Go Home Lake Cottage Owners' Association

Carp:
To date there are no confirmed reports of carp being found in Go Home Lake. Carp were introduced into North American rivers and lakes early last century and have demonstrated an amazing ability to adapt and spread.
There was a report of a dead carp found in the lake back in 2007 but that may have been a redhorse sucker. The carcass was not recovered so we don’t know. That year was one of the years that the upstream lakes and rivers were experiencing significant coarse fish mortality so the report of a dead carp was interesting but to date no more reports of carp in the lake have been received.

Zebra Mussels:
Reported by OFAH monitoring study in 1998, No recent reports.

Spiny Water Flea:
Reported by OFAH monitoring study in 1991. Will probably enter the lake through unwashed boats and equipment travelling up from Georgian Bay or entering the lake via the municipal boat launch in Minor’s Bay.

Eurasian water-milfoil:
is present in lakes in the southern part of the shield, so it is possible it’s in Go Home Lake. There are several native species that look closely like it – so it’s hard to say. We are currently unaware of it causing any significant problem on Go Home Lake. The following link contains additional information:
http://www.invadingspecies.com/Invaders.cfm?A=Page&PID=12

Earthworms:
European and southern earthworms have been imported to the lake via cottagers plants and soil. There are no naturally occurring earthworms in the area. Hard to say if there is a concern. Their presence can devastate a sugar maple forest but that probably isn’t a concern on Go Home Lake.

Eastern Gray Squirrel:
There are scattered reports of these squirrels from around the lake. If they manage a toehold in the area they will probably replace the red squirrels and chipmunks that are indigenous to the area. Gray Squirrels are probably imported by cottagers from the south where they are considered by many to be a pest.
The eastern gray squirrel tends to be larger and stronger than the red squirrel and has been shown to have a greater ability to store fat for winter. The squirrel can therefore compete more effectively for a larger share of the available food, resulting in relatively lower survival and breeding rates among the red squirrel. Parapoxvirus may also be a strongly contributing factor; red squirrels are fatally affected by the disease, while the eastern gray squirrels are unaffected but thought to be carriers. The red squirrel is also less tolerant of habitat destruction and fragmentation which has led to its population decline, while the more adaptable eastern gray squirrel has taken advantage and expanded.