Fishing will be allowed to resume Jan. 7 at Miami State Fishing Lake. Gates will be unlocked at 8 a.m. at the impoundment located about 10 miles south of Louisburg.

Access to Miami SFL has been limited during a Wildlife and Parks renovation necessitated by erosion of a section of the dike on the north side of the lake.

High flows in the Marais des Cygnes River over the years had degraded the embankment. Engineers determined that unless steps were taken, the whole lake could wash out in a catastrophic event.

The lake level was lowered in January 2000 to allow for public salvage of remaining fish. Anglers took a number of channel catfish, crappie, flathead catfish, carp and a variety of other species.

Reconstruction of the dam and installation of new outlet structure were completed by fall of 2000. New facilities development — including boat ramp extension, expanded parking area, restroom and floating boat dock — was completed by the winter of 2002.

Fish stockings began in mid-August 2001. Many adult largemouth bass, some weighing 5 pounds apiece, were stocked. Sampling showed that spawns occurred in 2002 and 2003, establishing a good bass population.

Channel catfish are one of the most popular species at small lakes, such as Miami. Annual stockings are planned to maintain this fishery.

Finally, adult black crappie were stocked in the fall of 2002. Over the next two to four years, crappie numbers will increase and hopefully stabilize at a level that will balance numbers and growth.