JCS,

I'll let you in on an important secret.
Any 8 wt worth carrying, and most that aren't, will give you all the distance you need. I fished the Skagit for one 10 year period with an 8 1/2' 8 wt fiberglass rod and caught many more steelhead than I have during the last 10 years with a nice assortment of graphite rocket launchers. My meaning is that the rod choice is almost irrelevant to the catching of steelhead. Some will be irritated that I mention this, but distance casting is over-rated, especially on the Skagit. I almost never cast over 80' and seldom over 60' or so.

An 8 wt is a good choice, and while no sink tip is going to handle as nicely as a full floating line, the rods you're considering are more than adequate to the task. BTW, home made sink tips are invariably better handling than factory models in my experience.

Rod shopping is fun. Savor the experience!

Sincerely,

Salmo g.