True enough, but how many fish are you going to catch on your own and with how many of your best friends will you be bonking elbows while you're fishing? if you don't value you the service, well, nothing to be said but don't knock it if you haven't tried it.

Fishing with an accomplished guide (for native steel especially) is worth the money. They will get you into fish you wouldn't have gotten into otherwise and you get to fish all day, no rowing, just fishing. That is worth $225 to me at least a couple times a year. I learn something significant every time I go with a guide and some of my best trips have been guided.

To each their own, but don't discount a guided trip and what it is worth in the short and long term.