Not to sure about this one, but I will go with I believe that they do eat. Every fish (steelhead) that I have caught in the past 2yrs. I have looked inside the stomach to get a better idea of what these things are eating. I will usually always find some sort of bugs, mostly beetles, some eggs, and 70% of the time, sand shrimp tails. Another reason that I would say they eat is that if you think about guys plunking in the mud, the fish smell this from down stream, and come to it, most likley triggering a memory of food smell from the past. But I will also say that I am no biologist so this is just what I think. I will tell you that in looking in the stomachs of these fish I have been quite surprised by what else I have found in a few of them, walking away in bewilderment trying to picture what the scenario may have been. Last year a hatchery fish from the Bogey was so ready to explode, when I cut the stomach open 3 sand shrimp tails, 2 egg clusters, and a 3 inch bird all came out. Yes a small bird, try imagining that one. Then 2 weeks ago another Bogey fish had a 2inch piece of light blue plastic in its gut, along with 3 sand shrimp tails and some eggs. Amazing what you find in those things.