Eric,
I run six with two guys and. Eight with three. Just hate having that 9th odd number on one side of the boat.

Boards work in the river too! Buy the smaller ones and you can get your hot shot spreads out to the side and back instead of directly behind the boat. Can cover way more of the steelhead run that way! With two guys on the river, we run a 4 rod drop back spread with two long lines straight back and two boards. If tight to one bank we might run the boards off the same side.

Still frees up two rods for bottom bouncing spawn or yarn flies, or casting stick and crank baits.

Awesome to see a steelie peel drag and a planer board on the river!