Second, fisher people, what have guides handed you and what was your take on it? Sure we all want the expensive rod but what were you thoughts?

I'm kind of a perpetual newbie in some respects. I don't have a whole lot of experience in this particular regard. I'm usually content to use my own gear, (a combination of Albrights and Angler's Roost Klassic Glass). But, the time when I had a chance to grab any rod off a rack, I let the eager folks pick first. Then, I just grabbed a Redington 9' 2 pc 6wt as being closest to something I was familiar with. I'm not really picky. Later in the day I changed it out for a some Albrights I had brought just to let somebody else have a chance at using the supplied rods. Short of high dollar guided saltwater trips that require exotic equipment few would normally have, I consider it my fault if I don't bring equipment I'm happy with. The exception would be some all included trip that required something off the wall like a 10-12wt with a hefty salt reel, but I've not been on anything like that, (yet). Generally, I'm more interested in learning to fully utilize what I already have than in being wooed into some aspirational rig that I'll never buy.