Gavin

Buy low, sell high and time in the market usually trumps timing the market over the long haul. Remember that the market is forward looking...The pro's base their buy/sell decisions on valuation models based upon future expectations, not past performance. The current price of a stock often reflects those expectations. Learn the tax aspects of investing too. In a taxable account, you probably want to avoid stocks that pay dividends, and offset gains and losses to minimize tax. In a tax deffered account...you probably want dividends, and you want to avoid losses because you will never be able to deduct the loss. Lastly, a little tax planning in Nov/December never hurt anyone. Cheers.

If you have a 6wt, I'd go with a 4wt...A fast 6wt should be OK for smallmouth fishing with medium sized flies (size 2 sneaky petes, and subsurface stuff 3-4" range as long as they arent too heavy) and casts out to 50'-60' or so, but youll want a 7 or 8wt for the bigger, heavier stuff, longer casts, and sinking lines. The Sage Smallmouth rod would be a great choice for a heavier setup in the $250 range and it comes with a fly line(no reel)...Its only 8' long, but its a real cannon. Grey's makes some nice mid priced offerings too. Stop by Tommy's or FC, cast a few, and see what you like best. Cheers.

All kinds of stuff should work...I usually start with a topwater...Buzzbait, Sammy, or Spook Jr. and if they wont eat that I try a 5.25" Zoom fluke in white or a more natural shade if I'm getting hits but no hookups. No hits on that, I go deep with an Eakins Jig & Chunk, 4" Chomper, or a 4" Curly Tail Grub. Make sure you switch back to topwater occassionally, because they will eat on top sometime during the day. I'd bring at least two outfits, a 5.5' casting rig in for the topwaters, buzzers, and spinnerbaits and a 6' medium spin rod with braid and a fluorocarbon leader for the rest. Cheers.

Ignore the fun-sucker. You improved your game, and the fun-sucker's didnt. Heck with them if they cant be glad to see another person suceed.

Fishing on the upper end has always been hit or miss for me as well, but I still love to float it. Usually do better between Blue Spring and Alley..Fewer fish, but better size. Think your first night camp spot was McCubbin Hollow. Little Spring on river right, sandy flat in the woods on river left, bluff wall extending upstream a couple hundred yards above the spring, mile or so above Blue Spring. I've camped there before and its a great spot. I've never caught a trout down there, but they show up in unexpected places sometimes, usually in spring holes near creeks that receive private trout stockings. Thanks for the report.

Sometimes you cant get back to the shelter of a structure or a vehicle. I've been fishing/canoeing/camping in many a T storm..its not fun, but its a risk you run. If its getting close, less than 30 seconds between thunderclaps...Get of the water, out of the open, and away from isolated tall objects. A patch of small scrubby trees is much better than tall timber. If you can feel it, crouch down on the balls of your feet with feet together, tuck your head & cover your ears. A narrow river valley offers some protection, but thats about all you can do sometimes. Cheers.

NPS usually closes it to floating if you have water at the top of the Cedargrove Bridge or 4' at Akers.. This should answer most of your questions about what you can and cant do in the park. Cheers http://www.nps.gov/ozar/parkmgmt/upload/Supt-Compedium09.pdf

Chub on the left...Striped Shiner on the Right http://www.mdc.mo.gov/cgi-bin/mofish/mofish.cgi?st=6

http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/applications/mofwis/Mofwis_Summary.aspx?id=0100089 Is this it?

I'd agree with Al...the smallies are above Welch Spring. Akers to Round Spring is usually slow fishing for both trout and bass, particularly the Akers to Pulltite Stretch. The limit is 4 trout, with only 1 brown trout over 15" in your limit of 4, no size limit on rainbows, and any bait allowed. Trout fishing can be good if its been stocked recently. Have fun.

I couldnt care less about Bennett Springs, but why dont you call or email the hatchery and/or the biologist in charge and ask them what's going on. Lower stocking numbers, smaller fish, numbers of tags sold, trout production problems?I'd be very surprised if they couldnt provide an answer. Cheers.

Water is a bit high for a walk & wade down there, Id canoe it at this level, but I'd wait till it drops below 500cfs before I'd head down to wade fish...250cfs is even better. Cheers.

Cedar to Akers is a put & take rainbow trout fishery (limit 4) but I've caught smallmouth occassionally. Its a nice float, crowded at times, but well worth the trip even if the fish wont bite. Have fun.

Not sure..Call Harvey's for a price...I'd probably leave your vehicle at Harvey's and have them run you up. Cheers.

I agree with Eric...200cfs at Buck...I'd probably put in at Prongs or Buck and float to Rymers, Bay, or Alley Spring.

It was in great shape on Sunday..Lots of tiny BWO action in the AM around size 24....some trico's and 16 tan caddis to...the BWO seemed to be the preferred bug in the AM...Caddis in the PM. Cheers.

I'm glad to have em back. I've seen both grizz and black bear in the wild before..They've been to close for comfort on three ocassions, but they werent interested in me at all. I'm sure they will cause some property damage and they pose a threat of personal injury, but I'm not worried about it much. The odds of being attacked are out of our control, and the probabability of attack isnt worth the cost of a can of bear spray at the moment. Looking forward to spotting one in Missouri. Cheers.

It might be tough fishing or it might be fantastic. If the water level is good, I go fishing and figure it out. If its up and muddy or unsafe, I go someplace else or stay home. About the only thing the weather forecast inflences is the way I pack. More stuff if its gonna be cold or rainy, less stuff but still well prepared if its going to be nice. Cheers.

Huzzah CA has a good spot to camp on the Courtois...but its really popular with the party floaters. Expect a crowd from Blunt's on down. The same can be said about the Huzzah below the bridge at Eagle Hurst. Forest Service's Red Bluff CG near Davisville would be a good choice. Havent been there in years but its a scenic spot with wadeable water on the Huzzah. Plenty of nearby bridge access too. Huzzah Valley Resort, Bass Resort, Meramec Spring and several others offer good camping opportunaties. The Jacks....Its prime time to float it right now so I'd wait till the canoe liveries stop putting folks in at Prongs or Buck Hollow before I did a camp & wade down there. Big Piney & Upper Meramec dont offer much in the way of camping unless you float...Might try Boiling Spring CG on the BP, but thats about it. Cheers.

I've fished all of those streams....take a boat and camp on the river even if you end up dragging it a good bit. There are too many slow holes, and you never know who's going to show up around an access point. The Upper Huzzah and Upper Cortois might work though. Plenty of bridge access, wadeable water, and nearby campgrounds. Good Luck.

Looks like a nice trip...got back from the NFoW/Current on Monday...left for Montauk with the fam on Wednesday..Most of my fishing time was spent cheese ball fishing with my almost 3 year old girl in the park. She likes to real em in and she's getting pretty good at it. Hit the river between Tan Vat & the Park yesterday 6am-9am on Sunday...bit slow...only five or six fish...lots of tiny mayflies hatching in the AM, and a few fish rising.

Looks like a lot of fun! Thanks for the tips.

Dunno...looks like its at least twice the width of his shoulders and a bit more. Not really sure how long it is, but I'd be happy to catch it and take a picture with it.

Thanks for the info Sean. Glad you guys had a good trip.

There were 2-3 groups of floaters on Saturday maybe 25 boats in total....Didnt seem to matter much......Ran into a group of 4-5 guys out in toons on the way to Patrick on Sunday. One guy in a green pontoon said hello but I couldnt remember his name... My bad...I'm lousy with names. They stopped at first island and flogged it well, looked like they had a fish on when I paddled through. Not crowded at all by NFoW standards.