"Last year I finally acknowledged that I was old enough to be a legend," said Koep when he was elected to the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, Hayward, Wis., in 1999 as a "Legendary Guide." At the time, Koep was 57 .

"I never expected I'd get in the first year," he said. "I got the letter (stating he had been elected to the hall) while I was in Harrisburg, Pa. I didn't know a soul there. I couldn't tell anybody."

But anyone who has ever come in contact with Koep already knew he was worthy of the honor.

"Marv gave me my first start," said Merrifield's Gary Roach, who went on to become one of the premier walleye anglers in North America.

Koep gave a number of guides their start, including Harry VanDorn, Max Slocum, Cully Swenson, Bob Collette, Royal Karels, Rod Romine and, of course, Al and Ron Lindner, the founders of In-Fisherman. Al Lindner also has been inducted into the Fishing Hall of Fame.

Koep started from simple roots, growing up in Urbank, Minn., as the son of a bait salesman. He married his high school sweetheart, Judy, on April 22, 1961, and soon after the couple purchased Link's Bait Shop near Nisswa.

"Judy was a farm girl," recalled Marv. "We'd go to the manure pile and pick out some big white grubs (to fish with). She had a love for the outdoors, too. She's still my best fishing and hunting buddy."

When the Koeps purchased Link's Bait Shop, it was a small building and only minnows were sold. They changed the name to Koep's Nisswa Bait and over the ensuing 30-plus years it became synonymous with fishing in the Brainerd lakes area.

"Judy and I were just 19 when we got (the bait shop)," said Marv. "There was a lot of gravel outside it. I asked my dad what we should do with it. He said, 'At your age you can still play in it.' "

The Koeps rolled up their sleeves and went to work.

"We just did it by the seat of our pants," said Marv. "Judy and I worked side-by-side and all the kids worked in the store." His children, Shelly Bartella, Wendy Dorn and Kevin Koep, have blessed Marv and Judy with five grandchildren who also enjoy fishing.

Gradually the store expanded and things began to fall into place.

"Harry VanDorn was one of our first guides," said Marv. "It happened because his wife died and people used to call his wife for bookings. He asked if they could start (making bookings at the bait shop)."

Thus began the Nisswa Guides League, which is still going strong.

Then came the Lindners and later the Lorance "red box" depth finder. Soon Koep's Bait became a hangout for outdoors writers who helped spread the word.

"We were the second repair center ever authorized for Lorance," said Koep, noting that the "red box" was replaced by the "green box."

"We had promotions on how to use the depth finders and we had the repair center."

People came because of the guides, the expanded business and the camaraderie. Marv became an accomplished angler, if by nothing else, from listening to his guides.

"I always figured if I shook enough hands I'd be good at it," he says. "Rollin Martin, Bill Dance -- I got to shake a lot of important hands."

Roach recalled those early days.

"Ted (LaVoie) said, 'Why don't you go over there and apply for a job? You can fish as good as those guys,' " recalled Roach. "They gave me a trial and I got voted in (as a guide). They gave me an old green (Lorance) box and showed me how to read it. I never had a boat; I rented a boat."

Koep paid the entry fee for the first tournament Roach ever fished in, a bass tournament on Lake Minnetonka. "I won it," said Roach, who was inducted into the Fishing Hall of Fame in 1988. "I won a boat and a few thousand dollars. Marv said that since he paid the entry fee he should get half. I said, 'Get a chainsaw and I'll give you half the boat.'"

Marv said the family worked hard but always had fun.

"The hours were long but it was never a job," he said. "I enjoyed it and I enjoyed the people. The people were on vacation; they were happy."

Over the years customers became like family. "They always stopped to pick up their licenses," said Marv. "I even knew what weekend they'd be coming up (each year). What's scary is being at a sports show and a man comes up and says he met me when he was this tall (as a youngster)."

The Koeps made time to fish. "If I didn't know what was going on I'd lose it," said Marv. "So we fished evenings four or five times a week."

In 1991 Marv was named the Nisswa Citizen of the Year. "I don't think we would have been so successful without the support of the community," he said.

The Koeps sold the business to Duke Fischer about 10 years ago. "What I miss is the people," he said.

Marv stays active guiding and fishing with his high school sweetheart. "I've got to take Judy fishing at least once a week or she goes through withdrawal," he said, smiling.

Marv's fishing days are far from over and he still has something to prove.

"My goal is to catch half the fish people think I do," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "But that doesn't surprise me. I started the rumors about how many I caught."

Marv Koep -- a true fisherman.