County, state sign agreement on lake

Marion County signed off Monday on another five-year agreement with Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to allow public fishing access at the county lake.

The state will pay the county $25,177 over the five years as part of its community fisheries assistance program. The county can’t charge fees to people fishing from the lake’s shoreline or a boats.

“It seems like a good program,” commission chairman David Mueller said.

Commissioner Kent Becker said he recalled when the county used to spend $20,000 a year on stocking the lake. The state stocked the lake last week with channel cat. For eight years, it stocked saugeye and wipers.

Wipers are more fun to catch, lake superintendent Isaac Hett said, but walleye taste better.