Salmon Tackle Help

Just my opinion but if you are going for Salmon I might be more inclined to go with the MH especially if you aren't wading as the Salmon will take you for a long walk.  You will probably need more backbone.  I'm a Shimano guy and fish the Stradic 4000 and fish 12 lb main line and then a fluoro leader often 6-10 but again I'm wading and fight the fish plus I've sort of converted to Steelies.  Someone from shore might need to have a little heavier tackle. 

Yeah, I'll be wading. When I said shore fishing, I meant it as opposed to fishing on a boat in the lake. I'll have waders.
 
So, are there any Pflueger men out there? Would a President do the job?

slabdaddy,one thing that has n't been mentioned is studded wading boots.They are a must up there,very slippery rocks and swift strong current.If your boots are not studded get the slip on studded sandels,Corkers is a well known brand.
What are you planning to use as a lure/bait?

Not only is that bottom slippery but that river changes depths quick so be careful wading.  I've been on a ton of creeks, etc...  and there's nothing like it in my experience.  I will ask my one bud, he is also a Pfleuger faithful.  I believe he uses the Supreme but don't quote me.

pretty much skein for salmon, egg sacks and pink worms for steelies

Dont wade very deep any more and have actually gotten by with hip boots with Felt soles- wouldnt reccomend it to most but it works if you keep yourself VERY limited to specific areas in known lower waters. No chasing hooked fish wearing them either  lol
    In any kinda high or fast water   I go right back to the chesties with cleats for safety.
  Hey -tried the shiners last Fall for Steel- Steel were around me cause I could see them run up now and then and had NO luck at all -fished them several ways too. Have never seen anyone else on the SR use them in over 30 yrs on the river - now  know why. Still think they shoulda worked. As soon as I put on my first blue sac in the same run  BANGO --an they kept it up on the sacs too.
  Would strongly recomend Blue and or orange sacs to anyone coming up to the SR as a decent all round offering. Kinda like a 6 or 8 hook even though most use a larger one. Carry a blend of the colors and carry a lot of them too. 
    First timers tend to use far too much weight and take a long time learning NOT to throw upstream & spend far too much time pulling them outa the rocks.
  Would also suggest bringing a variety of weights in different sizes from home. They dont sell lead up there and those bright shiny thingies they DO sell scare the fish and dont have the weight of lead.
   Personally its a rare day for me to use more than a couple of BB size lead wts. Kinda firmly believe that fish  in mid suspension tend to bite more aggressivley than those hanging on the bottom. Just one mans way----You will find many  guys using #1 hooks with muzzel ball weights and stiff rods with 25 lb test and 'fishing' much differently  lol
  I know the main run tends to pickup pretty decent most years in late Sept. THAT however is MOST years. Sometimes it just aint that way. If I was to suggest a time frame for ONE annual trip for multiple species in particular it would be a week or so later. Yes the weather gets more iffy and the crowds do tend to increase to Biblical proportions but the fish are most always there then too.
  Good luck- its a great place---

Hate to give up a 'secret' but in Winter and Spring have had decent luck with little green and pink Brook Trout streamers on about a # 10 hook. Never tried the shiners in Winter or Spring but have had good luck with Garden Hackle on Spring Steel so dont know why the Shiners wouldnt work either.
  Perhaps at those times of year after the main spawn they go back to more natural or traditional offerings. Oddly have never had much luck with Garden Hackle in the Fall either.
 Some say I'm odd anyhow so whats the problem ???

This is great stuff. Thanks guys. I wonder why noone uses shiners? Salmon have to be eating them. Doesn't make sense. My buddy uses skein. I've never used it, but if I go with him, I'm sure he'll teach me. So what else should I stock up on? And did you guys say that you would recommend the last week of Sept above all others?

Keep in mind I was still getting them in the 3rd week in October last year so unfortunately you will hear the got to be at the right place and right time using the right bait or lures theory.  The other theory you will hear is that the salmon don't bite which is not accurate.  You have to find the right fish and present the right bait, etc...  Unfortunately that restraint is necessarily employed so you might see some different tactics and I will leave it at that...
 
This is the same as any other type of fishing, not every fish is interested and given the amount of pressure these fish get they become extra weary and educated FAST.  Other piece is none of these fish are likely to eat for the sake of satiety instead its aggression and instinct.  Hope that helps...  Also the later you go the tougher it is on the sense of smell with catabolism beginning once they enter the river.  Nothing like a decaying fish right next to you as your trying to catch some steel or mud sharks
 

By the way I meant to say "Unfortunately that restraint isN'T necessarily employed so you might see some different tactics and I will leave it at that..."
 
Yeah retired, I remember my first trip up I went with some seasoned vets and lets just say we fished EVERYWHERE and some of the places were in holes that we couldn't see the bottom and were the only ones there.  I actually started that morning with a egg fly and the old timer said that won't work as he put on a golf ball size amount of skein.  I smiled and ended up hooking the first salmon we landed it and I gloated.  Now don't get me wrong this old timer ended up out fishing me but it was amusing that evening the waitress/bar tender explained we were a bunch of snaggers.  I thought interesting I couldn't see the fish, didn't even know if there were in this respective hole, and the plugs/skein found the corner of the mouth or tip of their noses every time.  Of course the following year I fished middle river dealt with the congestion and saw fish running for their lives.  Such different experiences so I gave it all up and started fishing chrome with salmon being a bonus.  We do our homework fish everywhere and try to avoid the crowds at all cost.  We get our pictures keep a couple salmon for smoking to please the farmers we hunt waterfowl on and that's it.  Now every year I count the days until my next trip.  Unless I'm fishing the Florida Keys then I'm distracted for a while until the fall start to set in and the leaves start to color.  Truthfully the DSR is an interesting place I get disappointed when I see the parking lot full but overall it can be better than playing with the crowds.  Just my two cents/experience either way I still come up support the local economy and have a great time.  

10-12 foot noodle rod
2500 series shamano sedona
for fresh kings 12 lb main line and 10 lb leader, for older fish 10 lb main and 8 leader
size 4 gamagatzu circle hook with a blue egg sack
usually one or two splitshot about 18 inches up
that is all you need for the mudsharks :)
 

DSR....Douglaston Salmon Run...first mile or so of river that is pay to fish....$45/day......can be hit or miss as the fish don't hold there because they want to get upstream to do their thing,if you hit it right it is great or you might pay and get next to nothing.It goes against my grain to pay that when these fish are mostly stocked with our license money,but that's me others see it different.

Hey chartists,with that 20# tippet you better keep your hands on the cork or it won't be just the line snapping

me being a real good steel head fisherman i thought the kings would kinda be the same but bigger. it is much eaiser to catch steel. after 5 trips , our last trip we hammered the kings. we where probably the onle guys that wasnt snagging. 10'6 noodle rod. 8# 100% fluro line. no leaders and at first steel head skien then salmon skien. with the 8# Pline we wher we didnt have a problem. u will lose 1 where and there but it worked great. dont forget zip locks for your eggs.

That link does n't give details,like how long,9'+ is better.Medium action 10-20# should work,but I would use 14# main line,small black barrel swivel,then 10# Pline flouracarbon leader about 2 to 4 ft long depending on water being fished,shollow fast water short leader,deeper slower water longer leader.Tie a short piece of leader material onto swivel and hang your weight off that,that way you only lose the weight if it hangs up on bottom.You can buy egg sacks up there,you use sacks or hunks of skien for Salmon.This is not Erie where single eggs are common for Steel.