A look at fly fishing related news making headlines over the past week:

• West Coast angler and former Major League Baseball player Frank Bertaina died last week. He was 66. Rivers of a Lost Coast.
• Have fishing books become less valuable? Field and Stream.
• Book penned by Izaak Walton 350 years ago is still the angler's Bible. Cape Breton Post.
• People who fly fish? Winter Olympic medalist Johnny Spillane hooks two 25-inch rainbows. Steamboat Pilot.

This week's fly fishing news and notes from around the country:

• People who fish? Add Tom Brokaw to the list. LA Times
• Summer salmon season (Everett Washington) should be a familiar sight, Washington DFG says. Heraldnet.com
• Mild weather has boosted angler enthusiasm and catches during this past Monday's trout opener on Eastern Washington lakes. Seattle Times
• Florida's snook fishery, decimated by January's extended cold wave, is expected to remain closed until September to give the stocks a chance to recover. Miami Herald
• American Rivers, the nation's leading river conservation organization, has been awarded the 2010 Conservation Grant from Orvis. Fox Business

I was asked by a reader the other day what it takes to be a professional fly fishing guide.

Being an fly fishing writer first, and a part-time guide who doesn't always charge the guys I "guide" on our fly fishing trips second, I thought about the question for a bit before I responded.

After thinking about it for awhile, I said it comes down to passion, and being passionate about fly fishing and guiding.

Isn't that the case with most jobs/professions/hobbies we get into?

If you have the passion, the next thing to do is get the equipment, and most importantly, learn the waters around your area and make a name for yourself.

After all, you can't buy expertise.

Fish every second you can and get to know those waters better than anyone, so when you do get a client or two to take fishing, they have success and are going to want to spread the word.

Word-of-mouth marketing is huge in any line of business, particularly for fishing guides.

Those were my initial suggestions for a beginner looking to get started in the fly fishing guide business.

I said I'd pose the question to the community and see what the full-time guides have to offer.

Make your suggestions in the comments section below.

Our lakes and rivers are thawing out, and it's time to start gearing up for the freshwater fly fishing season again. That seems to be the theme reading fly fishing reports, news and notes across the country. Here's this week's Fish Wrap:

Field and Stream's 'Best of the Best'
Field & Stream magazine has unveiled the "Best of the Best," a list I can't argue with and includes a handful of products we reviewed this past year -- including About.com-reviewed winners the Cloudveil Hellroaring Jacket, Fishpond Gear Bag and Orvis Hydros Fly Rod. Field & Stream

Checking up on fish in frozen rivers
As spring gets closer, ground water can start replenishing oxygen supplies in stream and lakes, saving the fish. Webster City News

Take Better Fish Photos
Follow these 15 tips to avoid potential trouble spots, amaze your friends with your photographic talents, and release your fish alive and well after getting the perfect hero shot. Kayak Angler Online

Fly-Fishing 202: Success by design
Defining what makes a salmon or trout difficult to catch isn't as easy as it sounds. Capital City Weekly

Winter Trout or Spring Trout?
I really do love winter and everything you can do on frozen water or snow, but as a fly fisherman I really like moving water. Star Tribune

Does Fishing Gear Attract Bears?
Will my fly rod and fishing tackle attract bears? Backpacker