Larry Bollig loves to share his knowledge and joy of sportfishing.

He has done it for years, leading seminars and workshops at sport shows and sporting goods businesses for years.

But he said he didn’t really believe what he was reading when he opened a letter announcing his induction into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame March 27.

Bollig, 69, of International Falls, has been fishing walleye and bass tournaments since 1975, winning 15 competitions and placing in the top five at 40 events. He was inducted in the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame in 2002.

But his induction into the Freshwater Hall of Fame was based on his nomination as a legendary communicator — a new category of honor.

“The Minnesota deal, I was elected by guys already in there and that makes me feel good, but the national hall of fame, it’s a little complicated, but I don’t care how I got in, just so I got in,” he said, laughing. “I feel very honored by it.”

Bollig said he enjoys helping people learn how to fish and he began seminars on depth finders because he sold them. Later, he began doing seminars at Burger Brothers sporting goods stores on a variety of fishing aspects.

Bollig has written a number of fishing features for outdoor sports newspapers and co-hosts with angler Mark Fisher the radio show “Bear Facts and Fish Tales,” on KSTP (1500 AM), which can be heard, sometimes even in Borderland, on Sunday nights.

Bollig said he takes great pride in the show and its recognition by other veteran anglers.

“One of my most cherished things was twice Al Lindner introduced me as one of greatest multi-species fishermen,” Bollig noted. “He and I go back a long way. We started fishing tournaments together.”

Bollig ended up on the show as a substitute for Fisher, who was going to be out of town for a show.

He said Stan Hubbard’s daughter, Ginny Morris, happened to be listening when Bollig was on the show and called in to “know who the hell they were” on the show. “After she found out, she said, ‘hire them,’” he said. “I guess she liked our humor and it’s lasted almost 16 years.”

Bollig retired five years ago and moved to Borderland, a place he has grown to love because of its fishing opportunities.

“Obviously, I love it here,” he said.

He credits his success to the support from his wife, Jean. “My wife is a great person and enabled me to do this,” he said. “My wife didn’t divorce me, but my dog bit me once in a while because I was gone so much and he didn’t recognize me. And I have wonderful kids.”

Bollig said Jean, too, likes fishing. “She’s not as tough as I am, but she’s better looking,” he said.