Ahhh the Applegate, one my favorite tribs. Some of my first steelhead ever caught came out of there. Mr.pinstriper covered a lot of the bases for you in the post above, and i will offer you my .02. Take note of the river level/flow via the river charts online, that way you have a reference point as to what the Applegate will look like when you head out. River low? clear or both? 1st I would run my bobber with a single bead/soft egg maybe a small bait of some sort. Lotsa flow? green water? same as above just a tad bigger and maybe brighter offering. I have fished leaders as low as 6lb. test there when needed. One more, SPOONS. Learn to use them. Rain would often get fish riled up on the "gate" and they will hammer them. Ditch the treble hook if the spoon comes with one and replace with a siwash single point of some sort. Use the highest quality plating finish spoons u can afford they will pay off in the long run. The info is out there if you look. Used to fish from the tavern down to the mouth and always looked forward to March. Ya got me missing it, good luck.