I fish mainly small water, but I like a 7ft, 3x tapered leader cut down to about six feet. I tie a small ring (made for furled leaders) on the end. I cut down a foam indicator to the size of two small peas, fold them over just above the ring and super glue them together. Tie on a 4x tippet equal to the depth of the water plus a foot and a half. I tie on a foot and half of 5x, 6x, or 7x with a double surgeons knot leaving a six inch tags. Cut off the small tippet tag. Tie a size 14 brassie, weighted pheasant tail, or weighted hair's ear on the 4x tag. Then tie a size 18, 20, or 22 nymph or midge that is different from the anchor nymph. I fish this rig changing out flies until I get an idea on what the fish want and then go to a single nymph. If the fish are going after small flies, use the tag for split shot.
If I'm headed downstream, I'll fish the same rig with a wet fly, but tie the smaller fly directly to the wet. I'll dead drift the wet on indicator and then swing them at the end of a run. This is a great way to fist a short riffle. I swing the flies a couple of times at the head of the run, and then extend the drift a foot at a time until you have run the full length.