History
The club was founded in March 1948 with 12 members and the club was incorporated in 1951. The first officers were President – Jack Murphy, Vice Pres. - Charles Brockman, Secretary/Treas. - Lou Helard, Game warden – Jack King and Directors - Gilbert Bert, H.A. Originally the club promoted both fishing and hunting and during the first years of the club they held many dinners and dances, (
this was before TV’s were in every home.) The club grew to 300 members in 1951 and an all time high of 650 members in 1954, by 1965 the club was down to 50 members. Dues started out at $3 per member and are now $20 for a family membership. The Poggie club purchased the site for the Kitsap Lake public boat launch for $1600 in Aug, 1951 an turned it over to the WDFW. The club provided the state of Wa. $1200 for concrete for the Misery Point boat ramp in 1954. In 1956 the club shared the expense of installing the Evergreen Park boat launch with the Bremerton Sportsmen’s Club and the Bremerton Boating Club. In 1972 the Poggies hung Christmas trees under floats for herring to spawn on. The club help raise money to buy a rescue boat for the Kitsap County Sheriffs dept. in 1970. In 2002 the club put a new roof on the picnic shelter at Glen Jarstad Park. In 2004 the club donated $500 for planning of the new Misery Point boat launch. In 1954 the club supported Initiative 192 to restrict netters in Hood Canal. The club received the Stevenson Trophy for the outstanding club in Washington State for 1956. In 1992 the Poggies supported Initiative 640 – Save Our Salmon, (SOS) and in 1996 the club supported Initiative 696 – Ban the Nets. The members worked hard and collected over 20,000 signatures for both Initiatives but both the initiative failed to get enough votes to pass. The club started raising fish at Jarstad Park in 1969 for six years till 1975 then started up again in 1981 till present. In 1975 the club started fishing classes, Al Lopez – Salmon Fishing, Bruce Lowe – Fly tying and Hank Cummings – Ron Building. We still offer the same classes today. In 1954 the first kids fishing party was held at Black Jack Creek, about 400 kids fished. The club still holds the kids fishing party the first day of trout season every year. This event has been held at Black Jack Creek, Island Lake, Gluds Pond, Kitsap Lake and Gorst Creek raceways in Jarstad Park where it is still held.
