I'd decide how bad you want to fish for winter runs with the same rod. An 8 is the best compromise, but a 7 would be more comfortable and very capable for floating lines and summer steelhead. Personally, I use a (strong) 10 foot 6 wt for summers and a 9 foot 9 inch 8 weight for winters. The first time I fished the 8 wt was a long weekend of thrashing the N Umpqua. By the next week, my right elbow was in pain and my right hand swollen. It lasted almost a month! Now I only use that rod for certain pools.
Good luck.