An 8 wt is a little on the light side, but workable.
My salmon rigs:
2.5 ft 25lb amnesia blood knotted to 7 ft of 15lb mono.
I tie a barrel swivel to the mono, leaving a 4 inch tag. Tie an overhand knot in the tag to use as a shot dropper. Use as little weight possible. You should feel the bottom, but only get snagged occasionally.
Add 3 ft or so of 1x fluoro to the end and attach your fly. If you are using an indie, pinch a small (bb or so) shot or two to the tippet. If you're not, you can do without the extra shot. Both methods have their place, but you'll have to experiment.
When I was there, the fish were on anything blue. Estaz, eggs, stoneflies, bunny leeches, and buggers. I like to carry all of the above in some kind of red, orange, blue, chartreuse, white, and pink.
Other methods are effective, but I have done best on a dead drift.
Loren Williams site has some good info: http://www.flyguysoutfitting.com/
Perhaps he'll chime in with advice.
