I think people have the right brine idea.... the simpler the better. Some have great success with the wet brine. I use the dry. You have to experiment with your preference for the proper mix of sugar and salt. But buying a few pounds of dark brown sugar and a box of kosher salt or sea salt is all you really need. Raid the spice cabinet for everything else.

I too use a rubbermaid tub. After I mix the sugar and salt (I do it by eye now), I put a layer of the mixture on the bottom of the tub then I start laying in the fillets... and it goes without saying that you leave the skin on. It does not matter which side is up as long as you alternate as you layer the fillets... skin to skin, flesh to flesh. And put that layer of sugar/salt in between the layers of fish. The idea is to get all the flesh coated. Many people put the whole tub in the fridge overnight. I just let it set on the counter. By morning you have a big tub of fillets with a syrupy solution covering it all.... 8 to 12 hours is good.

Rinse off fillets, pat dry with paper towels and let them air dry... I even use a small fan to speed the process. You want those fillets to be dry but "tacky" from the sugar. This is a good time to add your favorite spices... or nothing at all works well too.

Any smoker will work but you have to learn what it does, how heat can be retained, etc. The little chiefs do work better with the box over 'em.... especially this time of year. I put new chips in every hour and the total smoke time is about 8 hours. But I like a hard smoke. More or less smoke and smoking time depending upon personal preference.

Another thing that goes without saying... spray some Pam on those grates and make sure the flesh side is down inside the smoker. Start with thick pieces on bottom but half-way or 2/3rds way through process, get them up top and the top ones down below.

Nothing much better than a cold amber, freshly smoked salmon, Lazy Boy and a Seahawks game on a Sunday afternoon.