52 THE TROUT 



of some notes on these same Westmeath lakes, which 

 have been supplied to me by the courtesy of Mr. 

 W. J. Thomas, Honorary Secretary of the Angling 

 Club at Mullingar. Mr. Thomas says : 



' The Westmeath lakes are generally recognised as 

 Loughs Derravaragh, Owel and Ennel. The first 

 named is situated about five statute miles from the 

 county town of Mullingar, and the others two statute 

 miles equidistant from the same place. All three 

 lakes teem with trout, having been carefully preserved 

 during the past eleven years by the Westmeath Lakes 

 Fish Preservation Society ; supported by voluntary 

 contributions and a grant of 257. from the Limerick 

 Board of Conservators for assisting in preserving the 

 salmon in the rivers Inay and Brosna. 



' The season for trout opens on March ist and 

 closes on October ist. 



'' When the season opens, the usual practice with 

 the professional fishermen and boatmen is to troll 

 natural bait on rods or hand-lines, particularly on 

 Lough Owel. The baits are small trout, perch, 

 gudgeon, loach and minnow, and by this means the 

 larger fish ranging from 5 Ib.s. to 12 Ibs. are taken. 



' The legitimate anglers use artificial flies of various 

 patterns, the best being those tied by local fishermen, 

 comprising different shades of olives, cinnamons, 



