yes spoonplugs work well in rivers too. I live in Oregon il where the nearest body of water is the rock river(boat launch is two min from my house) I am a third generation structure fisherman using spoon plugs I was lucky enough to have met buck perry back when I was knee high to a grasshopper. if you take the time and effort to use them correctly(speed and depth control) you will be happy with the results buck perry does have material available that goes into all the aspects of fishing. just remember, the only two things we can control in fishing is speed and depth control. the rest is not up to us.

good luck out there fishing guy