Photo by Zachary Siebert / St. Joseph News-Press

Spanky McFarland, manager of Castaways Marina and Grill in Little Platte Marina on Smithville Lake, fills a customer’s boat with more than $600 worth of gas Thursday afternoon. ‘(Smithville Lake) traffic has been about the same because it is so close to K.C.,’ Mr. McFarland said. Gas was selling for $4.55 Thursday.

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MARYVILLE, Mo. — High gas prices haven’t stopped Vicci Walter from stocking plenty of customer extras this holiday weekend at her shop near Mozingo Lake.

Extra bait. Extra soda. She’s confident of having all the necessities on hand for families to enjoy their stay at the lake.

But extra money shelled out for gas proves no obstacle to those who enjoy plying Mozingo on Independence Day and throughout the summer.

“Most of them say if you wanna play, you gotta pay,” Ms. Walter said while staffing the Little Bits store.

The climbing gas prices aren’t hurting Little Bits, as people who enjoy traveling to Mozingo stop by for their outings.

“My business is doing good,” Ms. Walter said. ­“I haven’t seen it slack off at all.”

Independence Day and Labor Day are the shop’s two biggest holidays, she added.

The number of boaters on the lake isn’t slacking off this year despite the cost of gas, said Sgt. Rick Smail of the Maryville Department of Public Safety’s Lake Patrol. But habits are changing.

“We’ve already sold out in RV (recreational vehicle spaces),” Mr. Smail said.

Tent spaces in the Mozingo Park also have been attractive to visitors, who choose to stay up to a 14-day limit before leaving.

Boaters themselves are also staying put, just to save gas. A preferred pastime is to move boats into a cove and park to enjoy the day rather than cruise along the lake, Mr. Smail said.

“They’re sitting more now,” he said.

Many of the boats are only capable of four to five miles per gallon, he added.

Mozingo’s popularity as a hot spot for bass fishing tournaments also helps. Mr. Smail said competitors arrive from Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas to fish in the lake.

Other area businesses don’t seem to be impaired by fuel costs. Lonnie Scheffe, manager of the Maryville Wal-Mart, said sales in the sporting goods department have remained steady despite gas prices.

“We are doing better,” Mr. Scheffe said. “By all indications, it’s going stronger.”

There is evidence through the sales, however, that more residents are deciding to stay near home for their recreation, he added.

Smithville Lake isn’t experiencing a downturn in boating or related spending this summer, either.

“Business is pretty well back to normal,” said Joann Austin, manager of Smithville Marine. “The weather has more impact than gas.”

Officer Kim Davis of the Missouri Water Patrol said boat traffic on Smithville Lake remains level and may even be increasing. Yet their habits mimic those seen at Mozingo, with more boaters anchoring their crafts.

“Boats aren’t cruising quite as much,” Ms. Davis said.

Ray Scherer can be reached at rscherer@npgco.com.