The XMG rods will work great in saltwater, you just have to clean and rinse them well after use to reduce the corrosive effects of the salt on the reel seat, guides, etc., but that's true of any rod. When water was at a premium, when I was in the Coast Guard at sea, I took the rod into the shower with me.
Fiberglass/ composites, big heavy built guides, etc. are used in saltwater rods due to the human abuse given to the rods and how they are carried and stowed, not so much because of the fish or fishing. Treat them for what they are and you'll do fine.

thanks alot man... i actually caught my first salmon today on the Columbia. i didnt use the xmg tho.. we were bank fishing... but ugh you have any good tips for drift fishing or any hot spots to use my xmg?

I live in Milwaukie, summer chinooks are soon coming in, but the season is 2 weeks I believe this year. Best best would probably be a tributary near the mouth as the season doesn't effect them.
Which XMG rod do you have?

its the exc 89 mt

You've got just about the best Lamiglas they make for salmon, and it's length is just barely enough for float presentations, so there really isn't much in the way of salmon techniques that the rod won't do in our area. Wouldn't be my first choice on some of the bigger salmon that are possible in Alaska, but everywhere else a winner.

I'd have to agree...that 8'9'' is about as versatile as it gets. It was my first springer rod and I'll have it with me all the time on the Nehalem this year, throwing spinners from my kayak for those big silvers down there.

o nice... so is there any bank access for salmon on the the coast?

Yes, there is some bank access on coastal rivers, like all rivers if it was/is a navigable waterway you have a right to access it at bridges, using the state or county's rights, parks, boat ramps, and if you do you're homework and go and talk to the land owners access there too. This is getting harder as many have abused these peoples good intentions. If you get private access take the time to clean the river bank a good distance on either side of where you fished and pack it out, and offer to share your catch.
A navigable waterway as defined by federal law is a waterway that is or has a history of commerce being done on them in that area, it stops where the commerce stopped.
The good thing is that logging operations in the old days, used a vast amount of our waters to move logs and log rafts to market, and they have special small stern wheelers that were able to get further up stream than you may imagine to help with this.
Also there were and are still mining going on, even if it's gravel, that opens up our waterways where you might not think it is. The Rogue and other streams had a large, viable commercial salmon fishing industry of persons who drifted down using wood boats much like our drift boats and than having them packed back up river to go again after they sold their catch.
Now days commerce is done in the form of recreational usage, for instance regular, consistent white water rafting guide services.
You have to stay below the mean high water line, ( the spot the water stops after a heavy rain during heavier winter flows), while using navigable waters to stay off private land.
So stay very close to or in the water. If the steep bank and a deep hole stops you your done.

oh ok thanks sir.. what about the nehalem bay or river? good bank fishing?

You can catch a salmon off the jetty but there's no place to land it. The hatchery on the North Fork will have tons of fish in about two months.

hatchery at north fork? would that be bank? like drifting style?