First Salmon River Trip Late December

There will be fish throughout the river as there are now.  Depending on rain and flow there may be more.  Most  fish should be in their winter holds, but as there usually are freshies coming in  you may catch a few in transition  water.   Fishing depends on all the factors that it usually does, could be a good day or bad and it changes on a dime.  Most #'s of fish are in the mid to upper river, but the lower river can produce.   As far as good #'s of fish and crowds there are no secret spots on the river,  usually  the people are where the fish are.  You will be able to find a decent spot with fish with a little walking,  but the largest holds usually have people. The crappier and colder the weather the less people that will be around

Thanks a lot guys! And yeah were going to have to get adjusted to larger water. we usually fish single eggs/ minnow - sometimes under a float sometimes not, skein and jigs. What sections of the river would you recommend we spend time exploring and getting familiar with? Thanks o lot --Mike--

yea and its a good idea even if you've been fishing it for years to hire a guide once in a while, just to learn :)

To be honest, I don't hear of jigs, crawlers, or minnows being used.  As for the jigs, you aren't permitted to use them in the early fall, but they might be permitted at this point in the season.  Definitely check the regs!  I have yet to fish this time of the season or even drop backs in the early spring, I have thought of going up but my impression around fishing the winter months is YES there is less pressure but the fish can be more sluggish.  Again, that's my general impression, obviously I could be wrong...
 
Mostly egg sacs, size 10-14 sabretooth hooks, 10 lb main line with 6 lb fluoro, and from time to time Raven floats depending on the condition otherwise I'm bottom bouncing.  I will also use beads from time to time pegged 1 in above the hook.  You will find differences in each individuals approach, this just so happens to my approach.  I will tie home cured eggs from Salmon season; dime to quarter size egg sacs in pretty much every color mesh: chart, pink, white, orange, and blue.  Afterwards, its all about the drift/presentation.  I have walked right behind a guy that's been fishing a stretch and landed fish.  These fish can get a lot of pressure through out the season.  Typically use a 10 ft noodle for steelhead.
Hope this helps...

On the  Salmon River jigs must be under 1/8 oz and they must have some dressing to classify it as a fly .
 
Here is the reg
*Use of hooks with added weight is prohibited, except that artificial flies with no more than one-eighth ounce of added weight may be used. For the purposes of this regulation, the method by which weight is added to a hook does not affect classification as an "artificial fly" provided the conditions of the definition of an "artificial fly" are otherwise met.

Artificial fly means a hook with no more than two points dressed with feathers, hair, thread, tinsel or any similar material to which no additional hooks, spinners, spoons or similar devices have been added.

(keep in mind that the special regulations for the Salmon river require that the fly have only one hook point, and a gap no wider than 1/2 inch)
 
You can also fish flies under the float.    I mostly fly fish, but  I have had some hits on a pink jig and a pink rubber worm under a float.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/31420.html
L13