first trip

I would say if you don't have a drift boat leave it at home.
End of Oct. will be near the end of the Salmon, but there will be Steel Head around.
Yeah- you can't go wrong with egg sacs.
Don't worry about buying ahead of time. There are many shops up there & they have a seemingly endless supply.

You'll want to bottom bounce a little, or just above in the water column most of the time.
Be prepared to lose some gear. The rocks & fish are hard on stuff.
Buy good hooks. There is no substitute. They will bend & break.

If you haven't booked a place to stay you may want to look into it.

You can wade in the river as long as it's safe. Wear waders with studded boots. They may save you from getting wet, and maybe your life.
People do drown up there in Salmon season. Know your limits.

It'll be a fun time. Spend some dough in a shop when you get there. They'll try to help steer you where the fish are.