New to flyfishing the SR, in other words haven't yet, but what does DEC consider a weighted fly? Lead wire tied into the fly, beadheads?

Both of those.

And from reading posts on here that's a no-no?
 

No a certain amount is allowable.
 

• Use of hooks with added weight is prohibited, except that artificial flies with no more than one-eighth ounce of added weight may be used. For the purposes of this regulation, the method by which weight is added to a hook does not affect classification as an "artificial fly" provided the conditions of the definition of an "artificial fly" are otherwise met.

Some of us are beginning to wonder how 'added weight" is defined.  If I tie a Rabbit fly with the hair on the leather, and the leather soaks up water, does the water in the hide constitute "added weight"?  We have always assumed it meant fuse wire or cones or metal that was not part of the construction, but it has been tradition in fly tying for years to use materials that liked to soak up water and then sink to construct wet flies, things like wool and chenille. 
 
L13  

Rabbit leather is  somewhat counter-productive as it tends to make a fly float. Adding cones and underwrap of wire gets them down.  That's a problem as it  generally makes the fly too heavy to fish in the Fly Zones.
Before the 1/8th went into effect I had some very  good luck with a bunny cray with dumbbell eyes. With the hook and materials, too heavy, now. I can still fish a size 6 bunny leech with a little added weight.   A friend that lives on the Kenai sent me some  great  pink and purple double bunnies, but  I have to use them out of the zones to be legal because of the big cones.  You also have to take into consideration it's the combined weight of fly and added shot that makes the 1/8 oz.  I still think for the most part, the officers are looking for intent, not trying to hassle people over a few grams. At least I'm hoping the officer Troutbum dealt with is an anomaly, and not a new nitpicking norm. Google some charts on beadhead  and cone weight and shot size vs. weight and you'll see what's legal. If they start carrying scales and stripping flies to check for wire wraps, they've gone way too far, considering what goes on.  In high water, things get difficult in the zones, now.  My rule of thumb is when my rig hits the water it goes ...plit....not KERPLUNK!  
 

For salmon I used to prefer my flies weighted and my leader not. Generally the water is lower and warmer at that time so swinging a beaded eye streamer was more effective ( and less hang ups ) then nymphing a estaz fly with shot.
In the spring I like to again go back to the streamer swing for steelhead so I will lead wrap the hook before tying. The water is usually higher so yes, I may add a small shot on the tippet close to the fly. I think a sink tip or t-11 leader would probably be effective as well.

During winter I feel things need to be slow and low ( close to their line of sight ) for best success so the switch goes to added shot to the leader more then weighting the fly.
Most of my flies at that time become smaller such as nymph and egg patterns. As for the zones, the 1/8 oz rule kinda makes things more defined from the previous ( line casting the fly) . It' still does not define "intent" as some still intent to hook fish in many ways, long leaders , dredging and of course the stealth snagging ( big belly in line and sweep the lift) . It somewhat limits the legit angler but I think a good fisher can over come and use his skills instead. Example , fish the inside seams close to the bank or use an indicator in the soft water.
All in all I believe , at least the lfz in my short time fishing it has become much better but some folks still use lesson followed by some paper if thy chose not to comply.

If you stick with the intentions of fishing instead of trying to hook fish then we are all anglers in the end.

HT, that's a pretty good description of how things work. It's a great point about line bellying and intent. If you see someone mending  a lot  to get a good dead drift, likely they're not trying to floss and lift. Like immediately throwing a roll cast after your indicator hits the water to pin it there and allow the fly to get down beneath it.  And sometimes using indicators will be very effective or necessary for getting a good presentation . I'm guilty of having too much belly at times because I love to cast, and work water too far away from me to effectively fish.  I'm trying to break the habit. 

Charlie... I too like to handle more line than the common folk every now and then... no need to break the habit... just use with discretion.. always an adrenaline rush to see your mending patterns straighten out from an aggressive strike with a lot of line out... fuk the criticism... you're a class A flyfisher bud do as you please!

YEA Fitchy,what dime says.....do your thing.
When you use two #5's for eyes is that considered too much? Then don't forget the 3 #5's on the line to get a good "drift".Just some sick humor