I once caught a summer run that was spitting up sticklebacks down in Orgeon. I then put on a Matuka pattern and caught two more. Infact the Matuka style fly was adapted to steelhead fishing because a few decades ago a guy caught a steelhead full of sticklebacks and thought about this pattern. The Matuka pattern features a back/body that has spikes that stick up on the back. I believe that if the food is there and in abundance, the steelhead will eat it. Summer runs are known to eat large nymphs, October Caddis flies, and grasshoppers. I don't believe winter runs eat as much, except the early ones that enjoy Chum eggs. After the spawn, steelhead become very aggressive, but elusive, and will hammer big flies and lures as they feed on what ever they can find diring March and April while they head back to the salt. In all steelhead are active feeders in freash water.