Need guidance on fishing the fast stuff

First off for all you guides, I wish I could hire one but can't afford that.  Now to the point.  I keep hearing these great stories about the fly guys fishing the fast stuff or the skinny water with fantastic results.  I have never been able to figure out how to do this.  My best luck has been tailouts, the heads of pools etc.  I realize at this time of year the steelies are hanging out more in the pools and deeper stuff, but i would like to learn this technique for next fall.  i usually use a small strike indicator, and minumal shot, as heavier amounts of shot either lead to snags or snagging fish, which I am definately not a fan of.  i like hooking them fair.
 
Thanks for any help and good luck

And just to add something....

When fishing the faster water, a drag-free drift is critical. Get right in there and high stick. What that means is....
The longer the rod the better, but a standard 9 footer is fine. (if you have a young shoulder..lol) By extending your rod up as high as you can will eliminate any fly line to touch the water. This will give you better, drag-free drifts which is the MOST important.

The quicker you can mend that line or get it all out of the water, the quicker that fly will sink into the strike zone.

Hope this helps...Good luck!

Fast water is simple when the fish are there.  You should be able to do just fine with a strike indicator, just shorten it up a bit as the fast water is usually shallower.  You want a drag free drift, but you also don't want to be dragging bottom. Just a nice steady drift just off the bottom.  Not all fast water is the same, you have to fish the cuts in the shale bottom streams we have and as mentioned above, it seems the gravel areas are always good holding spots even in the fall when the fish aren't spawning, the gravel creates current breaks where the fish will stop to hold on their way up. The easiest time to fish the fast water on PA tribs is the fall when the water is up but with just enough visibility that you can see the bottom, but not really the fish.  Usually the tan light colored bottom won't hold many fish(usually, not Always) but those darker green looking cuts are money, usually the first drift through, bam.

Fishing fast water is fun but can take awhile to learn.  You need to learn how to read the fast water.  I taught a good friend of mine how to fish the fast water for steel this year.  He would see a fish holdin in the fast water and fish for just that fish.  Most times when fishin fast water, ignore the fish you see.  It's generally the fish you don't see that your gonna catch.  I use a float mainly to help keep the line from rolling under rocks.

thats some good advice