i am looking to get a pair of rods for this season one has to be an 8 weight and not sure what to get as the other. I am fishing a small 5 acre ressie which is quite deep

Maybe a 9ft #5 or 9ft6" #6 to cover dries,small buzzers and the like!

I fish an eight weight and a five weight in 9ft for almost all of my fishing. The 8 does super-windy days and big lures, and the five does the dries and wild trout fishing... but to be honest, if I was to make this decision again, I'd got for a seven weight and a five weight. The eight is just a bit overgunned.

the reason I am going with an 8 is because i will be heading to grafham and rutland a few times, but thought a lower weight could be handy for both the small ressie and the larger one

7# is more than adequate for Rutland and Grafham in my opinion

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yeah i know but i have the all the 8 weight lines etc which i have had for a year or so,
rather than buy 2 new sets of lines and rods i can just get the rods then the new weight lines

If you have already got the lines for an #8 then don't go changing to a #7 unnecessarily. A #7 doesn't land as heavily as an #8. In all but the strongest wind and the biggest flies a #7 would be my go to rather than an #8 but it's horses for courses. For small waters I use a #5 in the summer unless I'm C&R when the extra grunt of a #6 allows me to bring them in quicker.

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I use 7 weight rods with 8 weight lines for all my fishing be it Grafham, Rutland or small waters. That means I can interchange all my lines between rods.

Charlie

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I started with an 8 weight rod, bought all the lines. Then, like you do, bought a 'better' rod, in a 7 weight, bought all the lines. I am now on my third 7 weight, have a bag full of 7 and 8 weight lines and could not honestly tell the difference between them.

Think this says more about my casting than the rods or lines.

I don't think you can go wrong with a 7 weight, have a look at the Orvis Western 3, nice rod for the money.

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Yea, having the 8 weight lines for my old rod this was the reason I bought myself a decent eight weight when I upgraded. But it's a decision I regret a bit now. My upgraded eight weight rod will never need replaced (unless I go and break it) but the lines will need replaced when they wear out. New lines are an expense you are going to bear at some point anyway.

Sorry, I am conscious that this is absolutely not answering the question you asked!