FirstBow, my only river fishing experience is with bass.
The fastest way I have found to get on the fish is to find anywhere that has clean water coming into the river. Creeks are great, so are discharges from factories, as long as it is clean water.
After that, find structure. Boat docks can be good, bridge pillars too.

Fish in rivers tend to move around making it hard to find them at times, but fresh water coming in always seems to be a sure bet.

Sunken barges, things like that are good.

As far as lures go....I catch most of my fish on tube baits, but I use them more than any other type so it stands to reason that I would have greater success with them.
Bandit crank baits work great for me too. And first thing in the morning, or late in the evening I sometimes kill the fish with topwater chug bugs by storm.