Sounds like you are doing things right to me. Not sure when and how often you have been fishing. If all this has been this Winter and Spring, then you will want to keep it up as the natives are coming! Winter hatchery fish are nice for the bbq but they are not known as being as responsive to the fly as the nates. I don't know very much about the Nooksack winter runs but have had some success hooking into the summer fish (usually while chasing trout on my three weight). If you are looking for good reads I would strongly suggest Trey Comb's Steelhead Flyfishing (the bible in my opinion). Another good read is Bob Arnold's Steelhead Water.

Keep the faith and it will happen


------------------