General tips on how to river fish salmon.

[thelastlemming]

I'd like to go salmon fishing this fall most likely on the PM or Big Manistee. I went up to the foot damn and tried steelhead fishing a couple times years ago as a teenager with no results. That the only river salmon/steelhead fishing that I have done, so any tips will be appreciated. eg how long do the salmon runs last, will spoons or spinners work as well as spawn, what weight line should I use and what length of rod and action is best?

Thanks.

[Oldgrandman]

If I was to fish the PM again for salmon..... I would line up my 9' medium-light Marksport Steelhead Stalker with 10 pound green Trilene XT and pack some #3 mepps spinners, a few 1/3 oz. cleos, some skein from my freezer with bobbers splitshot and #2 egg hooks and give it a go. Would bring some crawlers for the browns too.
I never used cranks on that particular river back then but now would also take a few hot n tots, bombers, and thundersticks in various running depths and sizes with firetiger as a main color if I went again.
Used to make a yearly trip there in the 80's thru the mid-late 90's but now I have morphed into a walleye fisherman and just dabble in the salmonoids anymore :)
Besides some excellent hole water I used to fish on it has gone posted and I'd have to wade it more rather than sneaking up on em from the bank as I would prefer to be. I do miss those days....

[badguychaser]

everything he said above. i use a little heavier equipment then that but not much heavier. 8' 6" med rod 30# power pro braid with a 15# pline leader to stop them from getting into the logs and stumps.