guides can look ok however if you swab them with a cotton tipped swab you might be amazed to find hair line cracks in the ceramics. the cotton will catch in any imperfection not visible to the eye. I run solo too. If you got one fish on and a line or two out by yourself you are doing something wrong. Its difficult yes but not impossible to bring in an extra line by yourself. Now if there is someone else with you than it shouldn't be a problem at all.