glory is another good spring fly, but the local patterns 

 appeared to me rather too large except for a rough water. 

 And it can be rough on Lough Conn, as I proved, for we 

 had half a gale of wind, which lashed up big waves that 

 broke over the gunwale of our stiif boat. But the troulj 

 were mad on, and the discomfort of wet clothing, standing 

 in the water up to your ankles were minor considerations ! 

 And how the bi": trout foue:ht in that rouffh water ! It was 

 net the pleasantest part of my holiday to this part of Mayo, 

 hut it was one of he best bits of lough fishing I ever had the 

 luck to meet with. In order to enjoy lough fishing, the 

 angler should provide himself with a macintosh petticoat ; 

 they are easily carried, and there is no other garment equal 

 . to them for boat work in bad weather. A short macintosh 

 and sou' -wester should complete the outfit* 



