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Nymphs and eggs are killer Steelhead patterns on both coast. I moved out West from the WNY area and will never forget when I 1st walked into Kaufmann's in Tigard and asked what flies work for Steelhead in the local Oregon rivers. The guy working the counter told me "well anybody can catch a Steelhead drifting nymphs or eggs like you guys do in the Great Lakes but swinging flies is where it's at here". At the time I thought the guy was nipping the bottle or something because I couldn't understand why he would prefer swinging flies to drifting nymphs (it was winter and I knew the fish would be hugging the bottom) but he was right, to a certain extent. It's great fun swinging flies and I did that for awhile and occasionally caught fish. But when I really wanted to catch fish a Copper John or big black nymph with rubber legs was the ticket.

I haven't spent much time on the Salmon river but I know the Cattaraugus and Western Ontario tribs like the back of my hand and in addition to eggs and sucker spawn already mentioned Copper Johns and black nymphs with rubber legs can be killer patterns there also.

A black nymph in the late afternoon can be especially effective. I think that them fish see so many egg flies go by that when they see something as diabolic looking as a black nymph with crazy rubber legs working the bottom they just have to check it out.

I'm missing the great fishing found in the Erie and Ontario tribs again this year. Wish I could be there.