This area of County Mayo is known as the Lake District of Ireland for obvious reasons. It is blessed with many beautiful large and small lakes and meandering rivers. The West of Ireland is famous for its game fishing (Wild Brown Trout and Atlantic Salmon), and Lough Mask is one of the premier Wild Brown Trout lakes of Europe. All the lakes and rivers described here are easily accessible from Keel Bay, licences are not required for trout fishing, a national licence is required for salmon fishing anywhere in Ireland.

Some 20'000 acres in area, Lough Mask is dotted with islands and secluded bays with extensive shallows where traditional drifting tactics are used by the fly fisherman to tempt the Browns, and trolling the deep areas around the islands in search of the elusive and very big Ferox Trout. As well as the famous Mask Browns, the lake holds very big Pike and Perch which can be fished for by all traditional methods. The esteem of Lough Mask attracts anglers from all over Europe to compete in the World Fly Fishing Championship held every year in July. Lough Carra joined to Lough Mask by the Keel River, is smaller in size but also renowned for its wild Brown Trout. It is generally shallower than Lough Mask with extremely clear water over a marl bottom where chalk stream tactics can be employed.

This beautiful specimen wild trout was cought by one of our guests in Lough Mask (Easter 2007) Other Loughs to fish: Located some 8 miles to the south of Keel Bay is the highly esteemed and famous Lough Corrib. There really is no need to elucidate further here, as all fly fishermen are familiar with this lough, its Browns and migratory Springers and Grilse Salmon. Lough Conn lies to the north of Keel Bay and is another renowned trout and salmon water, with the salmon entering from the famous River Moy system.