I have hired a guide and would do it again. Sure, it can be expensive -- and once in awhile, the guide isn't too good and you know more about fishing than he ever will but, overall, I have had good luck fishing with guides and it is the only way to fish some rivers. For example the Big Horn or Missouri, Desheutes, Yakima, etc could be kind of fished in a few places by wading (depending on water levels)-- but you will cover more water and have a far better time by boat and unless you have a boat or suitable water craft you will need a guide to do it. I have a drift boat but that means I usually am the guy rowing it. So, for me, a guided trip is my chance to get to fish the whole river. I will hire a guide for the first time on a new river to learn the river -- and I tell him what I am doing - and then go it alone after that. They are typically very helpful.

Also, as mentioned, using a guide to learn a new river - where and how to fish it, channels, take outs, etc. is a time saver. For the most part, I suspect most of us don't need someone to tie our knots and flies on or show us how to fish as much as to get us to places where we can fish. I don't like going someplace new and spending all my time just trying to figure out how to gain access to the water. A guide can expedite the process. I have also fished with a guide - paying for the trip one day, and have him ask me if I wanted to go fishing with him the next day - no charge.

Local knowlege is always helpful.

Some guides, once they figure out that you can cast and know what your doing, will even take you places that they won't take the typical client. I suspect a huge part of the guiding business is trying to take a beginner fishing and that is probably difficult for the guide. My wife will go on trips with me and she isn't a real great fisherwoman but is at least willing to travel with me. Typically, the guide spends all his time with her and leaves me pretty much alone which is fine with me.