Mission Statement and Overview of Official Regulations

JolietJunior College Anglers Club

Mission Statement

The Joliet Junior College Anglers Club (JJCAC) is a non-profit organization devoted to the promotion, organization and administration of social, educational, investigative andcompetitive angling events and activities, as determined by its members.

Membership: The JJCAC is open to students, faculty, staff, and alumni of JolietJunior College, as well as members of the general public. There are no membership fees or dues for registered students, faculty, or staff members of JJC, as well as their respective spouses / domestic partners and/or children. Membership fees for these and all other groups are assessed as follows:

Membership Type / Annual* Individual Membership / Annual* Family Membership**
JJC student, faculty or staff member / none / none
Child or domestic partner of JJC student, faculty or staff member / none / none
Former JJCAC club officer / none / none
JJC Alumni, Veteran or Senior / $10 / $25
Child or domestic partner of JJC alumni / $5 / NA
Adult / $25 / $40
Junior** / $10 / NA

*“Annual” is defined as the JJC academic year – i.e. from late August until the same period of the following calendar year.

** Family memberships are limited to the spouse / domestic partners of the designated member, as well as their respective children.

** Junior members must be between the ages of 14 and 17 years of age at the time of the first JJCAC event of the respective academic year. Junior members must obtain the prior consent of their parent(s) or legal guardian(s) with regard to joining the JJCAC. Children under the age of 14 are permitted to join the JJCAC, but must do so as part of a family membership. An adult must accompany children under the age of 14 to any JJCAC event or activity.

Membership rights and privileges: All members are permitted (and encouraged!) to attend anyJJCAC sponsored event without charge. Additionally, members in good standing are also permitted to: borrow club owned angling equipment; secure club procured transportation to specific events and activities, as well as take advantage of complementary or reduced cost clothing, tackle, bait and/or non-club event entry fees as they become available. Members in good standing are defined as JJCACstudent members who have attended a minimum of two or more JJCAC events, activities or meetings over the previous and/or current semester. Student members in their first semester of membership are considered to be in good standing.

JJCAC members may propose events and/or activities they wish the club to organize or become involved with. The club, following a majority vote of its membership during any official club meeting, will adopt such resolutions and implement them at their earliest convenience. Such resolutions should be submitted to the club secretary prior to the meeting at which they are to be discussed and voted upon.

Membership requirements: All club members are required to complete and/or respectively comply with the following requirements prior to and during fishing at any JJCAC event:

  1. Have in their possession a current IllinoisState fishing permit.
  1. Complete a member information / waiver form. The waiver component of this formholds JolietJunior College and the JJCAC harmless in the event of any personal injury incurred on JJC property or during a JJCAC event. This form will be available at the club Web site and at all JJCAC meetings and events. All club members must complete a copy of this form at their earliest possible convenience.
  1. Obey the rules established by the JJCAC with regard to fishing Lake ‘Juco’. An appendix holding a copy of these specific ‘home water’ rules is included at the end of this document.

Club Officials: The JJCAC is a democratic organization headed by a group of elected student officers and a faculty advisor. The persons listed below hold official JJCAC posts for the 2003 / 2004 academic year:

Officer / Name / Contact Details
President / John Ocenas /
Vice President / Crystal Larsen /
Secretary/ Treasurer / Tony Scheidt /
Science Coordinator / Chris Baltas /
Events Coordinator / Robb Shuttleworth /
Faculty Advisor / Patrick Mills /

Event and meeting Schedule: The following is a current list of the types of JJCAC events and activities that are either currently underway or in the process of being organized. Recall: the activities and events the club ultimately undertakes are initially proposed by its members. If you want to do something other than the activities listed below, be sure to let us know!

Event / Dates / Location / Description
‘Friday Fish’ / Bi- weekly on Friday afternoons from late March / Lake ‘Juco’, PilcherPark and other local waters / Informal / social fish-in. Beginners welcome
Bankfishing trips and competitions / Every third weekend from the end of Mar. – Oct. / Local and other waters in the Chicagoland area / Events from informal get-togethers through to competing in the US Open!
Seminars and lectures / Dates TBA in Sept. and April / JJC / Educational fishing seminars
Kids fishing camp / Dates in June and July / PilcherPark, Joliet / Educational day camp for kids, run by JJCAC & JPD
Investigative research / TBA / JJC & PilcherPark / Videotaping projects focused on collecting educational material

A detailed calendar of JJCAC events and activities will be posted at the club Web site (

Appendix: JJCAC Rules for fishing the JJCLake (Lake ‘Juco’)

The following rules are based on the regulations established by the college with regard to allowing members of the public to fish Lake ‘Juco’. However, since the JJCAC is a JJC student organization that strives to maintain a clean and well balanced lake ecosystem via proactive catch and release angling methods, the $2 per day JJC license / restocking fee charged to the general public for fishing the College Lake will be waived for JJCAC members.

  1. JJCAC members may only fish in the designated fishing zone between ‘J’ building and the dam.
  1. JJCAC members must practice catch and release – the use of barbless hooks and lead free shot is also strongly encouraged. Fish may be held in soft mesh keepnets before being returned to the water unharmed.
  1. JJCAC members may use any natural bait (i.e. worms, spikes, corn etc.); naturally derived bait (i.e. dough bait, bread, corn meal etc.) or artificial bait (i.e. jig, spinner, crank bait) when fishing the college lake. However, live or dead fish baits may NOT be used.
  1. Fishing hours: 7:00 am to 30 minutes after sunset daily.
  1. JJCAC members are encouraged to report their catch to club officials via either the club Web site ( or direct e-mail.
  1. JJCAC members must only park in established JJC lots.
  1. JJCAC members must have in their possession a current Illinois State fishing permit and have submitted a member information / ‘hold harmless’ waiver form to any JJCAC official prior to the commencement of fishing.