I too....
I too live in the Great Lakes region, and our rivers tend to be smaller, with deeper pockets and pools in most areas. Most wouldn't think of using a spey rod, but I prefer using one because I can cover water and increase my drifts. I tie all of my own leaders, which allow me to customize it to my liking. I use alot of floating line and sink tip methods, but usually resort to indicator nymphing methods since our streams/rivers are set up for it. Below are some of my favorite setups that turn over very well on the mid to fast action speys I use. My leaders are usually 12' - 15' when using floating lines and 3' - 6' when using sink tip methods. A friend has suggested another indicator that works great on rivers here in the Great Lakes, but it is made specifically for indicators/splitshot and turns over well...I will leave that one out!

Currently, I use these setups on aTrident TL 12'6" 7wt, Trident TL 12' 8wt, and on a Trident 14' 9wt(tip flex 12.0)....
SETUP:
Floating Line:
*6' 20lb maxima chameleon
*4'- 4.5' 12lb maxima ultra green
*3' 8lb maxima ultra green
*2.5' 6lb maxima ultra green(optional, I prefer to go straight to my tippet from 8lb maxima therfore keeping it simpler and is one less pivot point on my line)
***Make sure that when doing this leader you keep your tippet incruments short(less than 4') or it will be very hard to turnover in the wind.
Sink Tip:
* 2.5' 12lb maxima ultra green(with loop)
* 2'-4' 8lb maxima ultra green/flouro
The simplier, the better....on our Great Lakes rivers this works great. Turnsover well, yet sinks quickly since the diamters of the leader setup are smaller!

Hope this helps, I cannot do much due to the fact that I never have left the Great Lakes steelhead madness!