History

The Kitsap Poggie Club is a recognized Washington State non-profit organization that promotes fishing, crabbing and other family oriented outdoor water activities. Our Club likes to feel that we are giving the families of our wonderful area an outdoor, family oriented alternative in today's very busy, electronic world.

The club provides many free or low cost programs to the people of Kitsap/ North Mason counties. Programs and activities such as our Kids' Fishing Party (this year we had over 500 children, 200 plus families participating), our support of the Cast For Kid's fishing event at Island Lake, our work with the handicapped at Camp Easter Seals in Vaughn, the volunteer work we do in improving Jarstad Park in Gorst, our volunteer work with the Suquamish Tribes' hatchery at Grover's Creek and Gorst and our sponsorship of 4 young people to attend the WDFW Outdoor Camp on Orcas Island are some of our annual community events.

We are active at the State level addressing WDFW at the annual North Of Falcon salmon season setting process. We have successfully lobbied WDFW in opening Area 10 and 9 for a summer sports king fishery and in maintaining a four salmon (no more than 2 kings) limit on the lower Hood Canal. We have members serving on the Puget Sound Salmon Sports Fishing Advisory Board, PSREF Advisory Board, the Willapa Bay Salmon Advisory Board and the Boat Launch Facilities Advisory Board.

We hold Fly Tying, Rod Building and Salmon Fishing Basics classes at nominal costs plus materials in co-operation with the Bremerton Parks Department starting in January of each year.

We hold 3 fishing derbies. January sees the Club putting on the Glen Jarstaad Blackmouth Derby for club members. The Poggie Club Halibut Derby is again for club members and is held usually in April or May. This year the 1st place prize winner took home $500. In August we hold our Salmon Derby with a 1st prize of $1,000.00 and it is open to the public.

We meet the second Wednesday of each month at the Bremerton Sheridan Center Complex except for the months of July and August, and that's because we are all fishing!!! Our board meetings, and anyone can attend, are the Tuesday after the meeting for each month and is held at the Windermere Reality Office in Silverdale.

Did you know:

· March 1948 : The club was founded with 12 members. Presently we have approximately 230 members families.

· August 1951: The club purchased the site for the old Kitsap Lake public boat launch.

· 1954: The club provided the state $1200 for concrete for the Misery Point boat ramp.

· 1956: the club shared the expense of installing the Evergreen Park boat launch.

· 1969: started raising King salmon at Jarstad Park for six years then restarted in 1981 in co-operation with WDFW, the Suquamish Tribe and the City of Bremerton till present.

· 1970: The club help raise money to buy a rescue boat for the Kitsap County Sheriffs dept

· 1972: the Poggies hung Christmas trees under floats for herring to spawn on.

· 2002: put a new roof on the picnic shelter at Glen Jarstad Park.

· 2004: donated $500 for planning of the new Misery Point boat launch.